Do I.Q tests really determine someones I.Q? Is it possible that an intelligent person can fail in an I.Q test?

Question

I'm a daughter of someone who is a member of MENSA. But how is it that I've not inherited the same I.Q? I thought it was in the genes?

Answer 1

I'm in Mensa too. IQ tests are just a guideline, and you can train your brain to do them, so they really don't measure much. But they can be a useful guideline to mental function.
IQ is not a gene, IQ is environment; Nature and nurture

Answer 2

Anyone with intelligence can train themselves to do IQ tests. That sounds weird? Before you join MENSA, you get a sample test sheet. It has all sorts of questions you may not ever see anywhere else - for example - those patterns, which you have to find the next in the 'series'. You sit down and do a whole bunch of them, you suddenly become very good at finding the next pattern in the series.

A bit like Sudoko. If you've never done a Sudoko puzzle before, it's going to take you a lot longer to do it than someone who is trained at the techniques you use to solve a Sudoko problem.

I would recommend anyone who is seriously considering taking an IQ test to train themselves for two or three months in the kind of questions they will be given in the test.

Also people from different cultures will have difficulties with standard IQ tests. I took an American test recently that told me I had 'so many nickles, so many dimes, and so many cents'. I'm English. I couldn't differentiate between a nickle and a dime until I'd taught myself.

My history - when I was 13 I got accepted for MENSA with an 'unmeasurable IQ' (quoted as 'over 180' for five years in a row). Nowadays when I take tests on a whim, once a year or so, I get around 120 / 130. I don't think I'm any less intelligent, I just think I am out of practise for doing those kind of tests.

Practise, practise, practise. And once you've done that, if you ARE intelligent, only then will the tests show an accurate result.

Answer 3

Don't worry so much about I.Q. It is very over rated. You are just fine! There are many types of intelligence that I.Q. cannot measure. Everyone has his/her own special talents. I used to focus on I.Q. myself. I was down right obsessed with it. But then I realized, no one has ever given me a job based on my I.Q. I have always been given jobs and awarded promotions for my hard work and dedication. Remember, you can be smart and have an average I.Q. In fact, I think sometimes people with "high I.Q.'s" have a disadvantage, for their extreme intelligence gets in their way. It is apparent with you Mom or Dad. Instead of being a member of MENSA, perhaps they should be focusing on you and your self esteem. Take care.

Answer 4

An I.Q. test only measures how good you are at doing an I.Q. test. They are very culturally biased. I remember getting marked down for saying that Ann Franklin was an early 19 centuary french chemist when I was 14. The guy would'nt repeat the question, he was actually asking who Ann Frank was. Doh!
There a bit of a joke when it comes to the definition of intelligence, but then again so's the definition of intelligence.
They have improved testing a lot but don't think its everything to "pass" or" fail" all questions are easy if you know the answer.
I'm sure you could write a test that a lot of people would fail.
It really irritates me that people in life define intelligence by ones ability to answer one set of questions, there's a lot more to it than that.

Not you dude, I mean the system.

Answer 5

Number one, there are several IQ tests available today. They measure different things, based on the theory of intelligence of the person that created the test.

You can not inherit the same IQ, you may inherit the genes that allow you to develop the same IQ. But as IQ is generally believed to be a combination of life experience and innate abilities, it is unique for each person.

And no one can "fail" an IQ test, the scoring is based on an averaging system usually. You are simply compared to the base of who took the test, and how the scoring was formed.

Answer 6

I.Q. tests are invaluable. They do not prove ones intelligence. I can score 115 on average and I know I'm not that smart. They are along the lines of the polygraph test because they can be fooled. And they are inadmissible. MENSA is just a fluke organization... for 'smart' people to feel usful... it's like tag for grown-ups.

Answer 7

I think you have. I can see you are together and you wish to assess the Mensa IQ test. Let me put this in the nicest possible way. The tests are only a very rough indicator and its only correct indication is that a person can see. And that is about it.

If you are not thinking along those lines, IE looking at little childlike puzzles) then you can fail them. Plus really clever people don't have time for Mensa. Was Einstein a member? I rest my case.

Answer 8

I think its generally accepted that an IQ test really does determine an IQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Though this is a recognised form of detemining how smart a person is there are, I believe, other forms of intelligence. A big one several years back was Emotional Intelligence, though sometimes I believe that this is the domain of females, (LOL)
I believe that though IQ tests determine the overall 'agility' of the mind many people have a predeliction to either the reasoning/creative part of the brain or the factual/memory parts.
I'm not conviced any of this is corect as I currently have no access to either.
Merry Christmas anyway!!!!

Answer 9

You can do poorly on an I.Q. test if you don't pay attention to the questions. Also, some I.Q. tests are better than others. I wouldn't fret about it right now. Just keep trying harder. No matter what your I.Q., the only way to gain success is to keep trying.

Answer 10

those i've got taken have been certainly a attempt of intelligence. being waiting to perceive varieties in pictures and are available up with the subsequent logical answer, be conscious institutions, perceive varieties interior of a collection of numbers,math issues, and so on...i could like to think of they're precise (I did ok each and every time i replaced into examined) even with the undeniable fact that as Pope mentioned your physique of suggestions on the time performs a extensive ingredient, being properly rested before taking the attempt made a distinction of 18 pts between my worse and appropriate score.