is intelligence something that changes over time.or is it fixed?

Question

ok..for instance you are really smart as a child, will you remain as smart your entire life or are you bound to turn dumb?

Answer 1

It can, and usually does, change over time, based on your life experiences.

You start out with a certain amount that you're born with, sometimes referred to as fluid intelligence. This stays the same as long as you have a reasonable, nonabusive upbringing (trauma can degrade even this, although it's different in everyone). Fluid intelligence involves spatial ability, and may influence conceptual ability. Then there's crystal intelligence, or verbal ability. Again, barring trauma or deprivation, this will continue to grow and improve your whole life. Standardized IQ tests compensate for this by asking how old you are when you're taking one of them.

Crystal intelligence is easier to manipulate by pushing a child. Parents who push their preschoolers into learning to read before they're ready so they can be identified as gifted will not fool a skilled school psychologist, who will see an elevation in verbal ability in relation to nonverbal ability, whereas generally the two are pretty even. Again, nonverbal ability can be depressed by unresolved trauma, but it looks slightly different with a pushed child. Not a lot though... some kids really are traumatized by all the pre-school "schooling" their parents give them. Things that might actually help your kids' IQ? Breastfeeding when they're babies, keeping them away from junk food as they grow, everyone getting enough sleep, and meditation (although usually the parents have to lead with that) can add IQ points at any age (I acknowledge that last point is controversial, so save your breath, it happens to be my research-based professional opinion).

Anyway, your crystal intelligence will grow until you die or get Alzheimers or dementia, or something related, which explains why all the dowagers in my family kill everyone at Scrabble. But overall, your IQ score will usually stay the same if you are retested, or within 7 points either way. The gains and losses are built in.

Answer 2

Yes, it you are smart as a child you will most likely stay smart, unless you get into an accident or something along thoughs lines. Of course over time you will get smarter, because you will be learning new things and your brain will be developing. Intelligence is something we are born with.

Answer 3

Absent getting brain damaged, an intelligent child will stay intelligent.

Answer 4

It changes as it can grow or diminish.

Intelligence grows with knowledge and experiences. If you continue to learn, to keep up and think, it will grow until your physical deteriate with old age.

People can be dumb but given time and hard working, they can improve.

Answer 5

i think it stays about the same but over time you do lose brain cells and tend to have lots of other things on your mind. i think its like a computer your always gonna have your pentium chip, but as time goes on you start filling your hard drive, and running more intensive programs, which causes you to slow down. biologically you start to lose brain cells just like losing collagen or your immunity wearing down. but intelligence is only useful when applied, as we get older i think sometimes we stop applying it.

Answer 6

some people need to work harder at it, but it's totally doable to be smart!

Answer 7

You can become smarter with age & you can become dumber.

Answer 8

can be improved