What is your IQ, and is it important?

Question

I mean does only IQ is important or you believed that we need other mental abilities to make a difference in this world?

Answer 1

This question isn't worded particularly well. I'm assuming that you're asking if IQ is important, or if other capabilities make a difference. The IQ test was developed to identify children with learning disabilities, and nothing more. There are now dozens of different tests, and each one is slightly different than another. A person might score highly on one test, and then score in the middle of the IQ range the second time, depending on the test. As far as being a measure of innate human intelligence, it does very little.

IQ scores can also be false. They are notorious for testing a limited number of skills. A Discovery Science documentary on intelligence illustrated this. As one psychologist said, "If you want to test spatial intelligence, give someone a map and tell them to navigate the campus of MIT, or downtown Boston." They also don't factor in a kid's nutrition, home life (a kid from a toxic home isn't going to score as highly as a kid from a loving home), or his socio-economic group. These things come into play.

I remember talking to a psychologist who does IQ testing in children, that IQ's should only be known by the tester and the school system. A parent, she said, should only be told if the child is slow. Beyond that, she says, nobody should have access to anyone's IQ. "It's not the measure of your worth as a human being," she said.

As for your other question, there are different theories of intelligence. It's been theorized that we have many different types of intelligence. There's mathematical intelligence, linguistic intelligence, athletic/physical, musical, spatial, and so forth. These things can't be measured. But they're who we are. These are our talents, and what makes us unique. Just because someone is good in math doesn't make that person highly intelligent; he might not be able to read at grade level, or compose a well crafted essay. Likewise, a musician isn't necessarily stupid because she can't understand Quantum Theory.

If it says anything, my father-in-law was a h.s. guidance counselor and teacher for over 40 years. He still says, that, "It's not what you've got. It's what you do with it. I've had kids come in with IQ scores in the 90's, but they're graduating at the top of their class, and they achieve great things academically. But I've also had kids with 145 IQ's who've flunked out of high school, because they simply thought they knew more than everyone else. It's like sports. If a kid can run a 4.35 40 yard dash but never works, he's not going to beat out the kid who's a little slower but works harder."

Answer 2

I have an IQ of 128, which is apparently above average.

If you look at an IQ distribution curve you will see that the vast proportion of people fall into the "average" category and this is all the IQ test is really good for - telling you whether you are above or below the average.

A high IQ does not necessarily mean that you can "make a difference". This is down to the drive and determination of an individual - a high intelligence will help to get the message across, but the ability to communicate effectively is probably more important than a high IQ these days.

Answer 3

Lots and no.

It can and often is argued that even the best of IQ tests is a long way from measuring mental ABILITY. The easiest way to demonstrate this is by coaching someone to improve their scores. Since it IS possible to take a class and improve your IQ test score, it suggests that the test is measuring LEARNING instead of ABILITY.

Which isn't to say that an IQ test is completely without value. If you take it as a (poor) measure of linguistic, mathematical, and the few other skills which it assesses, then it can be an indicator of success in things which require linguistic, mathematical, and those other abilities. And to be fair, that's a LOT of things. It's not hard to find correlations between performance on an IQ test and performance in a variety of careers.

But the correlation isn't perfect. There are many things where intelligence is probably more of a hindrance than a benefit. Line soldiers don't need to ponder the greater socio-political ramifications of what they're doing, they generally need to obey orders and fast. And so on to other things. There have been many leaders and many fields who would probably have scored low on an IQ test.

This doesn't nullify their accomplishments one whit.

Answer 4

The IQ doesn't measure intelligence, it measures only the ability to solve those particular problems that are used in measuring IQ. In other words, it is totally unimportant and useless.


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Answer 5

My IQ is very high and it has brought much pleasure and much pain. I think IQ is important as an indicator of ones potential, or ability, but without discipline it is nothing, because one will do nothing with it.

Answer 6

My IQ is 135. well iq is fairly important but i think ur mental health and your virtues are more important. smart is only one thing. your love compassion and respet towards your fellow human beings more important to make a differance in this world. u also have to understand people to make a difference.

Answer 7

My IQ is 96, I think, and I'm 13.

I think that's average. I have no idea. But I don't think things like IQs or tests or such can really determine how smart you really are. They test on how well you do on tests.

Answer 8

Several years ago... I took an IQ test and my score was 148 as I remember.... I never got an answer where that ranked in the scoring....... there must be several of these tests out now.

Answer 9

my IQ is 106 but i am only 14 years old :)) and i think it's not important

Answer 10

no longer unavoidably. Having low intelligence is greater substantial, in a damaging sense, than greater intelligence. a individual could be greater vulnerable to do issues no longer in his or her ultimate pastime with low intelligence. in spite of the undeniable fact that, different characteristics could desire to trump the IQ element. Impatience, case in point, could desire to bring about harm or loss of existence regardless of ways smart somebody is.