Since we were very young, most of us have considered IQ tests to be the only and main method of determining a person’s intellectual level. You probably even took this test at the academy. For someone, the outcome of an IQ test can be a motive for pride, for others, it is a theme of shame. In any event, IQ tests are revered and trustworthy ways to determine a person’s intellectual level.
Most people regard tests of intellectual abilities to be something too complicated and advanced because they don’t fully understand what indicators these checks evaluate, what the scores indicate, and how reliable the test results are. Ready to find out?
History of IQ tests
In 1904, Alfred Binet established the first screening for defining the IQ test with a specific purpose: to establish the degree of mind and mentality of schoolchildren learning in French schools. This test was created by Alfred Binet on behalf of the French Ministry of Education. The main reason for producing the IQ test was the desire to contribute to French students to identify the shortcomings of mental abilities and skills of schoolchildren and violations in the learning process.
The primary IQ tests, which are meanwhile used in their original or slightly modified form, contributed to quantify the level of mental elaboration of a kid compared to children of the same age. Binet was able to figure out that some children have a much higher mental age than their peers. Some of the children had average indicators, while others had significantly lower measuring alarms than the rest of the children.
Binet didn’t seek to generate a benchmark as a fundamental extent of the mental level of people, did not imagine that it would become as important as it is today. If we quote the American Psychological Association, we can recall how Binet considered intelligence and common sense to be identical and equivalent concepts. Among other things, the French psychologist characterized intelligence as a set of numerous skills and capacities that are formed under the impact of the surrounding medium.
Applying IQ tests in modern days
Today tests to determine such an indicator as IQ (like iq-global-test.com) are quite often carried out by psychologists in educational institutions with a specific goal: to find among students those who have special needs, as well as gifted students. In addition, universities and colleges arrange such tests for students who want to enroll in them for further study. Some organizations and companies also use tests as part of the hiring checks. Among other things, the US military arranges IQ tests to understand whether a person approaches his appointment and job or not.
In modern realities, a huge quantity of IQ tests is employed, including the original modification of the test authored by Alfred Binet, which is called the “Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale”. Among the tests for determining the degree of IQ, which are also used quite often, the following can be separately distinguished:
- Assessment battery for children by Kaufman
- Universal Nonverbal Intelligence
- Intelligence Scale for kids by Wexler
- Individual check of Wexler’s accomplishments
- The span of an adult’s intellectual capacities by Wexler
- Cognitive Evaluation System
- Woodcock-Johnson III tests for determining cognitive impairment
- Incremental Capability scales
- Individual Peabody Achievement Check
Which indicators determine the IQ level and how it is considered
To put it elementarily, IQ determines a person’s standard of mental abilities, or, as it is otherwise called, crystallized intelligence. The main purpose of IQ testing is to stimulate your capacity to reason, resolve various issues, as well as your skills in mathematical, visual, and linguistic aspects of an activity. Among other things, IQ tests check your capacity to remember findings and your ability to handle the knowledge you receive.
The outcomes of the first IQ tests, which were created by Alfred Binet, were determined by dividing your intellectual age by chronological age, after this action, the resulting number was multiplied by one hundred. Most of today’s tests apply the IQ rejection principle, where your IQ test score is contrasted to the medium score on a general scale.
Predominantly in checks for determining IQ, the ordinary score is one hundred, most people passing the IQ test are within 15 of the average evaluation according to the results. How are the performances of IQ tests usually construed? The rating obtained below 70 demonstrates mental retardation, results within a hundred indicate a standard, average standard of mental capacities. And, in turn, points to more than 130 shows the intellectual genius.
Is the IQ test really the best method to define the level of intellectual development?
Some experts are convinced that IQ checks simply determine the extent to which a person can execute well on a test and how strongly motivated they are to achieve a successful, decent result. While many people claim that intelligence is a hereditary trait that we are born with, others still believe that our environment has a significant impact on our intellectual level of development. For example, people with less social, economic, and educational opportunities may not receive identical IQ scores as people who have all of the above benefits.
Some of the scientists pay special attention to the fact that IQ doesn’t determine the ability of a person to achieve success and the desired heights in life: to acquire a high-paying job, get a decent education or be an individual who is useful and has a positive impact on the whole society. While some of the people with genius IQ rating may win Nobel Prizes and make incredible, world-changing discoveries, many of the people with genius indicators can lead the most ordinary, average lifestyle, successfully behaving like people with standard IQ scores. However, on the contrary, it is common for people with ordinary, average IQ scores to lead surprisingly successful and striking lifestyles.
Intelligence is something more than IQ test scores
You know, during the writing of this article, I decided to pass an online test to determine my IQ level. To be more precise, I sincerely tried to do it. I have higher education and also have a master’s degree in English. Among other things, I have five years of college teaching experience. Two books of my authorship have been published, as well as hundreds of journalistic articles. And you know what? I was unable to resolve a few issues at the very beginning of testing.
Perhaps if I really tried, made every possible effort, then I think I could get an average score for passing the test. However, the IQ test initially tested my weaknesses: logical reasoning and figures. And, despite this, I am still, according to numerous, generally accepted criteria, a smart and successful person in my activities.
It is really important to realize that intelligence is not just the ability to solve linguistic and mathematical puzzles, problems, not just logical thinking, it is something more. You should also draw care to the fact that the basic qualities of the emotional mind, the capacity to think beyond the box, and your creative skills are not stipulated and appraised by IQ check.
I am persuaded that the main moment is to comprehend some value of such tests, but at the same time to avoid the banal temptation, the desire to compare yourself with other people and their indicators of intellectual development. Each of us is a genius in his own way, it does not matter whether a person has an increased standard of IQ or not.