IQ or IQ
Definition
The term IQ or IQ, designates at the same time a series of psychometric tests of mental effectiveness and the result obtained from these. Contrary to popular belief, IQ does not measure a person's intelligence, but allows us to compare it to the average of the reference population.
Some scientific studies have concluded that IQ is genetically determined, although the cultural context is just as important.
History
If the term "Mental Test" was first used in 1890 by the American psychologist Raymond Bernard Cattell, the first IQ tests were only developed in 1906 by the Frenchman Alfred Binet for the Ministry of Education. The purpose: to identify children with school difficulties by calculating their mental age. Binet's test has been modified and improved over the years. For example, the German Stern decided to divide the result obtained by the real age of the child, and multiply everything by 100. Stern, Terman, Wechsler ... Each of them contributed to improving the method and created its own test.
The different types of IQ
There are various types of IQ, developed by different researchers, with different reference values. Some correspond to the mental age of the individual - we are talking about classic IQ -, others to his social status - we are talking about standard IQ. While classic IQ is often used for children, the mental age calculation doesn't mean much for adults. A standard IQ such as Wechsler's, the most frequent, is then used. Depending on the IQ test you choose, you won't get the same result. A 150 in the Wechsler therefore corresponds to a 180 in the Cattell.
The numbers
The IQ is between 0 and 200. In Italy, the average is around 100. The lower limit of "normality" is 80 while the highly gifted have an IQ above 140. To get an idea, Albert Einstein had an IQ of 160, while a chimpanzee has an IQ of 60. From the study of his works, it would appear that Descartes' IQ was 185.
The IQ evolves up to 6-7 years of life, then it remains more or less unchanged. You will get the same result at 20 or 40 years, except in the case of stress, fatigue or depression: in this case there is a decrease.
The tests
The principle: answer a series of questions, in multiple choice or with a psychologist who comments on your results. Questions about language, logic, mindfulness ... The tests are divided into themes. Your performances (speed, number of correct answers, etc.) are compared to the results of the population average and can be timed.
From the point of view of prices, it is convenient to calculate € 120 for a test in several sessions by the psychologist. Also, if you are curious but are not looking for reliable results, know that there are various free tests on the internet.
The limits
IQ is an indirect measure, which classifies the individual relative to a group of people. Estimation is not perfect, therefore. Psychologists and experts estimate that the tests are 70% reliable. Furthermore, the IQ tests do not give any information on skills such as creativity or imagination.
