A friend of mine proudly proclaimed they had an IQ of 164. Another friend felt disappointed, theirs was "only" 124. Someone else had bragged they hit 175. None of these friends have particularly powerful jobs and all are on a budget, but none of them are doing terribly, they all have nice homes and good lives. Does IQ even mean anything?
The fact is: those internet sites that tell you your IQ are scams. They exist solely to collect data on you, mostly for the purposes of advertising. And none of those tests actually measure IQ, or anything close to intelligence.
When neuropsychologists measure IQ, we use a very specific family of tests that actually measures many tasks that the brain does, including use of language, spatial relations skills, problem solving skills, even certain kinds of memory. Most people have strengths and weaknesses, and the tests help measure a variety of abilities, not just how "smart" you are. In fact, those tests generate multiple scores, not just one.
The tests used by psychologists also utilize what are called "standard scores." That means that 100 is always average, with a consistent type of cutoff for high and low scores. The tests on the internet do not have standard scores, so a score of 175 on a different test, testing only one kind of skill, may, in fact, be average, or even low. But when you pair that score with an advertisement for a new men's underarm spray, the businesses that run those sites can correlate certain types of scores to who buys their products.
Why measure IQ at all? Well, neuropsychologists use it to determine if a person is able to stand trial, or perhaps if they have lost some skills after a brain injury, or perhaps to see if there are strengths and weaknesses that would help them in picking a career. These are just a few examples. But what psychologists do not use IQ testing for is bragging rights for how "smart" a person is.
If you are interested in your own skills and talents, perhaps consider getting some testing by a professional who can help you understand not just your score, but how that score translates to meaningful information that can be a positive contributor to life choices, such as career or education.
The fact is: those internet sites that tell you your IQ are scams. They exist solely to collect data on you, mostly for the purposes of advertising. And none of those tests actually measure IQ, or anything close to intelligence.
When neuropsychologists measure IQ, we use a very specific family of tests that actually measures many tasks that the brain does, including use of language, spatial relations skills, problem solving skills, even certain kinds of memory. Most people have strengths and weaknesses, and the tests help measure a variety of abilities, not just how "smart" you are. In fact, those tests generate multiple scores, not just one.
The tests used by psychologists also utilize what are called "standard scores." That means that 100 is always average, with a consistent type of cutoff for high and low scores. The tests on the internet do not have standard scores, so a score of 175 on a different test, testing only one kind of skill, may, in fact, be average, or even low. But when you pair that score with an advertisement for a new men's underarm spray, the businesses that run those sites can correlate certain types of scores to who buys their products.
Why measure IQ at all? Well, neuropsychologists use it to determine if a person is able to stand trial, or perhaps if they have lost some skills after a brain injury, or perhaps to see if there are strengths and weaknesses that would help them in picking a career. These are just a few examples. But what psychologists do not use IQ testing for is bragging rights for how "smart" a person is.
If you are interested in your own skills and talents, perhaps consider getting some testing by a professional who can help you understand not just your score, but how that score translates to meaningful information that can be a positive contributor to life choices, such as career or education.