IQ tests are designed to conditionally determine IQ. In translated from English intelligence quotient (IQ) — intelligence quotient. Test questions help to objectively assess the level of mental abilities and understand which tasks your mind cracks like nuts, and which cause difficulties. This is a great opportunity to identify the weaknesses of the intellect that require development.
The history of the invention and application of IQ tests
Interest in a more or less objective assessment of human intellectual abilities existed already at the dawn of civilization. Back in the 7th century, the Chinese came up with special questionnaires to help identify smart people and find people whose mental potential is unlikely to be used for good.
The first scientific developments and testing systems appeared in the first half of the last century. The Frenchman Alfred Binet in 1904 created a test to identify school-age children with developmental delay. The idea was appreciated by English and American psychologists. In their improved tests, for the first time, the concept of "intelligence quotient" is encountered.
The IQ test system for adults was developed by the German professor Hans Jürgen Eysenck. The tests, which made the scientist famous all over the world, contain tasks that require the ability to count, determine semantic relationships, combine concepts and graphic elements. Eysenck's follower was the New Zealander James Robert Flynn, who argued that new generations of people, as a rule, are smarter than their ancestors. At the same time, heredity affects the formation of mental abilities less than the social circle. That is, communication with intellectuals — the best way to educate smart people. The theory didn't gain acceptance, although young people almost always pass IQ tests faster.
Interesting facts
- Everyone seems to be familiar with winter sluggishness, but studies show otherwise — summer relaxation also extends to the work of convolutions. In order to keep in shape, in the summer you need constant intellectual warm-ups and loads.
- The influence of the environment on IQ is obvious, but 40 80% of the intellectual level depends on heredity. From parents we get the potential, the limits of which we can expand.
- Adults with a high level of intelligence usually have many friends and acquaintances. This is due to the craving of others for meaningful communication. In childhood and youth "nerds" are often misunderstood by their peers and considered uncommunicative.
- Over the last 50 years, the average IQ of the inhabitants of the Earth has increased by 12 points.
- Research conducted around the world has shown that, on average, female IQ is higher than male. So, the highest IQ among celebrities — from actress Sharon Stone (154 points). A well-known holder of an anti-record among politicians — US President George W. Bush (91 points).
- The average American scores around 100 on a test.
- The person with the highest IQ is mathematician Terence Chi-Shen Tao (陶哲軒) (230 points) who works at the University of California.
- Mensa — the largest, oldest (1946) and most famous organization for people with a high IQ. It is open to anyone who has passed standardized tests IQ better than 98% of the population (above 130 points). The organization has national groups in 50 countries, and the number of members exceeds 120,000 people from about 100 countries.
Test results cannot be considered evidence of genius or mental failure. Real intelligence manifests itself in various forms and far from always fits into templates. In addition, the number of correct answers depends on health, mood, comfortable conditions and other factors. Even a very high IQ becomes a component of success only in combination with perseverance and serious motivations.
