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Measuring IQ from test scores is not correct. However, intelligence is difficult to measure, since it is an unobservable aspect, in the same way as personality, love, among others. For this reason, some researchers have created various intelligence tests, the best known being Wechsler's work: WPPSI (from 2 years to 7), WISC (from 6 to 16 years) and the WAIS (from age 16). We inquire about all this in this article from Psychology-Online: IQ: what it is, how it is measured, test and average value.
You may also be interested in: Intrapersonal intelligence: what it is, examples and activities to improve it Index- What is the IQ?
- IQ: how is it measured?
- IQ: test
- IQ: average value
What is the IQ?
The intellectual coefficient, also called IQ, is known as that number that allows measuring the intellectual capacity (or intelligence) of people and is obtained by conducting an evaluation. The evaluation is always adapted according to the age of the individuals and, therefore, the result varies as people grow and according to the age of the exact moment in which it is evaluated, even taking into account the months (example: 22 years and 5 months). In this sense, to understand more fully the meaning of IQ, it is important to know the concept “intelligence”.
What is intelligence
Intelligence is characterized by being a set of skills (reasoning, planning, thinking, conflict resolution…) with which people can understand, face and resolve complex circumstances.
In addition, emotional intelligence, musical intelligence, naturalistic intelligence and other types of intelligence typical of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences must also be taken into account. In spite of everything, in most tests and tests that inquire into the IQ, only cognitive abilities such as verbal comprehension, memory, processing speed, fluent reasoning and visuospatial capacity are evaluated.
IQ: how is it measured?
The IQ is measured through standardized psychological tests that are divided into different tests (visual puzzles, scales, succession of drawings,…). These tests can be used in different areas of psychology (clinical, education, social,…) and are also useful for different functions. Next, we name these functions and some examples:
- Assess: to assess the academic performance of students or any other aspect that may be determined or influenced by the IQ.
- Classify: to classify people intellectually speaking, for example, based on age, school year, gender, if people are above or below average, etc.
- Select: when you want to select a candidate for a workplace or university (normally access to the university is determined by academic results).
- Diagnose: to diagnose diseases or learning difficulties related to a low IQ.
- Investigate: to verify hypotheses raised, typical of scientific studies and research, such as studying the relationship between cannabis use and the IQ of high school youth.
IQ: test
The best known tests are those that are part of the Wechsler intelligence scale. This author created three tests to measure IQ, and they differ between them by adaptation to different stages. In the first place, WPPSI is the name of the test that is aimed at the preschool and primary stage (2 to 7 years). Second, the WISC is the test aimed at children and adolescents (6 to 16 years). Finally, the WAIS is the test for adulthood (16 to 90 years). In Psychology-Online you can find the electronic adaptation to the WAIS test, an intelligence test that will allow you to know your IQ. In addition to these, there are other types of intelligence tests.
However, there are authors who defend that there is not only one value that measures intelligence, but that there are different types of intelligence.If you want to know what type of intelligence predominates in you, you can also find a psychological test of multiple intelligences, which includes the intelligences of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, corporal-kinetic (also called kinesthetic), musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic.
IQ: average value
What is a high IQ? When is IQ considered normal? What is the average CI? What about the IQ of a gifted person? To consider that a person is within the average, without considering himself gifted or with high capacities, or on the contrary, without determining that there is a delay in his intellectual capacities, his range of intelligence quotient (IQ) must be between 90 and a 109, with the most common value being 100. Thus, we present the classification or table of the IQ:
- IQ range of 130 or higher - far superior intelligence.
- IQ range between 120-129: superior intelligence.
- IQ range between 110-119: bright normal intelligence.
- IQ range between 90-109: average normal intelligence.
- IQ range between 80-89: slow normal intelligence.
- IQ range between 70-79: borderline intelligence.
- IQ range up to 69: mental deficiency.
It should be noted that there is an exclusive classification for mental impairment (considered disability). Although some researchers also consider borderline intelligence (or also called borderline) as a possible disability.
- IQ range between 55-69: mild mental deficiency.
- IQ range between 40-54: moderate mental deficiency.
- IQ range between 25-30: severe mental deficiency.
- IQ range up to 24: profound mental deficiency.
Therefore, the normal, average or average IQ is between the values 90 and 109. Some frequently asked questions about IQ include the following:
- What is the highest IQ? The IQ can increase during life, it also increases with evolution, that is, the average IQ increases progressively with each generation.
- What is Albert Einstein's IQ? This genius' IQ is estimated to have been around 160.
- What is the gifted IQ? From what coefficient is one gifted? Intellectual giftedness is considered from the 130 IQ score, cutoff established by the World Health Organization.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to IQ: what it is, how it is measured, test and average value, we recommend that you enter our Cognitive Psychology category.
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