IQ – Where do you stand on the scale?

The term IQ is often used to describe intelligence. What exactly is IQ and why is it a good measure of a person’s intelligence?

What is IQ?

IQ is the term used to measure the intellectual ability of the human brain. Intellectual functioning or Intelligence Quotient (IQ) refers to an individual’s ability to solve problems, reason, learn and make decisions.

IQ is measured by a specific IQ test. The average person’s IQ is 100. Persons with IQ less than 70 are considered intellectually disabled, or mentally retarded.

IQ scores and what they mean

In 1916, Lewis Terman, an American psychologist came up with the following scaled to determine a person’s intelligence

Why is IQ important?

IQ is undoubtedly the most researched tool to measure intelligence, and since it can be quantified it has practical appeal. However it cannot be used as the only indicator of intelligence. This is because of its limitations for e.g. it cannot measure creativity or emotional intelligence (EQ). There are some people at the other end of the spectrum who insist that intelligence cannot be measured by a single way. The idea put forth is that every person possesses multiple types of intelligence, which in turn depends on their social and family background.

However, in its current form IQ is helpful in determining what kind of job you should choose, how smart your kids are and how much your annual income is. In today’s competitive job scenario, IQ is one of the best indicators of which person will fit which job best. So, when hiring, companies will look out for the IQ scores of a job seeker.

Factors affecting IQ negatively:

1. Environmental: Exposure to pesticides and heavy metals like lead during pregnancy or in early childhood is strongly linked to lower IQ. Foetuses exposed to pesticides have problems with memory, intelligence and attention. Among the dangerous pesticides are organophosphates, which are used by farmers to spray on fruits and vegetables and to limit the mosquito menace in public spaces. They can enter the body via the skin or lungs.
2. Genetics: Family history of mental retardation, autism and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) among others lead to low IQ
3. Low socio-economic status: In low-income families, mental stimulation may be diminished. These people may be exposed to parents abusing alcohol or drugs that may later lead to delinquent or hostile behaviour.
4. Health: Maternal or infant malnutrition can lead to impaired brain development due to fewer vitamins and minerals present in the body. Sometimes, this may lead to permanent mental disabilities.

Drawbacks of a high IQ:

1. People with higher IQs tend to be more demanding of themselves. This may cause negative emotions and frustration in the long run.
2. Recent studies have shown that obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is linked to a higher IQ. Similarly, bipolar disorder, autism and schizophrenia also have an association with people of high IQs.
3. People with higher IQs are not necessarily happier than the rest of us.

Uses of IQ:

1. It is used to predict academic performance and in career counselling.
2. Through psychometric testing, it is used to predict job performance.

To conclude, at all IQ levels, a higher IQ means better job performance and better income too according to studies. Incentive enough to begin doing the crossword, don’t you agree?

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