We can use a sports analogy to get a perspective on the Mensa test. In ancient times, the Greeks attempted to measure athleticism by introducing the pentathlon into their Olympic Games. This was a set of 5 events: the sprint, long jump, discus throw, javelin throw, and a wrestling match, designed to measure speed, agility, …
Does the Mensa test really reflect our intelligence? Read More »
No, they measure different things. The Myers-Briggs Type indicator (MBTI) attempts to classify an individual’s personality according to four variables: introvert or extravert, sensing or intuitive, thinking or feeling, and judging or perceiving. Since there are four categories, each with two choices, there are 24 or 16 possible personality types in this rubric. If the …
Is intuition in MBTI synonymous with fluid intelligence? Read More »
I know of no data comparing the IQ’s of psychologists and mathematicians, so what I am about to say is pure conjecture and opinion based on my work in both subject areas. (I have doctorates in pure mathematics and in education, so I have a “skin in both games” and can make the claim that …
Do psychologists fare better in IQ tests than mathematicians? Read More »
Before answering this question, I will share an anecdote that will shed light on my response. During one of my talks, I told the audience that it would be interesting to see how brilliant we could make a human by starting when the child was an infant and feeding it only when it solved a …
In the 1940’s, Raymond B. Cattell attempted to create “culture-free” tests of intelligence. Believing that IQ tests contain implicit biases in favor of particular cultures, he sought to partition intelligence into two components–fluid and crystallized. He described fluid intelligence as “a capacity to perceive relations and educe correlates.” In essence, this is the capacity for …
American author Henry David Thoreau wrote: If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Indeed, those who have an IQ in the gifted range march to the tune of their …
There is probably no numerical data connecting constant thinkers and IQ, because the term “constant thinker” is not easily quantified. IQ is certainly closely connected to what someone thinks about, rather than how much they think. Socrates is reputed to have said “Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” However, …
Do constant thinkers generally have higher IQ’s? Read More »
It’s very difficult to assess someone’s intelligence during a brief meeting, but the longer you share conversation with that person, the more accurate will be your assessment. Here are some characteristics I have found in the very high IQ people I’ve met although these are, of course, generalizations that will have some counterexamples. High IQ …
I don’t think we should set a minimum IQ score as a qualification for public service because IQ measures only a component of intelligence. Intelligence is a complex entity that includes interpersonal skills (emotional intelligence), moral strength (dealing with adversaries outside the country) and personal characteristics such as integrity and empathy. Fortunately, studies of American …
Cultural intelligence is defined as a measure of a person’s capacity to function effectively in a multi-cultural environment. It has several components, including the ability to adapt to different cultural environments and a sensitivity to how people in other cultures think and feel. On the other hand, emotional intelligence, is the ability to manage personal …
