Albert, I would suggest you ignore the IQ score. IQ is the best measure of intelligence that we have, but it falls short in many areas and measures only some dimensions of intelligence. It doesn’t measure creativity, musical talent or long-term problem solving ability. Furthermore, we know that intelligence can be enhanced by stimulating your …
Exceptionality in any domain poses challenges and problems, because the world is designed to accommodate those of average height, of average size and average intellect. Tall people find themselves squashed into airline seats made for those of average size, while short people may have difficulty reaching the overhead storage compartment for their luggage. Clothing stores …
Teachers who work with children observe dramatic individual differences between gifted and average children in their ability to learn to ideas, to understand metaphor, and to engage in mental activity for a sustained period of time. Ellen Winner provides a description that resonates with descriptions from others who study prodigies. (see Winner, Ellen. 2000. “The …
What are the characteristics of talented and gifted children? Read More »
I don’t know of any research on this question, because most people tacitly assume that high intelligence is a positive trait. The research does show that high intelligence is positively correlated with a large number of desirable outcomes including better health management, greater socioeconomic status, more career choices and greater longevity. That is why many …
Do people generally view intelligence as a negative trait? Read More »
As our species embraced the power of rational thinking, we began to develop machines that could simulate rational thought. Beginning at first as an adjunct to human intelligence, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) expanded its purview to create computers that could outperform humans in chess, Jeopardy and a host of other cerebral challenges. Some …
The plot of the popular 2011 movie Limitless captures the dream of unlimited intelligence–the age-old human quest for extreme wisdom or supernatural cognition. In this movie, actor Bradley Cooper stars as Eddie Morra, a struggling writer in New York City who’s just been abandoned by his girlfriend. Defeated and despondent, he samples a nootropic, drug …
In a town in which every man is clean-shaven each male either shaves himself or is shaved by the barber. The barber is a man who shaves everyone who does not shave himself (and only those who do not shave themselves). Does the barber shave himself? To ensure that you see the paradox, think about …
Our posts on this site are typically dedicated to sharing information about intelligence, the brain and cognitive behavior; advice is rarely offered. However, there have been in the past, extensive reports that family gatherings on American Thanksgiving have often ended in hostilities and severed relationships as people move from rational to emotional mode. So let’s …
Yes, there is an emerging body of research indicating that people in their formative years, i.e., before adulthood, can increase their IQ through educational experiences. In a longitudinal study, 33 teenagers of average age 14.1 years were administered an IQ test and a structural brain scan in 2004 and then again in 2007, when their …
We all make informal assessments of the intelligence, beauty, competence and reliability of the many people in our lives. These assessments are necessary in judging who we can trust, who we want to spend time with and particularly, who we would choose as a spouse. Sometimes these judgments are visceral, and we appeal to our …
