Although some psychologists argue that giftedness is a myth and that extraordinary performance is merely a consequence of deliberate practice, there is substantial evidence that some people are born with extraordinary cognitive skills that we refer to as “giftedness.” Typically, giftedness is manifest in early childhood. Sir Francis Galton, one of the pioneers of the …
While writing a book titled, Intelligence, IQ, and Perception, I explored the concept of intelligence and discovered that it has many different dimensions. In some cases, it manifests as a capacity for persuasive oratory or skillful articulation. My models for this dimension of intelligence were Martin Luther King Jr. and Sir Winston Churchill. Both men …
What are some examples of intellectual intelligence in real life? Read More »
Some of the IQ tests on line are designed to make money and have not been scientifically normed. Consequently, they are not reliable as measures of IQ. As a mathematician, I can tell you that I’ve never heard the term “pattern mathematician” and cannot imagine what it might mean, because all mathematics involves the recognition …
The only research I can bring to bear on this question is my personal experience over many decades. It seems to me that what we call “moral integrity” is spread somewhat evenly across the entire spectrum of intelligence. Those who crack computer codes to hack into other people’s accounts or those, like Bernie Madoff, who …
Do you think that those who scam others are people with high Intelligence quotient? Read More »
There are significant differences, on average, in the traits of those at opposite ends of the IQ scale, but these differences are not defined precisely enough to be delineated by precise IQ ranges. Furthermore, there are some high-IQ people who do not exude the typical traits of most high-IQ people, because they have other psychological …
What are the characteristic traits of people who test at various IQ ranges? Read More »
The good news is that recent research suggests IQ is somewhat malleable in the adolescent years. At the onset of puberty, the brain moves into a neural pruning stage in which it interacts with the environment, building synapses in areas of demand while purging neurons from areas of little stimulation. Throughout adolescence, the prefrontal cortex …
Will a 15-year-old’s IQ be the same in 10 years? 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 …
The following is a brief excerpt from my book on intelligence (description accessible at: https://amzn.to/41OPIXm). In 1904, Alfred Binet was the director of the psychology laboratory at the Sorbonne in Paris. The Minister of Public Education commissioned Binet to develop tests to identify less capable students who should be provided some form of special education. …
During the 20th century, the belief that intelligence peaks early in life and goes into decline thereafter, spawned policies such as mandatory retirement at many universities. The Fields Medal, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize in Mathematics,” was awarded only to mathematicians before the age of 40 because its benefactor, John Charles Fields intended …
In what ways do memory and intelligence change as we age? Read More »
I think that highly intelligent people are more aware of their own limitations than the less intelligent. As Confucius once observed, “True wisdom is knowing what you don’t know.” Most of us who answer questions on intelligence have been fascinated by the topic and have been immersed in the scholarly analysis of intelligence and its …
