Sharing your IQ is a very personal decision because it is an important estimate of your cognitive strengths. Consequently, you must be careful in deciding whether or with whom you might share this information. The answer to this question has different nuances depending on whether your IQ is low or high, so I’ll treat each case separately.
A low IQ
If the score you received on an IQ test is low, it may not represent your true intelligence level, so I would suggest you assume that number is meaningless and proceed to develop your intellectual potential as much as possible. Merely believing that your IQ is low can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thomas Edison was called “addled” by his first-grade teacher, and he subsequently dropped out of school and ultimately became a prolific inventor. Furthermore, if your IQ is low, there is a danger that the person with whom you share this information might see you through the lens of that number and give you less respect than you are due. Once you share information, you lose control of it. I can see no reason why a person might share a low IQ score, although I’m sure that many readers will disagree.
A high IQ
If you have a high IQ, then you have a different set of considerations. On learning of your high IQ score, your parents would bask in the reflected glory of a high IQ offspring, and your spouse would be pleased to have been chosen by someone of high intelligence. Siblings may or may not be pleased, depending on the closeness of the relationship and the degree of rivalry that exists.
If a friend with whom you wish to share your IQ is of low or average IQ, the announcement of your high IQ is likely to be perceived as bragging or self-promotion. It’s best to let your IQ remain a secret.
There is a lot of variance of opinion about whether a person of high IQ should include an IQ score on the resumé of a job application, because it depends on the nature of the job. If applying for an unskilled job, stating a high IQ score might undermine your credibility. If applying for employment at a highly professional level, your other credentials such as degrees and achievements probably suffice without inclusion of an IQ score.
And now the last question: If you have a very high IQ, should you mention your IQ to another person of high IQ? To investigate this case, visit: https://www.intelligence-and-iq.com/afraid-of-their-iq-scores/
