Given how the very first IQ test targeted students at large in France – certain discrepancies were bound to rise. For example, how would you measure the intelligence level of an uneducated child and compare his Intelligence with others?
And how can a score alone represent a person’s Intelligence? All these are valid questions you need to answer along with the query, “What IQ is normal?“
As for the all-important query, “What IQ is normal?”, that’s easier said than done. But let’s assume you are opting for the top 5 IQ tests – in which case, an average score between 85 and 115 is considered normal.
It is pretty standard for students and others to score in this range. However, it must be pointed out that it is unusual to score below 70. On average, patients who have been mentally afflicted tend to score in this range, at either 70 or below. And a high IQ score is when you end up scoring above 130.
How is IQ Measured?
Now, that’s a fair question, given how several variants of IQ tests are doing the rounds. Chances are you are bound to be confused about what these tests are all about and how specifically, they measure Intelligence. The IQ tests were first developed by Alfred Bennet and his colleague Simon in 1905.
Goodard upgraded the test to provide the US equivalent of IQ tests, which the US government even used on US troops to determine their IQ levels. The basic premise behind developing these IQ tests is to determine a person’s critical reasoning and language abilities and understand their problem-solving abilities.
Today, these tests are typically offered by select psychologists. Usually, they offer one of the top five ranked IQ tests to determine a person’s Intelligence.
The IQ tests often test various skills and contain several subtests, with some even containing 15. These subtests are designed to test you for your various skills, ranging from math and reasoning to information processing speed.
The test variants usually offered by licensed psychologists, schools, colleges and companies are listed below.
· Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC-V)
· Wechsler intelligence scale for Adults (WAIS)
· Stanford Binet Scale
· Differential ability scales (DAS)
· Peabody Individual Achievement Test
Rising IQs:
Called the Flynn effect after scientists discovered that IQ levels are rising worldwide. The average IQ score increases every three decades, which is surprisingly the same number of years to separate a single generation of human beings. That basic assumption is indeed surprising for several reasons.
For starters, it implies that Intelligence is not a fixed quality or one where one’s genomes play a pivotal role. Instead, it implies that Intelligence is an evolving quality that increases with time and with exposure to certain factors. For example, life today can be considered to be more interlinked than, say, life during the 1950s.
Naturally, even the layperson is more aware of what’s taking place on the other side of the world and thanks to the internet, they all have access to the latest information. This is bound to impact their IQ levels as they take one of the tests listed above. And that is why it should not be a shocker that IQ tests are rising worldwide.
The Controversies:
IQ tests are generally considered to be highly controversial, even today. Some believe it is only possible to quantify IQ levels by taking specific tests and correctly answering them. Moreover, they also believe that modern variants are still skewed against certain races and cultures.
Of course, in the past, IQ tests were used to segregate marginal communities, and the Nazis used it as an excuse for their ‘final solution. Today, there are still various controversies surrounding these IQ tests. Despite these controversies, they are still widely used by schools, colleges, and professional organizations.
IQ is not the only mode to test your Intelligence:
Various studies have been conducted with the same results – IQ tests are not the only way to measure a person’s Intelligence. It is widely accepted that Intelligence is a quality heavily dependent on environmental factors, from good upbringing, healthy nutrition, high levels of social interaction, physical activity, exposure to good education and more.
All of these factors help contribute to a person’s Intelligence and can even impact a person’s IQ level, as determined by one of the five tests listed above. As you can see, modern IQ tests are not the only way to determine a person’s IQ level, especially since it does not consider other factors.
As you can see, when it comes to a person’s IQ, there is no normal, and the person’s Intelligence is still evolving.
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