Are IQ tests really accurate and are their results a reliable indicator of one's true level of intelligence?

Answer 1

YesThey were designed by psychologists and educators, who studied the way mental acuity relates to the potential to learn and solve problems. They are not a measure of eventual achievement or accomplishment, because these require active effort beyond mere logical or computational ability.

Persons recording high scores on standardized IQ tests are generally those who find learning new things comparatively easy, sometimes trivially easy.

IQ tests also work on measuring how fast someone thinks and their memorization, something that is dependent on how natural it is, and how the individual's brain functions have developed. These things cannot be studied directly. Since some individuals can learn more quickly and easily, an IQ test is one way to determine how quickly and efficiently their brains work.

NoThere are a number of sociological problems that are thrown up by IQ testing. The main problem being with language - if English is not your first language or you're just no good at it, tests in English will yield a lower score.

IQ tests also only test certain thinking processes associated with intelligence, and individuals have different mental strengths and weaknesses. A low score on an IQ test does not specifically mean you are "less intelligent". For instance, a person who is highly intelligent in a non-academic field, for instance interpersonal communications or automotive maintenance, may score poorly on an IQ test because the test is based solely on performance in traditional academic subjects.

Scores on an IQ test are comparative by nature; they do not test a subject's 'true intelligence', merely their performance on the given tasks in comparison to those of the same age group. Test scores can also be affected by simple things such as a lack of sleep, or having not eaten enough that morning. IQ tests also fail to assess creativity levels.

It should also be noted that IQ test scores can vary, depending on the exact test that is taken.

Well...

I'm assuming you're referring to the Standford-Binet Intelligence-Quotient test first used in the 1960s.

It is not generally considered by mainstream modern psychology as an accurate indicator of intelligence. In fact, that lack of a satisfactory definition of "intelligence" still bedevils the discipline. Modern thought on what constitutes "intelligence" (Gardner et al.) has impacted Pedagogy significantly.

To borrow a quote, "IQ is that which IQ tests measure." It is a somewhat touching, yet uninformed, artefact that suggests the precociousness of the young discipline of Psychology; that intelligence could be defined so narrowly and accurately gauged so easily as Standford-Binet put forth is ludicrous.

However, whatever one considers "intelligence," it would, more than likely bear some positive correlation with test IQ test scores.

The definition and quantification of "intelligence" shall elude science for quite some time to come.