Knowing your IQ

[The Voice of Reason]

Funny you say that Spinkles - I know a couple of 14 year olds that I admire.

TVOR

 

[Sunstone]

I am now convinced more than ever that men stop maturing after the age of 18.

I don't mind the prostrations, but it's that damnable laughter that always accompanies the prostrations that makes me want to zip up.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

What an interesting question!

I truly don't know if I'd want to know my IQ. My dad may be barely able to tie his own shoelaces some days, but he's been a member of MENSA for at least 15 years or so. I was unfortunately brought up with the belief that to show your intelligence made you a target for other people. (He doesn't seem to share my belief of celebrating the beauty in all...)

I've always wondered if I had the 'guns' to join MENSA, but then I've also always wondered if I'd want to. It seems like a double-edged sword.

 

[Quoth The Raven]

I am now convinced more than ever that men stop maturing after the age of 18.

What, you mean there's an improvement after 15?

 

[Quoth The Raven]

As long as you're happy with yourself and your life, it doesn't matter what your IQ is, and if you're not happy, it's unlikely that IQ is going to make a fig of difference either way.

 

[Runt]

Hehe, I know my IQ. It proves that I am "gifted" but not a genius. Darn! Knowing it doesn't mean much. If you think you are incredibly intelligent and it turns out you simply are... not... it might be a disappointment to find out your IQ, but if you are realistic your IQ should not come as any surprise to you if you understand the test and the scale used. Knowing your IQ does not make you feel good or bad. It is like... being told your heritage, if you are a racial mutt like me . You already have an idea from looking in the mirror and looking at your family what your ethnic background is, so being told after you've had clues all your life is not that big a deal. I knew I was intelligent but no genius; the IQ just confirmed it.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

What does MENSA do, anyway? What do members of MENSA do? Do they just go to meetings and....discuss things?

 

[Feathers in Hair]

What does MENSA do, anyway? What do members of MENSA do? Do they just go to meetings and....discuss things?

Apparently there's much playing of 'Risk'. And drinking. An inordinate amount of drinking.:jiggy::jiggy::jiggy:

At least, that's how my dad describes the majority of the meetings. It doesn't make me particularly want to leap to join. I notice he's not talking about going so often, since he got re-married.

 

[Sunstone]

I think what they do at their meetings depends on which chapter you go to. I was once invited to attend a meeting of a Chicago area Mensa chapter. Not many people showed up, and a group of us ended up going to a cheap restaurant where we sat around eating french fries and quaffing cola for a couple of hours while trading turns telling jokes. I came away from it thinking, "Nice people, pleasant but boring meetings."

 

[The Voice of Reason]

I think the majority of Mensa meetings are simply a chance to get together and talk with people that can carry their end of the conversation. No matter the subject, there is someone there that has a pretty good grip on it. Feathers - I agree with you father - Risk is almost a ritual. I don't know why (it's a good game, but hey...).
On a side note - does anyone here belong to the Triple 9 Society?

TVOR

 

[anders]

I never had any number assigned to me. They are very inaccurate in the higher domain anyway. I tend to have good results on the logic parts, but I claim perfection only in one department: I am a perfect idiot when it comes to handling money matters.

IQ is just what you measure with IQ tests. Sometimes it is stated that this or that group of people get lower scores than some supremacist group. The reason will probably be that the tests were designed by and for the high scoring group. Put an IQ=150 person in Aborigine / Khoi-san / Inuit etc. territory, and ask the inhabitants how the newcomer scores on an indigenous survival intelligence scale...

 

[Feathers in Hair]

On a side note - does anyone here belong to the Triple 9 Society?

TVOR

Triple 9 Society? I've yet to hear of it. Should I do some research, or is it something that doesn't involve a secret handshake?

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Feathers - Google up the answer - it's kinda neat.

Anders -
You are exactly right. The real question about intelligence is this - can you use it wisely?

TVOR

 

[Ceridwen018]

I've met someone who was a member of the Triple 9 Society. He was captain of the US Equestrian Event Team, and a three time Olympic medallist in his day, and is now The head coach for the Canadian Event Team. Even though he coaches the Canadians, he has had at least one student on every US Olympic, World Championship, and Pan-American games team since 1978, including the team bronze and individual gold in Sydney, and the individual and team gold at the World Equestrian games. (GO USA!!)

He's written a ton of books on horses and training, and is one of the most sought after clinicians in the world (for horses, anyhow.)

I've had the privelidge of working with him, and can attest that he really is amazing. Its like, he's so smart that he views everything so simply. As a teacher it works really well because he explains things and makes them sound so simple.

"In addition to his huge greatness, he is quite a guy!"
~Dr. Forrester, MST3K

 

[Lightkeeper]

It would be interesting to see how many people know what IQ stands for. If it weren't for Google we could do a poll here. I wonder at what level a person knows the letters stand for. Would it be an IQ over 80?

I have an adult cousin that doesn't even really know what an IQ test is. He said he purposely didn't answer questions on all of the IQ tests he was given in School. I didn't have the heart to tell him that those were apptitude tests.

 

[t3gah]

I wonder if any of the noted genius persons throughout the years ever had their IQ tested. Einstein the patent clerk and so on.


I think the test is for those who believe it means something.

What about all those that are self made billionaires and billionaires that never went to college?

I took the test once and was unimpressed because it dealt with things only scientists trying people out as lab rats would like.

I suprised them in certain area's and disappointed in the remainders.

Just reminded me of the SAT.

I suppose somebody has to keep score.....

 

[michel]

I have never wanted to know my IQ; in my own estimation, I am 'fair to middling' in knowledge on various subjects, but I have always considered myself as unintelligent. The accumulation of knowledge is a bit like the definition of an artist :- 5% ability 95% sweat, and boy, have I sweated......
I have always considered my wife as highly intelligent, but low on knowledge. What is sad about that is that she was born into a family that did nothing to 'steer her' in the right direction - in fact, she needed to become 'the parent' to her own Mum and Dad at the age of twelve or so (long story).

Recently, we were with friends who came out with a 'test your IQ' book. I was proved right; my score was average, whilst my wife's were higher than average.

I do not feel disappointed; because it was exactly as I expected. I am average, and that is all there is to it. The world needs workers as well as chiefs!

 

[lilithu]

What does MENSA do, anyway? What do members of MENSA do? Do they just go to meetings and....discuss things?

Wasn't it Groucho Marx who said that he wouldn't join any group that would have him as a member? (Deut would probably know.) That's how I feel about MENSA.

appended:
What I meant to say is that I don't care for that kind of elitism.

 

[lilithu]

How many here know their own IQ?

Is there any advantage to this?

When I went from a private school back into the public school system they made me take an IQ test to see if I was "gifted." So I know my IQ from when I was 14. It theoretically does not change with age (since it's relative to the population in general) but I know that I am dumber than I used to be. Wiser, hopefully, but not as smart. Oh well.

I tested pretty high, but luckily I have always been around some people who are smarter than me. (Plus, if you just think about it, you know that they have to exist.) So I've always had confidence in my own abilities (not because of the test score but because of my own experience) AND I've always known not to get too big about it or place too much importance on it. I've gone to competitive schools for high school, college, and graduate school. And at each place I've seen people have to readjust their self-image as they are confronted with the fact that they are no longer the smartest kid on the block. It was sometimes pretty devastating. I consider myself blessed to not have had to go thru that.

I understand the importance of IQ testing in education, etc...

I don't. IQ tests are culturally biased (and I say that as someone who benefits from that bias). They don't measure anything except one's ability to take tests. And hopefully education isn't just about taking tests.

 

[No*s]

I do not know, nor would I want to know, my own IQ. I can't see any advantage in knowing one's own IQ...but I can see some disadvantages. Depending on the score, it could lead to a superiority or an inferiority complex.

Amongst other things.

How many here know their own IQ?

Sadly, I was given a test in school, so I "know" mine.

Is there any advantage to this?

No.

I understand the importance of IQ testing in education, etc...but you can have your IQ tested without being informed of the actual number result.

I would say so. I really don't see it being that useful, either. After all, it can be as detrimental in education as anything.

As for being able to accurately test it, I have very strong doubts. What is IQ, after all? It's an abstract measurement of our intellect. We don't understand our intellect, and unlike light, matter, and many other things we don't fully understand, we can't stick it in a test tube. In fact, it is the very thing we measure it with. I really find measurements in a scenario like that suspect. It doesn't help matters that I tested once at around 90, a couple of other times at different levels in my school career. I, as a result, think they are very unreliable.