The intelligence quotient is a quantity that we can measure with the help of tests. It helps us become aware of our intellectual capacity and how we think and reason. This can be useful in various situations in life. That’s why there are IQ tests, which give a certain framework in which that coefficient exists.
Thus, if your IQ is between 80 and 110, you are considered to be of average intelligence. If you have an IQ above 110 then you are above average, while an IQ above 150 indicates a genius. Unfortunately, people with a quotient lower than 80 are considered unintelligent.
However, this IQ scoring scale is only indicative and valid for certain tests. In the past, there was a unified test called progressive matrices. The tested person should find a pattern of repetition of certain shapes and symbols, a total of 8 in number, and thus predict which would be the 9th. Today, you can also check it at home, via https://iq-global-test.com.
Of course, there are also many misconceptions related to IQ tests and their use. That’s why we will talk about that topic today.
1. A high IQ is an important life achievement
A high IQ does not mean you are worth anything more than others. Sure, it gives you an edge in performance with everyday tasks, but it doesn’t make you better than anyone else. Many people feel that they should be above others, just because their IQ allows them to do so.
But we have news that you won’t like. Even if you have an advantage at a given moment, you have to prove that you deserved the chance you were given. Therefore, do not allow yourself to become arrogant just because of a high IQ. The usefulness of the test results is orientational and has a practical application as the most common blood analysis test. So, nothing special, just an indication of which direction you are heading.
2. Intelligence cannot be changed
Many people believe that we are born with an IQ that we carry throughout our lives. But as we said, each measurable parameter can take on different values in different circumstances.
When you take an IQ test, the results are based on comparisons with people who have taken the same test. At different stages of life, you use your intelligence differently, so you may have a different quotient.
If, for example, at the age of 16 you got an IQ score of 150, maybe at 25 you could have 160, but at 38 you could have 130. However, you do not notice any differences in your performance.
There are different factors that influence the current result and even if you take exactly the same test, at different stages of life you will get a different result, with larger or smaller deviations.
3. Intelligence grows over the years
This may be true, but it may also be a complete misconception. Throughout your life, you will have different variations of your IQ that depend on what you do, education, logical approach to solving tasks, personal development, cultural aspects, etc. Intelligence can help you control your emotions and judge when to react and when to back off.
Of course, sociological and economic aspects, personality development, general health, and so on are important factors. You can expect some changes, but it’s not strictly improving as you get older.
4. IQ shows how smart you are
Being smart and practical is not the same as being intelligent. There are smart people with different IQs, and the difference lies in how quickly they reason and process information and guidance. But even if someone is a genius, he can make a mistake due to the processing speed. On the other hand, an averagely intelligent person processes more slowly but completes the task without a single error.
Intellectual capacity can help you tackle difficult tasks more easily than you expect. But those with a lower IQ will also manage, although they will invest more time and resources. In the end, you will have the same result, even though your IQs are different.
5. Intelligence is hereditary
It would be ideal if that is indeed the case. But there are genius children who came from averagely intelligent parents, as well as the exact opposite case. It is quite possible that parents who are doctors and scientists produce a child who wants to do a certain profession. But it can also happen that a physicist and mathematician emerge from farmer parents.
This means that intelligence is not a fixed parameter, but that there are different aspects that indicate in which direction we want to develop. And that is completely normal because this way all the unrealistic expectations that people have of each other would stop.
6. The test is a clear indicator of a person’s IQ
There are too many IQ tests. Each applies only to the specific organization where it is applied or in a limited social group. A person can get different results on different tests, even if they take them in just one day.
The tests are orientational in nature and the test taker should know how to interpret them. The risk with online tests is that the results are taken for granted. However, it is necessary to interpret them correctly, in order to understand what that coefficient exactly means and indicates.
This is exactly why we recommend that you only take licensed tests because that way you don’t just get a simple number, but also an explanation of what that number means.
Conclusion
We hope our article helped you understand what IQ means and why it is important. But now you are also aware of the potential flaws of these tests, as well as people’s misconceptions.
As we said, IQ is only an orientation indicator, and without proper interpretation, we can never understand the meaning of the results.
Always choose a licensed test to get relevant results. Do not rely entirely on the result, as you risk becoming unnecessarily arrogant. Even if you get an above-average score, be the same as you were before – because that is also an indicator of your intellectual capacity.
