I.Q. Tests

Intelligence is measured by certain standard tests, the outcome of which is a figure called I.Q. or the Intelligence Quotient. The I.Q. of a child is defined as his/her 『mental age』 divided by his/her actual age and multiplied by a hundred. If a boy has a mental age of 8 and his actual age is also 8, then his I.Q. is 8/8 x 100 = 100. That is to say, the child of absolutely average intelligence has an I.Q. of 100. However, if the 8 year old boy had the intelligence of a 12 year old, his I.Q. would be 12/8 x 100 =150.

Intelligence increased upto an age of 17 and does not improve substantially after that. That is why many countries determine that a boy matures at the age of 18 and allow young men to face death in battle at the age of 18. It is to be noted that the chronological age of an adult is generally taken as 16, whatever his true age. So, for an adult, IQ = Mental age x 100/16. However, the concept of mental age has fallen into disrepute. I.Q. is now computed on the basis of statistical percentage of people who are expected to have a certain I.Q.

Intelligence test scores follow an approximately 「normal」 distribution with most people scoring near the middle of the distribution curve and scores dropping off fairly rapidly in frequency away from the curve centre. Two out of three scores fall between 85 and 115. Nineteen out of twenty scores fall between 70 and 130. People who have an I.Q. about 130 are considered 『gifted』 and below 70 are considered 『mentally deficient』 or 『retarded』.

First, it is difficult to define intelligence. Most people perceive it to mean 『cleverness』, 『wisdom, 『the ability to acquire knowledge and solve problems』 or 『reasoning and imagination』.

Psychologists do not bother to define intelligence in theoretical terms. Instead they are interested in Intelligence Tests and determine one』s IQ. Alfred Binet, a 47 year old French psychologist found out a way of sorting out backward children from those making normal progress at school. Even though Binet was not interested in measuring intelligence, the test he produced in 1905 was the first Intelligence Test.

Binet related intelligence to 「 comprehension, invention, direction and criticism」 and summed them up to be 「judgement」.

Dr.Catherine Morris studied the intelligence of great men and examined those whose childhood days were well documented, estimating their I.Q.』s by their accomplishments.

Mozart for example played three instruments at the age of six. Gothe wrote poetry at 8.

The I.Q. of famous men are given below:
Drake 130
Grant 130
Washington 140
Lincoln 150
Napoleon 145
Rembrandt 155
Franklin 160
Galileo 185
Leonardo Da Vinci 180
Mozart 165
Voltaire 190
Descartes 180
Johnson 165
Luther 170
Newton 190
Goethe 210
Kant 175

Only one per cent of the population has an I.Q. of more than 140. An amazing average of 166 has been found for great men!

Having read all the above facts one can wonder whether one could increase his/her IQ. David Perkins in his remarkable book, 『OUTSMARTING I .Q - The emerging science of learnable intelligence』 explains the three mechanisms that underline intelligence. They are:

1)Neural Intelligence In large part it is genetically determined.
2)Experimental Intelligence . It is learned.
3) Reflective Inelligence . It is also learned.

He also ascertains that without question two of the three dimensions of intelligence can be advanced by learning C a)experimental intelligence through in-depth experiences and b)reflective intelligence through the cultivation of strategies, attitudes, and meta cognition.

One can master the latest techniques of learnable intelligence and increase the IQ even though it would be modest because of the way IQ is constructed statistically.

S.Nagarajan is a vehicle body engineer by profession. He has written more than 1300 articles in 16 magazines and published 18 books so far. He is revealing Eastern Secret Wisdom through T.V.Programmes, magazine articles, seminars, courses. His email address is : snagarajans@gmail.com.