Do you feel you are intelligent?

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Click to expand...

Well of course, all measurements can be fudged a bit. In the case of IQs, people's egos demand it.
One standard deviation (15 points) is not "a bit." 25 points is an absurdly high increase. That's my problem with it. If it can be fudged that much, then it's not an accurate measure. The fact that it can be fudged like that should instead provide us a bit of a guide as to what is really going on with IQ tests. Figure out which questions are being answer correctly after using the study material, and then figure out why. It could be that they have frequently seen vocabulary words (which shouldn't be on there in the first place), or it could be that they show methods of approaching certain logic problems. In the latter case, it may just demonstrate that people who score higher are used to a more logic oriented thinking pattern (engineers, programmers, etc.). If you wanted to get an honest score, you could control for such fudging by providing everyone with the material beforehand.

Not to overstate the obvious, but IQ has nothing to do with achievement. A guy with a 190 IQ could very well just be a normal schlub who just so happens to be gangbusters at solving the NY Times crossword puzzle.

Click to expand...

Or driving a delivery truck and smoking a lot of weed in NY. Cool dude, though.

Originally Posted by Night Owl

Click to expand...

no whats funny is people who disparage iq tests and yet always have to get their score in somehow, like "well i tested at 175 but it hasnt done much for me"
I think that it's supposed to be qualifying the statement... Edit: not to say that his whole post wasn't absolutely absurd. If he wasn't trolling, then it is simple proof that a high IQ doesn't necessarily prevent one from being a fucktard.

Originally Posted by CunningSmeagol

Click to expand...

The three smartest posters on this forum are tagutcow, Foo, Don Carlos, and Vox (in no particular order). Yes, I am qualified to judge.

Those are the three smartest, huh?

Dumbererest poaster: CunningSmeagol!

Originally Posted by HgaleK

Click to expand...

One standard deviation (15 points) is not "a bit." 25 points is an absurdly high increase. That's my problem with it. If it can be fudged that much, then it's not an accurate measure. The fact that it can be fudged like that should instead provide us a bit of a guide as to what is really going on with IQ tests.

You're absolutely right, that is a remarkable amount of fudgery. But maybe we shouldn't be taking what Mensa says at face value. Keep in mind that they're basically in the business of selling personal validation, and from what I hear of the types of people who attend Mensa meetings, buying it is the only way they can get it.

Adding Manton, pio, RJMan, and StephenHero

Note that I do not like some of these.

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Click to expand...

You're absolutely right, that is a remarkable amount of fudgery. But maybe we shouldn't be taking what Mensa says at face value. Keep in mind that they're basically in the business of selling personal validation, and from what I hear of the types of people who attend Mensa meetings, buying it is the only way they can get it.

Mensa is very much

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Click to expand...

Those are the three smartest, huh?

Dumbererest poaster: CunningSmeagol!



But maybe we shouldn't be taking what Mensa says at face value. Keep in mind that they're basically in the business of selling personal validation, and from what I hear of the types of people who attend Mensa meetings, buying it is the only way they can get it.
Everything has its price.

Originally Posted by Night Owl

Click to expand...

you think youre top 5%, why wouldnt 85% of people who chose to respond think they are at least above 50%?
I think you misunderstand me, sir. The source of my amusement wasn't "Oh, all you stupid little people thinking you're so smart...!" Not at all. I was laughing at the mathematical absurdity. Further, I don't thinkI test above average, I know I test above average because...I have actually tested above average. Four times, as a matter of fact (again, because I've been roped into participating in friends' research projects). But there was another implication there than I think you missed; the disparity between my lowest result, and my highest is two full standard deviations! That's HUGE! And, it just serves to further illustrate the ridiculousness of putting much stock in tests that - relative to one another - inaccurately measure a meaningless metric.

no whats funny is people who disparage iq tests and yet always have to get their score in somehow, like "well i tested at 175 but it hasnt done much for me"

Click to expand...

When writing my response, I made a point to disclaim that IQ means **** all, and that people with a high IQ are no better than anyone else. Yet you imply that I boast merely because I answered the question. But...how can one answer the question without answering the question?

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Click to expand...

...But maybe we shouldn't be taking what Mensa says at face value. Keep in mind that they're basically in the business of selling personal validation, and from what I hear of the types of people who attend Mensa meetings, buying it is the only way they can get it.
I joined with the hopes of making professional networking contacts, as if MENSA were a lodge or somesuch. I attended one shin-dig, and never went back. There were a few nice people, but on the whole...it was insufferable. DENSA > MENSA.

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Click to expand...

You're absolutely right, that is a remarkable amount of fudgery. But maybe we shouldn't be taking what Mensa says at face value. Keep in mind that they're basically in the business of selling personal validation, and from what I hear of the types of people who attend Mensa meetings, buying it is the only way they can get it.
I'll concede that point. Ex-ex GF's mom took an IQ test back in the day when she was hot (looks like a fat toad now ) and got invited to a lot of naked hot tubbing shindigs by a number of apparently horrifically awkward D&D types. Edit:

Originally Posted by Surfrider

Click to expand...

But there was another implication there than I think you missed; the disparity between my lowest result, and my highest is two full standard deviations! That's HUGE! And, it just serves to further illustrate the ridiculousness of putting much stock in tests that - relative to one another - inaccurately measure a meaningless metric.
Oh. I thought you'd missed that about your own post... My B on the name calling.

Originally Posted by HgaleK

Click to expand...

Oh. I thought you'd missed that about your own post... My B on the name calling.
<3

I'm an ENTJ and some INTJ, so I believe my characteristics make me somehow intelligent in IQ wise. But I don't think intelligence is as imporant as conncection in the business world when it comes to becoming successful. And I'm trying to focus on the latter now as I'm graduating in 3 months and really thinking that I'd get a job by &quot;referral&quot;.

Originally Posted by Surfrider

Click to expand...

... DENSA > MENSA.

+1

Until there is an agreement of what intelligence correlates with ( .g. what is clear evidence of high intelligence), there is no point in IQ tests as a measure of intelligence as its accuracy cannot be measured.

That being said, whatever IQ tests measure, given the low precision, is obviously neither innate nor static.

Average Intelligence, but I know a lot of facts and have a desire to acquire skills and knowledge. This is why people tell me I'm Intelligent.


IQ Test - 128
SAT - 1090

..

Originally Posted by RSS

Click to expand...

Everything has its price.

The Precious! I must have it!

Originally Posted by The-thin-man

Click to expand...

Average Intelligence, but I know a lot of facts and have a desire to acquire skills and knowledge. This is why people tell me I'm Intelligent.


IQ Test - 128
SAT - 1090

You srs got a 1090 SAT with a 128 IQ? You sure that you don't mean 1490?

I have a bad habit about of judging peoples' intelligence based on how curious they are. I've turned out to be wrong close to half the time.