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IQ 'a Myth,' Study Says

Posted by Soulskill on from the guess-we-need-a-new-metric-for-feeling-superior-to-others dept.

An anonymous reader send this quote from The Star: "The idea that intelligence can be measured by a single number — your IQ — is wrong, according to a recent study led by researchers at the University of Western Ontario (abstract). The study, published in the journal Neuron on Wednesday, involved 100,000 participants around the world taking 12 cognitive tests, with a smaller sample of the group undergoing simultaneous brain-scan testing. 'When we looked at the data, the bottom line is the whole concept of IQ — or of you having a higher IQ than me — is a myth,' said Dr. Adrian Owen, the study’s senior investigator... 'There is no such thing as a single measure of IQ or a measure of general intelligence.'"

2 of 530 comments (clear)

  1. Twas always thus. by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 5, Informative

    The IQ test was not designed to be an absolute measure. It was developed by Alfred Binet as a way to rank between a group of children in a special education context. It gives only a relative measure between that group and does not give any absolute measurement of intelligence nor is it valid to compare IQs between different groups. The IQs assigned are only valid within the tested group.

    The transition to it being an absolute measurement was pushed by the US military to test and measure recruits. This was a colossal screw up.

    Google it. It's all there.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  2. Re:This will come as good news... by CrkHead · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am a MENSA member but I hardly consider myself very smart. I mean, I'm kinda smart but I see lots of people that blow me away when it comes to various mental abilities. And none of them are MENSA members.

    As a Mensan, you should know that it's not an acronym and should not by typed in all caps.