League of Legends Rank Predicts IQ, Study Finds (plos.org)

limbicsystem writes: A new publication in the journal PLOS ONE shows that your rank in League of Legends (LoL) correlates with your intelligence quotient (IQ). Games like LoL and DOTA II apparently depend on the same cognitive resources that underlie tests of fluid intelligence. That means that proficiency in those games peaks at the same age as raw IQ -- about 25 -- while scores in more reaction-time based games like Destiny or Battlefield seem to decline from the teens onwards. The researchers suggest that the massive datasets from these online games could be used to assess population-level cognitive health in real-time across the globe. The authors have a nice FAQ (and open datasets) here.

Comments

IQ measures your ability to test for IQ

[Khopesh]

Like any kind of basic test, IQ tests aren't terribly abstractable. Therefore, the supposed correlation between this type of games and IQ tests isn't terribly indicative of intelligence.

Therefore: if you like IQ tests, you should really try these games.

This also reminds me of a quote:

I have no idea [what my IQ is]. People who boast about their IQ are losers. -- Stephen Hawking

Re:IQ measures your ability to test for IQ

[Gussington]

Like any kind of basic test, IQ tests aren't terribly abstractable.

What does that even mean? The IQ tests I've done were abstract, and by that I mean the tests where about pattern matching so required no prior knowledge, and weren't specific to any cultural or social standard. eg series of shapes guess the next one, rotating shapes to find match etc. That is about as abstract as a test can get.

Therefore, the supposed correlation between this type of games and IQ tests isn't terribly indicative of intelligence.

I've only played a little LoL, but it is effectively abstract too. You have a pool of characters to choose from with special powers which compliment or contradict each other (think paper/scissors/rock on steroids). The people who do well are able to process the various combinations more quickly than others, which is effectively is the same as an IQ test.

People who boast about their IQ are losers

Not sure how this is relevant. TFA is merely pointing out a connection being some types of games which are very similar to some IQ tests, therefore have corresponding results.

Re: IQ measures your ability to test for IQ

[Austerity Empowers]

Especially because if you play LoL long enough to get ranks then you have proven you aren't very smart.

Data supporting this hypothesis:
- The funding model involves paying to unlock pixels, some of those pixels have temporary advantages/disadvantages over pixels owned by other people. The game is shifted periodically to ensure you need to keep paying for new pixels. Long time players do this.
- The amount of time consumed in grinding and gearing and modding could be better spent doing nearly anything else, some of which will benefit the human species.
- Reading the analysis of strategies by people who play the game frequently and well, suggests these players have a very limited grasp of the english language, wherein words like "jungle" have become verbs, and words like "sustain" have become nouns.

Suggesting that people who continue to play this game are smart sounds like a marketing campaign masquerading as science. Let us all go play LoL so that we all can be smarter than the average bear.

IQ Test Question #1: Is this study a gimmick?

[Tablizer]

I smell a marketing gimmick: play-our-game-to-feel-smart