The original IQ test is most certainly bunk, but modern tests (at least the one i took, which i think was WAIS-IV) seem fine so long as you don’t start reading a bunch of other extrapolations into them.
Nowadays it’s not just a single number, because “intelligence” isn’t a single thing. For example my total score is like 120, but i have dogshit working memory (80 i think?), so that quickly summarizes that i’m good at things like pattern recognition and understanding language, and i’m fast at it, but i clearly need help with remembering new things.
I’m sure it’s far from perfect still, but i feel like a lot of the complaints people have about IQ tests is because the name is bad. It shouldn’t be called “intelligence quota”, but rather something like “cognitive performance index” so people don’t treat it as something grander than it is.
It’s the brain equivalent of measuring how much you can lift and squat, how fast you can run 100m, how fast you can run a marathon, and how high you can jump, comparing that against how everyone else performs, and then averaging out the scores and acting like it’s an accurate measurement of how healthy you are… If you just actually look at the individual scores it’s obviously a reasonably useful measurement, and how fast you can sprint obviously doesn’t have anything to do with your value as a person.
buttnugget@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Intelligence is not something that can be quantified in any way whatsoever, and I would consider any IQ test to be fully arbitrary—so the answer is yes. I’m sure there’s some problem solving component.
If you ever want evidence of IQ being bullshit, I have a super genius IQ. It’s like 666 standard deviations above the mean. Talk to anyone who has ever talked to me and they will very quickly disagree! 😂
CaptnNMorgan@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Mind explaining the 666 standard deviations above the mean? I just did a quick google search, and the AI says that’s impossible, but if one standard deviation is 15 points and the mean is 100(which is my new understanding)… Are you saying your IQ is OVER 9,000!!! 10,090, I think. That’s hilarious
buttnugget@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I think they said my IQ was 144?
buttnugget@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Yes, sorry, I was just making a stupid joke!
CaptnNMorgan@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I was playing along! I said “over 9,000” with Vegeta’s voice in my head