IQ Tests: A Viable Standard of Intelligence?

**Hess** · 04-05-2012, 05:06 AM

Are IQ tests a valid way to measure the intelligence of a person? Many seem to think so, but others criticize them as having a bias against creative minded people who prefer the liberal arts.

Discuss.

**StonyArabia** · 04-05-2012, 05:09 AM

You can't measure an abstract element like intelligence in so called test. As well it depends on the level of education of the person taking the test, and how well they respond to the test and the anxiety level which all factor in. So in the end in my honest humble opinion it's bullcrap.

**Phil75231** · 04-05-2012, 05:22 AM

IQ tends to concentrate on verbal and mathematical aspects of intelligence. Some spatial and pattern recognition to be sure, but mostly verbal and mathematical.

**Geminus** · 04-05-2012, 12:02 PM

As intelligence itself is a rather abstract term these IQ-tests are quite good in measuring the capability of people in different areas. So there surely is a correlation of a high IQ with higher intelligence.

**safinator** · 04-05-2012, 12:07 PM

IQ is a measure of potential and nothing more.

**Osprey** · 04-05-2012, 12:52 PM

IQ test is basically a test to confirm that people living in a nation are able to understand its laws, abstract posters and in general comply with the Constitution.
It focuses on the ability to correlate several things and think logically rather than abstractedly.
People with a practice in calculations and mathematics gain an unfair advantage in these tests.
It totally neglects the verbal part. That is the intelligence possessed by bards, jesters and ministrels.

**Hess** · 04-05-2012, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Osprey

People with a practice in calculations and mathematics gain an unfair advantage in these tests.

That is an opinion I tend to share. Not only that, but people who are not so good at math but gifted in abstract reasoning come out as either average or below average.