Post by Insane Troll Logic on Sept 8, 2005 16:01:29 GMT -5
IQ Tests - Are they a good indicator of intelligence and cognitive ability, or just an indicator of how good you are at IQ tests?
I don't set too much store by IQ tests. The nebulous concept of "intelligence" isn't something that can be nailed down to a number via a test, if you ask me. Also, what about other influences? Concentration, attention span, state of mind at the time of taking the test, and external emotional influences can all affect how well you do. Not to mention how much you care about doing well in the test in question.
Example:
Some people are much happier doing course work at school, and are a bag of nerves during a test or exam (I know I was), and all knowledge seems to dribble out of your brain during them. The end result? A low scoring test.
Example:
Failing a driving test doesn't always mean you're a bad driver - it just means you did badly on the day of the test. It can mean you're a bad driver, but not always.
So I think the same can be said of an IQ test - not only can external factors influence the outcome, but even in a "pure" environment where they don't, how can you nail down intelligence in such a way?
When, in everyday life, we judge another's "cleverness", "smarts", or even "stupidity", we tend to do it in a less mathematical way - we get a general feeling about them by talking to, listening to, and interacting with them. And, we may be wrong with our judgements. Or not. It depends.
My point is that I reckon some concepts about our minds and brains can't be reduced to a mathematical equation. We're greater than the sum of our parts.
(BTW - I have never took an IQ test).
I don't set too much store by IQ tests. The nebulous concept of "intelligence" isn't something that can be nailed down to a number via a test, if you ask me. Also, what about other influences? Concentration, attention span, state of mind at the time of taking the test, and external emotional influences can all affect how well you do. Not to mention how much you care about doing well in the test in question.
Example:
Some people are much happier doing course work at school, and are a bag of nerves during a test or exam (I know I was), and all knowledge seems to dribble out of your brain during them. The end result? A low scoring test.
Example:
Failing a driving test doesn't always mean you're a bad driver - it just means you did badly on the day of the test. It can mean you're a bad driver, but not always.
So I think the same can be said of an IQ test - not only can external factors influence the outcome, but even in a "pure" environment where they don't, how can you nail down intelligence in such a way?
When, in everyday life, we judge another's "cleverness", "smarts", or even "stupidity", we tend to do it in a less mathematical way - we get a general feeling about them by talking to, listening to, and interacting with them. And, we may be wrong with our judgements. Or not. It depends.
My point is that I reckon some concepts about our minds and brains can't be reduced to a mathematical equation. We're greater than the sum of our parts.
(BTW - I have never took an IQ test).