Piece #103 - I.Q.

I have, in some form or fashion, addressed this topic on intelligence, but I thought I'd hit this head on. One of the big things that people with Asperger's gets tied with is having a high intelligence. I have to admit that I've had a hard time finding solid evidence on all people with Asperger's having a high intelligence. I guess this a bit of a piggy back to my earlier posting #78 No Talent Required. The difference between these two is I'm going to address the intelligence in general versus the talents from Asperger's (or Savants). 

When it comes to the topic of intelligence, I get a similar feeling like in high school when the class decides on 'the most successful' label. I say this because I've always questioned what is successful? In turn I would also ask in the same breath what is intelligent? Testing the intelligence of someone used to seem like either a brainiac, just an average person or an idiot...depending on the score which is really unfair. I pulled this article from the Medical Daily to give a good explanation of the I.Q. test:

Medical Daily.com Aug. 9th, 2014

The IQ test is an exam most of us are familiar with, regardless of whether we have taken it or not. The test was originally designed by the French psychologist Alfred Binet in the early 1900s. But in the new millennium, is the IQ test still an effective means of measuring general intelligence? According to the general consensus, the answer is "no."

An IQ test measures a person’s cognitive ability compared to the population at large. The average IQ is 100, anything above 130 is considered exceptionally smart while a score under 70 is categorized as developmental delays related to intelligence.

Intelligence is defined as general cognitive problem-solving skills. Since the days of Binet, psychologists have agreed that intelligence is much more complex than a single number and may be in fact divided into many subcategories. This is where the IQ test falls short. A Canadian study published online in the journal Neuron concluded that the IQ test is “fundamentally flawed,” seeing that its questions “grossly oversimplify the abilities of the human brain.” The report identified three indications of human intelligence: short term memory, reasoning skills, and verbal ability. None of these skills are at all accurately measured in the traditional IQ test. So what does the IQ test accurately measure? Well according to Laci Green, host of DNews, “What the IQ test did measured was how well Westerners might do in Western schools.”

While the IQ test may give an indication of general intelligence, it can't measure the entire complexity of the human thought process. Creativity, emotional sensitivity, social understanding, and various acquired skills such as music or art, are excluded from test’s measurements of intelligence. If you’d like to get an idea of your IQ take this test, but just remember that whatever your score be, it doesn’t necessarily define how smart you really are.

In many ways, intelligence seems to boil down to more than just how smart you are. The article is correct in the lack of testing for creativity, short term memory or other skills that could be measured, but are left off the test. A good example is when I was in high school; I did pretty well in school - A or B honor roll - I still struggled in many classes though. I actually had to take Algebra 1 twice! Of course, in all the art classes and theater classes, I was extremely good in, but the core classes were always a trick. I've admitted that I'm not a speed reader. I've always been a slower reader, but I still love to read. I will be honest and say that my wife and the twins can all read fast, but slowpoke pop gets left in the dust. 

Just for the heck of it, I decided to take the Stanford-Binet I.Q. test on-line. I will first tell you that this was a really long test (AND NO I DIDN'T CHEAT!), but I wanted an honest score to see what my intelligent level was at my current age. (Remember, as you age, so does your I.Q.) Does this make me feel better? I do feel like I have something positive to add to the world still, but overall no. So this is the breakdown:

Christopher Wheat 

Your Complete Stanford-Binet Test Report¹ has been generated and can be accessed immediately for only : €19.94. [I didn't pay the 19.94.]

Your IQ is: 160
Standard Deviation: 15
Percentile: 99.996831397%
Rarity: 1/31560

Your age adjusted IQ score is 160 and the average score for all test takers is 98.45.

Your Grade ** Genius **

Anyone with a general IQ this high is undoubtedly a genius. From this range on, only specific high-range tests should be considered. You have the ability to think critically, conceptualize ideas and form your own conclusions. Your ability to think in patterns and to produce order out of chaos enables you to handle complexities and see logic in everything. Needless to say you are self-aware of your abilities and have the brains for all known occupations. If you think of intelligence as the ability to adapt easily to new situations then you are at the top of the charts.

If really are curious then I say give it a shot. Just remember that the test really won't measure just how extraordinary you are as a person. God doesn't make mistakes and I believe everyone has something to share with the people of this planet. You have to remember that we're only here for a short time then it's over. I might have Asperger's and have a high intelligence, it doesn't make me any better than anyone else. I have my faults and struggles, but understanding them and adjusting to those deficiencies can help me be a better person...I.Q. and all.

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