MetaFilter posts tagged with IQ

Two men with big hair and the nature of IQ

blahblahblah — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:03:00 -0800

Behind the growing Steven Pinker vs. Malcolm Gladwell feud (Pinker criticizes Gladwell, Gladwell snarkily replies) is a debate over the value of IQ, specifically, and intelligence, broadly, in success. Recent research has generally shown little link between intelligence and success within fields, and that there are multiple kinds of intelligences that drive achievement. On the other hand, scholars of psychometrics claim the opposite, showing that IQ at an early age can predict achievement, and no amount of study will help. Maybe everyone is right, with enough caveats.

iQ Font

billysumday — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:47:11 -0800

Cars + fonts = the iQ font.

Islam, modernity and democracy

kliuless — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:54:28 -0800

Is the west thwarting Arab plans for reform? Few Muslims now invest much hope in the democratic western powers (essentially the US, Britain and France) that back the rulers who oppress them, even if, against the odds, they still admire “western” values, science and culture. There is no endemic or intrinsic conflict between Christians and Muslims. Rather, the root of the problem is that a majority of Muslims is convinced that the west – interested only in a stability based on regional strongmen, the security of Israel and cheap oil – is engaged in a war against Islam and is bent on denying them the freedoms it claims for itself. That is why it is so self-defeating to collude in tyranny as ostensibly a lesser evil than political Islam. BONUS Is a high IQ a burden as much as a blessing?

Plastic Brain Outsmarts Experts

socalsamba — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:33:34 -0800

IQ might not be as static as science originally believed.

Race and Intelligence, Redux

ubiquity — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:51:05 -0800

About a month ago, a MeFi FPP on this article sparked a controversy here on the usefulness of the concepts of IQ and race in determining whether some ethnic groups can be shown to be intrinsically less intelligent than others. Now James Flynn, discoverer of the Flynn effect, has written a book, What is Intelligence?, that settles many of the issues of this controversy. In this week's New Yorker, Malcolm Gladwell summarizes Flynn's arguments succinctly in a review entitled "None of the Above: What IQ doesn't tell you about race."

Race and Intelligence

landis — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 11:45:38 -0800

Among white Americans, the average IQ, as of a decade or so ago, was 103. Among Asian-Americans, it was 106. Among Jewish Americans, it was 113. Among Latino Americans, it was 89. Among African-Americans, it was 85. Was Watson right?

Smart or Stoopid?

JPowers — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:30:27 -0800

Are you Smart or Stoopid? A quick, entertaining and (for me) reasonably challenging way to determine your level of intelligence. Be sure to post your score.

Dr Kanazawa.

econous — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 18:44:04 -0800

I find my interest piqued by some of Dr Satoshi Kanazawa's ideas. Especially regarding The conformist culture of Asia. But also: The Myth of Racial Discrimination in Pay in the United States[pdf]. He works hard thinking.

Get Smart

vronsky — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 16:00:52 -0800

Get Smart! Can a few simple exercises really sharpen your mental acuity in 7 short days? According to this BBC program, yes.

smart_women != married_women; smart_men == married_men

airguitar — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 03:09:24 -0800

A high IQ is a hindrance for women wanting to get married while it is an asset for men, according to a study by four British universities.

The study found the likelihood of marriage increased by 35 per cent for boys for each 16 point increase in IQ. But for girls, there is a 40 per cent drop for each 16-point rise, according to the survey by the universities of Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The study is based on the IQs of 900 men and women between their 10th and 40th birthdays. (via)

Check out the big brains on these guys!

taz — Thu, 23 Sep 2004 02:33:11 -0800

Human Intelligence is a good site from Indiana University that looks at historical influences and current controversies surrounding the study of intelligence. Find out more about topics such as "the Mozart Effect", the theory of multiple intelligences, and the influence of birth order on intelligence, and then browse the brains behind the history of inquiry into human intellect.

It's the IQ, stupid

acrobat — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 04:28:48 -0800

"Innate intelligence has to do with capability and ignorance to do with variables such as educational opportunity and personal diligence. But the conundrum remains. Is intellect important in presidents? If Americans can't solve the question definitively in the matter of John Kerry and George Bush, we damn sure ought to make an educated guess."

Big brains, crap design skills.

stavrosthewonderchicken — Sat, 24 Jul 2004 19:22:52 -0800

Giga Society: the world's most exclusive high IQ society, where an IQ of 196 or higher (one in a billion) is required to join. Not quite as cranially-advantaged? Well, there's always the Oath society, which'll take you if you're only one in a thousand (a mere 150 IQ or higher). Big brains and design skills (or language ones, for that matter) don't mix well, though, it would seem. [more inside]

Morons for Bush?

jonson — Thu, 06 May 2004 09:37:07 -0800

2000 Election results ranked by avg statewide IQ. Shame on me for even posting this here in this slavering den of liberal fervor, but if it's true, it certainly is kinda fascinating.

let the mefi pissing contest begin!

crunchland — Mon, 27 Oct 2003 07:20:49 -0800

"Check out the big brain on Brett!" ... A visual IQ test.

Money makes you stupid

grahamwell — Mon, 05 May 2003 05:28:55 -0800

The more you earn, the lower your IQ. That's the clear but unexpected result from the second National IQ test broadcast by the BBC. The test is still online if you are curious. The first test was discussed here. For a higher IQ, be an unemployed Irish man and drink too much.

Lamont, you dummy!

ColdChef — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 14:30:23 -0800

Stupidity should be cured, says DNA discoverer. "People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty. I think it would be great."

International High IQ Society tests

Pretty_Generic — Thu, 14 Nov 2002 05:45:41 -0800

International High IQ Society tests. The site gives the impression that these tests are a lot more accurate at judging intelligence (whatever that is) that most of the junk on the web. What do you think? Do we have any 'universal geniuses'?

dg — Tue, 06 Aug 2002 16:40:24 -0800

How smart are you? Are blondes really as dumb as people say? Does an IQ test administered via television/net/SMS have any validity anyway?

iconomy — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 16:59:53 -0800

Musicians are really smart. They have larger and more sensitive brains than non-musicians, and their collective IQ is much higher. They have 130% more grey matter in one area of their auditory cortexes. The question of how this explains Ozzy Osbourne nonwithstanding, I'll bet if you're really, really smart, you could be one of the new members of Men Without Hats. Must be very knowledgeable in midi, sequences, and sampling.

feelinglistless — Sun, 12 May 2002 08:42:42 -0800

Last night, ninety-five thousand British Internet users took part in 'Test The Nation', an IQ quiz, broadcast live on BBC television, which attempted to survey the intelligence on the national. As a simulcast it was only partially successful -- the questions appearing on television sometimes five minutes before appearing on computer, but the results from those who coped with the technology were quite interesting. Any other UK Mefites take part? The test is still available for the curious.

zeoslap — Sun, 17 Mar 2002 14:09:03 -0800

Rejection reduces IQ "To live in society, people have to have an inner mechanism that regulates their behaviour. Rejection defeats the purpose of this, and people become impulsive and self-destructive. You have to use self-control to analyse a problem in an IQ test, for example - and instead, you behave impulsively"

MikeB — Sat, 02 Mar 2002 12:38:19 -0800

Genius boy's mother admits faking his tests. We're coming to the end of a very sad story.

werty — Fri, 01 Mar 2002 11:40:20 -0800

Take the Wonderlic test. The Wonderlic is a 50-question IQ test administered by the National Football League to all prospective draft picks. Teams use the test results to varying degree, in part to determine the ability of athletes to learn systems and grow as a player. Interestingly, offensive tackles and centers have the highest average NFL Wonderlic scores. (The test here is a fast 15-question sample; you'll need a piece of paper to jot down your answers.)

stbalbach — Mon, 21 Jan 2002 10:29:36 -0800

Is intelligence hereditary or environment? A new theory sees the brain as a plastic mold of potential with the more neuron connections the better [hereditary] and environment stimulation shapes the mold untill maturity. "You could present a person with an IQ of 200 with the appropriate phenomena when they are 20 years old, after the critical learning period, and they would not have the capacity to adapt their brains to the new phenomena". People of low IQ perform poorly because their brains do not adapt well to environmental stimulation.