#intelligence studies

Anyways, I do agree with you that IQ is not indicative of human achievement- it’s based on problem solving and ability to learn/adapt to situations, and therefore is not a comprehensive test of someone’s true “intelligence”- I personally subscribe to Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory, which claims that there are various forms of intelligence, such as problem solving, spatial, interpersonal, linguistic—intelligence has many components, most of which are not accurately assessed by a basic intelligence test! Someone can be adept at interpersonal relationships while struggling greatly with spatial or linguistic intelligence. I personally have high problem solving skills, as well as linguistic and logical skills, so I score high on IQ tests. I have very low interpersonal, kinesthetic and spatial skills, however, which means that I still struggle with many things in life. My high IQ doesnt mean I’m “high functioning”, for lack of a better term. It just means I’m good at those things that an IQ test tests for, specifically relating to academic and problem solving skills.

Besides this, intelligence is fluid: a person’s intelligence can change throughout their life based on experiences, learning and environmental factors. A formal education has been proven to raise a person’s IQ score- yet another reason why accessible education is SO important!

I also acknowledge that the concept of IQ has been used in the past to discriminate against certain groups, such as IQ discrimination among autistic people (which I discussed in the post you’re probably referring to). I think I made it clear in that post that I in NO way support the discrimination of any person based on something as arbitrary as their score on an IQ test- intelligence is a very nuanced area that can Not be perfectly measured by any test, and to persecute any group based on IQ is absolutely evil and unacceptable. Eugenics is a sick, sick ideology and I would never in my life support any form of it; I regularly speak out AGAINST eugenics in both my online and irl life.

What I disagree with, however, is the statement that “IQ is not very useful”. IQ, or “intelligence quotient”, is a measure of a person’s reasoning or problem solving abilities. It also includes things like comprehension and processing speed, and perception of information.

While these things are NOT necessarily indicative of how “smart” a person is (there’s too many other factors to account for that on a single test), testing IQ is very useful in two specific areas: Psychology and Education! In fact, IQ was ORIGINALLY created for use in education. This is its primary purpose. But it is especially helpful in regards to psychology and neuro developmental sciences, too.

IQ is important when assessing individuals with intellectual disabilities because it gives us an idea of what level a person’s reasoning skills are at. It can be so so important for those with intellectual disabilities to be properly identified and assessed so that they can have the proper legal protections and support! As a disability advocate, I am always in favor of the “assume they can” attitude when it comes to disability, but there still are those individuals who may be unable to live independently, or could be taken advantage of without the proper diagnosis and protections. IE, there’s issues involving whether or not people with certain intellectual disabilities are able to give consent. Even if IQ isnt a perfect measure of someone’s intellect, it is a great starting point to determine what may be going on with someone mentally, and what supports they might need. I do agree that IQ should never be the end-all be-all for making important decisions about someone’s life, but we can’t throw it aside entirely, either.

As far as education, let me just preface: I myself am a trained educator and am currently studying education, including topics such as IQ assessment. I myself was also a former gifted kid whose gifted status was used to dismiss my own disabilities until I was old enough to advocate for myself. I work with students who have fallen through the cracks due to issues in the system, and I will always advocate for improvement in all these areas, and for using various forms of assessment beyond just IQ testing.

That being said. As of now, IQ testing is one of the best ways we have of determining how well students learn. Like I said previously, this is what IQ was created for. As educators, we use IQ to determine what sorts of supports students may need in their education. Most students will fall into the normal IQ range of (I believe) 85-115. In general (depends on state legislation), anything above 130 is considered gifted, and anything below 70 is considered an intellectual disability. I say in general because these are not objective tests! The numbers are always changing due to the current norms (the bell curve) and how the tests are adapted. Because, yes, IQ is not an objective term that encompasses all areas of life. It is a tool used to determine the legal protections and rights that certain individuals are entitled to. ESSA (the every students succeed act, legislation in the US) details specific requirements about how much funding certain groups are entitled to in the education system.

Reforms are CONSTANTLY being made to all of these programs, in order to ensure that students are being accurately assessed and given what they need to succeed.

I acknowledge that IQ has been used in many horrific and inappropriate ways in the past, and that many people don’t understand what exactly it even is or how it’s measured, but to dismiss it as being irrelevant or never useful does a disservice to all of those individuals who would otherwise be unable to receive certain legal benefits and protections without some way of assessing their intelligence and giving it a numerical value.

There are kids who need special education services, and the only way to know is an IQ test. Without that support, they could fall behind- not because they are LESSER in any way, but because they have different needs.

Likewise, there are kids who are considered “gifted” because their brains make connections others dont, and without the proper intellectual stimulation and challenge, they too can fall behind, or stop caring all together. The whole “former gifted kid” phenomenon is very real, and often comes down to these kids not getting the support they need to continue to grow. They are NOT “superior” in any way, they just have different needs. (There’s also a significant overlap between certain forms of neurodivergence and high IQ due to elements such as pattern recognition abilities, BUT we wont get into all of that- I hope to write my thesis on something related to this, actually).

My point is, IQ is not and never should be a way to determine a person’s value or even competence. It doesn’t determine worth, and it isnt an all-encompassing science. It involves a very narrow, specific type of skill set. But it IS an important means of ensuring that certain individuals get the supports they need in both education and legal rights. “Dont throw the baby out with the bath water”, or however the saying goes. You can acknowledge flaws in the system without throwing away the useful parts.

That’s all I’ve got. Once again, none of this is cited, so feel free to do your own research (I’m talking peer reviewed, scientific articles and books- NOT tiktok conspiracies or word of mouth hearsay from biased perspectives). Seriously, check your sources.

At the end of the day, I’m just an autistic and disabled university student with a special interest in psychology, as well as developmental and social sciences, who works in and studies education. What do I know, right?

Once again, I’m not trying to be condescending here, but I do feel it’s my responsibility to share what I know on the topic. I also suck at communicating tone, because, shocker: autistic.

Hope this was helpful, anyways!