Levels of IQ values ​​and their interpretation. What is the IQ of a normal person

IQ tests are almost never used in Russia. But the term itself has become widely known.

Most people know that IQ (read "IQ") is a measure of the strength of human intelligence. But what does it mean and how is it calculated?

It all started with the French psychologist Alfred Binet in 1905. He worked with mentally retarded youth and, together with his colleague Theodor Simon, developed a method for measuring the psychological age of young people, which, in the case of their charges, differed from biological age.

Then, in 1912, the German psychologist William Stern developed a method for determining the ratio of intellectual age to biological age. He found that this ratio remained virtually unchanged in the process of growing children.

This ratio became known as the “Intelligence Quotient” or IQ (Intelligence Quotient). It is calculated by the formula:

100 x (intellectual age/biological age).

So, if you are 30 years old, but your IQ is 25 years old, your IQ would be: 100 x 25/30 = 83.

Distribution of IQ among the population (on the vertical axis - % of the population with iq indicated on the horizontal axis

It is clear that according to this method, the average IQ for the entire population will be 100. The individual IQ of a person shows how much a person is above or below the average intellectual level of his age.

Thus, to conduct tests, statistics are first collected on the performance of these tests on a large number of people. Then the performance of each newly tested person is compared with the average performance of people who have previously passed the tests.

Since in the classical version of the tests, the results are compared with the same audience as that of the test subject by age, IQ also indicates the rate of development of intelligence.

Intelligence tests are designed to test all areas of your brain: calculations, pattern recognition, sequence continuation, logic, word processing, abstraction, and so on. The result obtained is compared with the norm.

There are various interpretations of the obtained results.

80% of the population has an IQ in the 80-120 range.

There are quite a few high IQ communities around the world. For example, Mensa, which has members from over 100 countries, requires an IQ of at least 132 for its members.

In order to get into the Olympic Society (Olympiq Society) you need an IQ of 180. The community website indicates that it has only 14 members.

It is believed that the results of IQ tests are good at determining the ability of people, and are good predictors of their prospects for difficult work. Most professors have an IQ of one hundred and thirty, which puts them in the top 3% of the population in terms of intellectual ability.

Although IQ tests are not infallible, their results are a useful indicator. As a rule, the IQ indicator remains unchanged throughout life.

Interestingly, a study in Scotland in the 1950s and 1960s of more than 11,000 people showed a relationship between IQ scores and morbidity, as well as life expectancy.

A pattern has been revealed that a person with a lower IQ has an average life expectancy lower than a person with a higher IQ.

A lower IQ means a higher chance of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

IQ of famous people

The list below shows the aikyu level of some famous people. The data is taken from open Internet sources and does not claim to be accurate.

• Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft 160 ;
• Stephen Hawking, British theoretical physicist 160 ;
• Sharon Stone, American actress 154 ;
• Harrison Ford, American actor 140 ;
• Madonna, American singer 140 ;
• Arnold Schwarzenegger, American actor and politician 135 ;
• Sheldon Lee Cooper is a fictional character from the television series Theory big bang» – 187 ;
• Snoop Dogg, American rapper 147 ;
• Sylvester Stallone, American actor 54 ;

What was Einstein's iq?

Albert Einstein never took a test to change the level of his IQ. Of course, there is no doubt that the famous physicist could show a high result. Most likely it would be in the region of 200, that is, at the level of the best achievements of celebrities.

The modern world provides a person with great opportunities for self-realization, but in return puts forward high demands on him. We must be able to adequately assess the situation and make the right choice. Scientists around the world have proven that a person's abilities are affected by his IQ level. Surely you have come across this concept more than once, and most likely even passed one or another IQ test. But let's figure out what the IQ gives us, and why we need it at all.

IQ test

So, the intelligence quotient or IQ level is a quantitative assessment of the level of a person’s intellectual abilities compared to IQ normal person the same age as the subject. This indicator is determined using various tests, the most famous of which are the Eysenck, Wexler, Raven, Amthauer and Cattell tests. The very concept of "intelligence quotient" was introduced by the German Wilhelm Stern in 1912. Recently, interest in determining this indicator has increased many times, employers often ask job applicants to take an IQ test, and applicants pass it when they enter a university.

In principle, IQ test questions are structured in such a way that their complexity increases, so that the test subject should use his logical and spatial thinking. As a result of passing the test, you get a quantitative assessment of your IQ. The average IQ level of an adult according to the Eysenck test is from 91 to 110 points, 25% of the world's population has such indicators. If your IQ is between 111 and 130, you can safely consider yourself a smart person. And if your score is above 131, then you are the lucky one, who is in the 3% of the world's population. People with high IQs become outstanding scientists, inventors, and researchers. There are geniuses with an IQ above 140, such as Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking, these people make up about 0.2% of humanity.

The level of intelligence is influenced by a large number of various factors, such as, for example, heredity, genes, gender and race of a person. According to recent studies, the average IQ of an African American is 85, Hispanic 89, White European 103, Asian (China, Japan, Korea) 106, and Jewish 113. It has also been found that most men have higher IQs than women. It affects the level of intelligence and the environment in which a person grew up, as well as the education of his parents and even the country of residence.

How to know your IQ

After all of the above, most likely, you will ask yourself the question: "How to find out your IQ." Today it is very easy to do, it is enough to find one of the many tests for the level of intelligence on the Internet. However, be careful, because not all of them are licensed and may contain errors in tasks and answers. Your IQ calculated in this way may not be correct. The time-tested Eysenck test can be taken at iqtest.com at English language. There is no exact answer to the question: “What should IQ be” today, so if something does not suit you, just work on increasing your level of intelligence. How? We will gladly tell you about it.

How to increase IQ

Your IQ level is a quantitative measure of mental development, determined by tests that measure a person's ability to solve problems, perceive various mental images, as well as memory and general knowledge. We present you several ways to increase your IQ.

Method number 1 - get into the habit of playing mind games (for example, Scrabble, Sudoku, chess, and so on). These games are great brain trainers. When you learn how to play one game well, move on - master the next, because when you master the skill, your brain stops working as hard to solve the problem, the production of the hormone dopamine, which is responsible for intelligence, decreases. In addition to intellectual board games, try your hand at logic and strategy video games. Pay special attention to games aimed at making quick decisions. It is also useful to solve logic puzzles, puzzles, crosswords and sudoku. All of these activities stimulate thought processes, increasing IQ levels.

Method number 2 - constantly learn something new, whether it be foreign language, art, architecture or, for example, cryptology.

Method number 3 - lead an active lifestyle, constantly exposing yourself to physical activity, because this is a scientifically proven way to increase the level of intelligence. Expand your horizons, set yourself a goal for life - do not stop learning, constantly learn something new. Give yourself an occasional shake, skydive, or try bungee jumping. A new experience releases the hormone dopamine, which increases the number of neurons and causes a feeling of satisfaction. And in general, the more you know and know how, the richer your life experience, the higher the level of your intellectual development!

And here are some more simple tips that will help you enjoy life and increase your level of intellectual development.

• Try to enjoy everything you do, enjoy classical music, good books and hanging out with people you like.
• Use electronic devices less. If you need to write something down, use a notepad and pen, and instead email It is better to send a letter written by hand. This stimulates visual and kinetic perception.
• Learn to write with your non-dominant hand, which stimulates the opposite hemisphere of your brain.
• Try to eat right and balanced, include in your diet fresh vegetables, fruits and fish, rich in omega 3, which has a positive effect on brain function.
• Get enough sleep, because only during sleep the information received passes from short-term memory to long-term memory.
• Work on yourself and keep learning all your life.

How to determine the level of human intelligence? It is enough to take an IQ test and everything will become clear - many will say so who have never thought about how this "mind test" appeared. At all times, people have divided themselves into different categories, depending on the qualities. The level of intelligence was also a factor by which people could be divided into stupid and smart.

The first thoughts about the possibility of testing human intelligence appeared in the 19th century. Darwin's theory was published in 1859, which was the main reason for the emergence of a new science - phrenology.

Initially, this science was based on the assessment of mental abilities, based on the parameters of the head. According to phrenologists, the size and shape of the head already made it possible to draw conclusions about the level of intelligence.

Don't trust IQ tests

In the future, the supporters of this science put forward theories that a high level of intelligence is programmed at the genetic level and the trained program has a minimum value.

Before the theory failed, quite a lot of tests were carried out, children were tested in schools for a predisposition to high mental abilities. It may seem surprising, but even the Nazis believed in the genetic programming of smart people.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the first tests began to appear, thanks to which the level of intelligence was determined. The legendary IQ test was invented by the French psychologist Alfred Binet. The imperfection of this test was that it was not the absolute level of IQ that was determined, but the comparative one.

For example, a 5-year-old child who successfully completed the 6-year-old program received higher scores. If in the end a person passing the test received more than 140 points, he was considered a genius, from 110 to 140 points were scored by people with a high level of intelligence, from 90 to 110 points indicates an average level, below 75 points, according to Binet, were scored backward.

Now a popular method for determining mental abilities, it quickly spread throughout the world. There was even a case when a prisoner for life was transferred to a psychiatric hospital, because. he scored too low on an IQ test.

The jury explained their action as follows: "He is too stupid to distinguish good from evil." This incident happened almost 100 years ago, nothing like this can be observed today.

In the 60s and 70s, when IQ tests were used to assess the intelligence of students and potential employees in interviews, they began to lose relevance. Numerous lawsuits have forced a review of the effectiveness of IQ tests, the questions in which were intended for a certain type of person.

For example, not all of us are mathematicians, some people have humanitarian abilities. After a detailed study of the tests, the experts came to the conclusion that it is impossible to determine the level of intelligence or to do it with a huge error. Now you should guess that low IQ is not the cause of the disorder.

Many of us have heard of the IQ test, which measures a person's level of intelligence. However, most people know almost nothing about it. Before you start taking the test, you must definitely find out what the IQ of a normal person should be.

general information

The abbreviation IQ stands for what can be translated as "amount of intelligence." In the Russian-speaking language environment, the well-established expression "intelligence quotient" is more often used. However, it is believed that in order for the results to be as truthful as possible, and they can really be trusted, it is worth taking into account not only the results of the test itself. Factors such as age and gender also need to be taken into account.

Many also believe that the results of this test indicate a person's aptitude for a particular type of task rather than actual intellectual ability. Therefore, you can prepare for it by solving puzzles that resemble those presented in the tasks.

Story

Attempts to study the IQ of a normal person began in the 30s of the last century. Researchers have made a number of attempts to determine the IQ through various experiments. Scientists tried to find a pattern that would link the processes of the central nervous system, reaction characteristics and mental abilities, even taking into account the size and weight of the brain. In addition, they studied the relationship between the IQ of parents and children, its relation to social origin, age, and so on.

IQ test today

It is now generally accepted that the coefficient of mental intelligence depends on many factors, for the most part on heredity. However, the IQ level of a normal person can be increased by solving various problems and tests. In addition, in the modern world, it is not so much intelligence that is the source of success as motivation and perseverance. Individuality, determination and ambition also play an important role. Nevertheless, it is a high level of intelligence that can help in solving difficult life circumstances and contribute to more advantageous conditions.

Despite the fact that the first tests were created exclusively with lexical exercises, today they use a wide variety of tasks. Among which are counting exercises, logical series, the ability to find the missing geometric figure, the ability to recognize a fragment, remember facts, technical drawings and determine the missing letter.

How much IQ does a normal person have

The average level of human intelligence ranges from 100 to 120 units, which is about half of correctly solved problems. The person who completes all the tasks receives 200 points. In addition to the level of intelligence, the test determines other indicators, it helps to identify the way of thinking of the person who passes it. By identifying the category in which the test subject has the lowest level of ability, one can help him identify gaps in his ability, practice with different types of tasks, and raise his IQ.

First tests

For the first time, V. Stern spoke about the IQ, who considered the definition of the level of skills on the Binet scale to be incorrect, since he had a serious drawback regarding age. The scientist proposed to determine dividing mental age by chronological age. The IQ test of a normal person demonstrates a quantitative assessment of the ability of an individual in relation to the average representative of the same age.

Averages

It is rightfully considered that an IQ test does not show the level of a person's erudition, but only an assessment of general indicators. They are designed specifically to get a distribution of results with an average score. The IQ of a normal person can vary, but there are common indicators. So, about half of the people who passed the test show a result equal to 90 to 100 points, a quarter - below 90, and the other quarter - above 110 units. The average score for graduates from American universities is 115 points, for honors students - from 135 to 140. An IQ level that is less than 70 points is usually considered a sign of mental retardation.

Conclusion

IQ tests show a person, but should not be considered that they in any way show the level of erudition. They only help to understand in what area and in what direction a person needs to develop.

It is believed that the IQ level of a normal person varies from 90 to 120 conventional units. Most often, the Eysenck test is used to determine the IQ. However, do not forget that the most correct results will be obtained during the very first passing of the test, and all subsequent attempts will only distort them.

The concept of "intelligence quotient" and the abbreviation IQ are familiar to almost everyone today. And everyone is aware that this very coefficient can be assessed using special tests. But this is where the knowledge of many people who are far from psychology and related sciences ends.

So what is IQ, how is it measured, and should it be done at all?

Let's start with a little historical digression. At the beginning of the 20th century in France, the state instructed a psychologist Alfred Binet tests to determine the mental abilities of children. To this end, Binet developed a test, which is known today as " IQ Test»

The test very quickly became popular, but not in France, but in the USA. As early as 1917, the US military began using IQ tests to classify soldiers. More than 2 million people passed this exam. Then IQ tests began to be used by universities and private companies, which used them to screen applicants and potential employees.

The results of numerous studies have allowed foreign experts to make the following generalizations:

You have exactly 30 minutes to complete the test. The most reliable and reliable results, indicating the abilities of a person, are obtained in the range from 100 to 130 points, outside these limits, the assessment of the results is not sufficiently reliable.

In conclusion, it should be said that, according to a number of psychologists, tests developed in the West for determining the IQ are not entirely suitable for Russia. The main reason is the difference in the structure of the intelligence of different countries. The Russians are dominated by the so-called "figurative" style of thinking, that is, the Russian more often "thinks" with his heart, and not with his head. It remains only to wait for ours to offer their own methods for assessing intelligence. While they are not...