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does IQ matter?

Christ_empowered

Christ_empowered

Member
The original IQ tests were just to spot kids who might need some other type of education besides what the normal schools offered. Then came programs for gifted kids. Now, we have ranges of normal, below normal, above normal, levels of giftedness, etc.

IQ is a pretty good indication of the family of origin's educational level. IQ used to be used as an excuse to forcibly sterilize people (happened a good bit in the US...eugenics).

What do you all think? Any psychology people out there?
 
Christ_empowered said:
IQ is a pretty good indication of the family of origin's educational level.
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Unfortunately yes. Althought the concept of IQ wants to be independent of cultural factors (like status of the family or so).
But the implementation of any test requires understanding of test (e.g. being able to read the test instructions can be hard to someone that is almost illiterate because their family background does not value books and doesn't encourage the kid to read). Also, having good access to education (which unfortunately in most countries of the world is correlated to the original family's wealth and education) means that a kid (or adult for that matter) receives cognitive training and practices thinking and problem solving.
That doesn't mean IQ is a bad concept. It just means we can't test it in the way we'd like to.
On the other hand the scientific concept of intelligence is very much defined around IQ tests (because it's not conclusively defined at all, IQ test outcomes are just what most scientists agree to be the operational defnition).

It also means that we need to ensure children have access to the best possible education despite their family background. That means for example to uncouple wealth and education by making the best education free of fees.
The biggest problem is that some families have anti-educational and anti-intellectual values and their kids will grow up with those and adopt them and even when going to school the family background would negatively influence the child's results at school. A school friend of mine's parents used to make fun of her when she was studying for an exam. Of course she didn't do too well in school and eventually started to make fun of other kids that had good grades and made an effort.
 
OK. So, my current shrink says I have a "High IQ." How is that different from someone who's average to above average? Or genius? See what I'm saying? I can see "average," "below average," and "above average," but the scales I've looked at go much, much further in classification.
 
Christ_empowered said:
OK. So, my current shrink says I have a "High IQ." How is that different from someone who's average to above average? Or genius? See what I'm saying?
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ya, that's pretty funny, lol...good one. ;-p

I too was diagnosed with a relatively high IQ, my condolences...

At 25, When I found out about my disease I wondered why my life sucked so much given my intelligence - turns out that there is this thing called an emotional IQ - and mine was that of a 16 year-old. So while I had all the answers to life, I was too emotionally retarded to apply them, lol...Oh the irony.
 
Christ_empowered said:
The original IQ tests were just to spot kids who might need some other type of education besides what the normal schools offered. Then came programs for gifted kids. Now, we have ranges of normal, below normal, above normal, levels of giftedness, etc.

IQ is a pretty good indication of the family of origin's educational level. IQ used to be used as an excuse to forcibly sterilize people (happened a good bit in the US...eugenics).

What do you all think? Any psychology people out there?
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People are more concerned about IQ.

Our Heavenly Father is more concerned about our heart, as I think.
 
CORE said:
At 25, When I found out about my disease I wondered why my life sucked so much given my intelligence - turns out that there is this thing called an emotional IQ - and mine was that of a 16 year-old. So while I had all the answers to life, I was too emotionally retarded to apply them, lol...Oh the irony.
Click to expand...

Same here, only that I'm stuck with the emotional IQ of a 4 year old.
 
One thing I realized is whatever we possess does not really belong to us. We just make use of what we are given.

And we are given so many things. Every day. Every second.
 
IQ tests for children can be a very positive for their lives. With the knowledge of which categories the child excels, additional study can be structured to save the child from boredom. In areas of deficit, alternative courses of study can be arranged to encourage & intrigue the child, with the goal of improving the child's knowledge in those areas. Family income isn't the issue where IQ test results are concerned; tutors can be arranged, either through the schools or through other outlets. In order for the child to succeed, however, the family (parents, guardians, grandparents - whoever is raising the child) must be committed to following through and being an active part of the child's education. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen.

A high IQ doesn't mean a life that is challenge-free, no more than a low IQ means an rough life. What makes the difference truly is having a personal and active relationship with our Lord. After all, through Him, all things are possible!
 
Me again. What's weird, in a Flowers for Algernon sort of way, is that for a while there, I was moronic. Yes, low IQ...but that was only part of it. I lacked...everything...that makes humans...well...human. Now, the good Lord has seen fit to make me smart. But, having been labeled as low IQ and brain damaged, all that, I question the concept. I question mental health in general, too, for obvious reasons.
 
I've never taken an IQ test so I don't know where I would fall. Personally, I think some of these tests are bonco and very subjective. Like statistics they can be designed to reflect whatever the desired outcome is to be.
 
IQ matters only in how one applies it. There have been some pretty smart people in history that weren't exactly upstanding in social circles.
As for matters of the heart concerning the Lord I knew a fellow at church in Salt Lake City that was somewhat mentally handicapped. OK, PC requires I use the term "mentally challenged".:tongue
Anyway, talking to him about Jesus reveals a solid heartfelt knowledge not in scripture but in matters of the relationship with Christ. He knows Jesus very well. Probably more than some who think themselves well versed in scripture. Needless to say he was a blessing and inspiration for all of us.
 
I'm just wary of the concept. "HIgh IQ" That's great, I guess. What about when I was "low" IQ? And what's with all the different categories? I mean, is there a huge difference between, say, 120 and 130?

I am happy to be smart. Its a gift from Christ, and I need it (but don't deserve it...such is the nature of grace...unmerited favor).

I read a book from the 70s....a Pastoral Counselor, worked in state mental hospitals (I guess they were still around back then)....he said that even people with "low IQ" could comprehend the things of Christ, while pride sometimes/often blocked more seemingly capable people from "getting it."
 
CORE said:
ya, that's pretty funny, lol...good one. ;-p

I too was diagnosed with a relatively high IQ, my condolences...

At 25, When I found out about my disease I wondered why my life sucked so much given my intelligence - turns out that there is this thing called an emotional IQ - and mine was that of a 16 year-old. So while I had all the answers to life, I was too emotionally retarded to apply them, lol...Oh the irony.
Click to expand...

hey Core, good to see you.
I agree. Without emotional growth intelligence can go to waste. I think this is also true as far as common sense. Without common sense, intelligence can go to waste.

Unfortunately the gifted child may be rushed through school and placed with older kids which is not beneficial to their emotional maturity. It seems to me that there are certain levels of growth that one cannot skip or they are left deficit.
 
I took an online IQ test once...my result was 80, or maybe a bit higher than that, like 88 or something. :erm I think the test mostly consisted of math problems...and heaven knows math is my worst subject.
I'm not sure that online IQ tests are very accurate. But I wouldn't know.
 
questdriven said:
I took an online IQ test once...my result was 80, or maybe a bit higher than that, like 88 or something. :erm I think the test mostly consisted of math problems...and heaven knows math is my worst subject.
I'm not sure that online IQ tests are very accurate. But I wouldn't know.
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LOL

If you had an 80 IQ, you could keep up in these threads the way you do!
 
I took an IQ test online to see what they were like. I'd taken some out of boredom years before, but I wasn't up to snuff cognitively back then. Anyway, they reminded me of these semi-IQ tests I had to take in elementary school...school aptitude tests or something. Shapes, analogies, logic questions. Ugh. The highest I ever got was a 139, which would be impressive, apparently...on a real IQ test. This is the internet, freebie IQ tests really don't tell you a whole lot.

I will say that after my first involuntary hospitalization and round of ECT (also involuntary), I took a freebie IQ test and got a 105, so I'm making progress, thanks to Christ.

I sometimes wonder also about how subjective mental health is (that's a whole other subject...). My *female* psychiatrist I go to now says I have a high IQ. She also says The Crazy that ails me is Bipolar I and treats it accordingly. Male psychiatrists I've been stuck with before perceived me as either personality disordered or depressed and treated me accordingly. They also apparently low balled my IQ. Nice.

.
 
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