What is IQ?

Our IQ score is a measure of our general intelligence. Our intelligence is our ability to grasp situations, reason, problem solve and act efficiently and effectively. Our intelligence also indicates our overall brain performance and efficiency.

Why is your IQ level important?

A person’s IQ is a general measure of brain fitness – the higher the IQ, the more efficient and better performing the neural circuitry of the brain. Geneneral intelligence is one of the most important traits for determining social, educational,  career and financial success. Higher IQs can solve life’s problems and attain their goals more effectively. Higher IQs enjoy higher levels of physical health. A high IQ also opens up a world of more complexity, interest, challenge and fun.

Research shows:

• IQ is the most important factor determining educational success
• 50-80% of companies use IQ tests for recruitment screening
• IQ scores are a basis for the allocation of resources – putting people with higher IQs on fast track programs in education and at work
• High IQ individuals learn job skills faster and better, resulting in improved job performance
• Higher IQs have higher status jobs
• Higher IQs have more social skills
• Higher IQs enjoy better health and fitness, and live longer
• Higher IQs are more creative

IQ tests

While people have different intellectual strengths and weaknesses, psychologists have found that there is a common component called ‘general intelligence’ or ‘G‘. General intelligence is measured with a variety of psychometric assessments that are often referred to as “IQ tests”. Common among these are Raven’s Progressive Matrices, the Wechsler’s Adult Intelligence Scale, and the Wunderlich Intelligence Test.

IQ tests are the most reliable and valid type of psychometric test that psychologists make use of. They are a good measure of IQ.

IQ tests are widely used in our society. Universities use IQ tests (e.g. SAT entrance exams) to select students, companies use IQ tests (job aptitude tests) to screen applicants, and high IQ societies such as Mensa use IQ test scores as membership criteria.

IQ scores have a distribution that looks like a bell curve.
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What is an average and high IQ score?

IQ tests are designed so that the average IQ score is 100. In this graph, you can see that 68% of the population has an IQ score between 85 and 115. Around 2% of the population has an IQ greater than 130 which is a ‘very superior’ intelligence or ‘gifted’ intelligence. This is the IQ needed to become a member of Mensa. An IQ of 120 or more is considered ‘superior intelligence’. An IQ of 124 is needed to become a member of the International High IQ Society.

Here is a table for what IQ scores mean:

Choose your IQ goal