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What is IQ — and how much does it matter?
01 January,2023 | By Brainwonders
Intelligent Quotient is a very old term used by Psychologists. Did you know it was First discovered 110 years ago, way back in 1912? Since then, IQ has been an essential aspect of understanding human intelligence.
The Intelligence Quotient is used as a tool to measure the ability of an individual to solve problems through logical reasoning. It is used to understand cognitive and academic intelligence. This ability is directly proportional to the child's intelligence, and IQ is used to measure this. In simple words, few children of the same age are given a minor annoyance to solve, and then IQ can be calculated based on how much time the child took and how accurate his answer is.
IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, tries to measure how smart someone is. Usually, people take tests that check a bunch of thinking skills like logic, solving stuff, thinking outside the box, and how well you learn. These tests try to put a number on how smart you could be. They're often used to guess how well someone might do in school, but they don't catch everything that makes a person smart.
What IQ Measures ?
Logical Thinking: Good at seeing patterns and solving problems.
Math Skills: Good with numbers and solving equations.
Language Skills: Able to understand and use words well, and understand what you read.
Spatial Reasoning: Able to imagine and move things around in your head.
Memory: Able to remember things.
IQ is a good predictor of academic performance and problem-solving skills.
Let us understand how to calculate IQ with an easy example!
Scientists believe that every individual has a mental age and a physical age. So biological age is easily calculated with the date of birth, and mental age is calculated with the help of some intelligence tests. IQ is calculated by taking the mental age to biological age and then multiplying that by 100.
Suppose a 15-year-old child comes to take a test. After completing the test, he gets an average score of 18 points, so his mental age is 18, and his physical age is 15
18/15 * 100 = 120
So the IQ of the child is 120
IQ score generally ranges between 70-and 130. Generally, the average IQ score is 100. So a person scoring more than 100 has a higher IQ than a person achieving a little less.
How applicable is the IQ test?
IQ test results are a way of understanding the mental intelligence of an individual. So it is extensively considered in education sectors, placement sectors and even defence sectors. Some challenging job positions ask for an IQ test report. Educational Institutions providing advanced courses also ask for an IQ test report. In some cases, they conduct an IQ test to understand an individual's mental ability.
IQ is subjective and is affected by various factors. It generally develops with time and age, but many internal and external factors play a role in developing and reflecting the IQ of a person...
Genetic Factors: You inherit some of your smarts from your parents.
Environmental Factors: Early experiences, like your mom's health during pregnancy, good nutrition, and engaging activities, matter for your IQ.
Socioeconomic Factors: Having financial resources for school and family support boosts cognitive development.
Cultural Factors: Your cultural background and societal values can affect how intelligence is measured and developed.
Test-Related Factors: Stress or unusual testing conditions can negatively impact your performance.
Motivation: Your effort and motivation during the test can influence your score.
Age and Development: IQ can change as you grow, particularly in childhood when your brain is developing
The Role of IQ in Career Success:
Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, is often considered a latent gift, a way of gauging perceptually how a person reasons, problem solves, or learns new knowledge. With a high IQ, someone will typically have the potential to rationally engage in career related opportunities at the start of their career path. The high IQ person will learn complicated concepts faster, interpret a situation with clarity, develop solutions quickly and move to the next challenge sooner than others. As an example, in fields that require sharp analytical reasoning, such as engineering, law, science or finance, it makes a real difference to have the credentials and intellectual capacity that would compete in those specific fields and create opportunities for the high IQ person.
An IQ test is one of the initial steps in understanding an individual's intellectual power and intelligence issues. Parents realize that the child lacks behind in some subjects and finds it difficult to cope. At times, parents feel that the child has concentration problems. They understand the child's difficulty but are unable to understand the problem. IQ test for career counseling is like a diagnostic test so for example, parents now take their children to the doctor for stomach pain, and the doctor suggests some difficulties to understand the cause based on the report; the doctor prescribes medicines for well being, similarly the IQ test help in understanding how the domains such as verbal, numerical, logic and reasoning, etc excel so accordingly the strengths and weaknesses are understood through understanding IQ which will help in developing the career pathway.
Apply the same logic to mental health. Career counsellors are doctors, and the IQ test is the medium to understand the root cause of the problem. Once the test reports come, the career counsellor guides the child through the path of overcoming his difficulties for academic excellence. This is a crucial stage in career counselling. Parents feel that career counselling is all about getting to know career options but in reality, established Career Counselling Centers like BRAINWONDERS work to improve the broader picture. They conduct an IQ test to understand the mental and cognitive capabilities of the child. They try to implement these results for present and future growth. Based on the reports, they will devise a career strategy for the child, but along with that, they also work on current issues. They will start by addressing the current problems and suggest corrective measures. They will minutely explain those areas where the child needs guidance. So an IQ test is beneficial right from the beginning.
A higher IQ is frequently associated with more academic success. More academically successful students with higher IQ levels & with representations of their higher IQ's reflected by overall performance (e.g : understanding, analysis, etc.) across academic, technical areas, & even music. Students consistently exhibit a better ability to understand complex/theoretical concepts, resolve difficult issues and excel in competitive academic environments. This is directly related to their cognitive abilities since all students must process, connect and apply information, concepts, ideas much faster due to IQ. In certain technical-oriented fields such as engineering, medical, financial, data science, or alike fields; IQs allow for faster understanding of technical frameworks, analytical tools, or calculations without compromising quality and level of detail. Higher IQs are often a transfer of their mental efforts in particular areas of study. Therefore, students who are considered "smarter" construct, contract, or create advanced opportunities in particular academic programs that require their mental abilities; and inevitably engage in further leadership by utilizing these skills in specialized career, trades, or & other occupations that again demand a higher level of IQ, mental acuity, or technical acumen.
Brainwonders is a leading career counselling centre with more than 108 counselling centres in Mumbai. They are known for their accuracy and technology. They have made IQ tests very accessible for students. They conduct online and offline IQ tests for students and working professionals across the country. It is a quick, straightforward, and precise way to understand a child's potential, abilities, and skills.
