IQ Tests are Not an Accurate Measure of a Person's Intelligence

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Recommended: A.Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory

IQ tests are not an accurate measure of a person's intelligence.

I will be analyzing the reasons why I think that IQ tests are not an accurate measure of the intelligence. These reasons will be accompanied with solid proven facts that will discount the accuracy that is falsely considered to be a part of IQ tests. Today IQ tests are a part of many instances where intelligence is being judged.

Not an accurate measure

The test that has today evolved as the IQ test was initially designed by Sir Francis Galton. He had designed it to differentiate between the “abnormal” and “normal” intellectual growth in children at that time. The capacities that he tested or that are generally tested today have not been established as to have any sort of relation with the mental growth of the individual or chance of success that he has in his life.

It has been generally seen that people who belong to low income strata or to areas with lower economic growth score lower on the tests. Their lower scores do not necessarily imply that they have low IQ, it’s just that the setup of the test, the language used (in most cases) is not the one they are familiar with. The high scores in test can also be achieved if you have had better schooling and early grooming. There are evidence where children who are made to “open” their minds in the early stages of life by being made to play mind games and puzzles have a general tendency to think “out of the box”, they grasp things like puzzles or mind boggling questions easily and can comprehend and answer them far more easily than others who haven’t been exposed to such activities. (Sternberg, & Grigorenko, 2000) . The reason is that their minds have been made to look at the...

... middle of paper ...

...just intelligent” person because he knows how to act and when to act. IQ tests may judge a part of the level of intellectual present but fails to do it on the whole basis.

Works Cited

Sternberg, R. J., & Grigorenko, E. L. (2000). Teaching for successful intelligence: To increase student learning and achievement. Arlington Heights, IL: Merrill-Prentice Hall.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Plucker, J. A. (1998). Is gifted education still viable? Education Week, 17, 33-34.

Atherton J S (2011) Learning and Teaching; Piaget's developmental theory [On-line: UK] retrieved 5 May 2011 from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/piaget.htm

BBC NEWS. (2011,April 26). IQ tests measure motivation - not just intelligence

. Retrieved 5 ,4, 2011 , from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13156817

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