Every single person must have, even at least once, heard the term IQ in their lifetime. It is a device to measure the mental age of a person, which is based on many psychological, scientific and mathematical reasons and functions. The test was designed by two Frenchmen, Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon in 1905, when they saw that many school going kids were struggling with the curriculum. Their original intention was to make sure which kid needed extra and individual attention, but they ended up designing the most used and accurate method to measure an individual’s intelligence.
The IQ test can be taken either online or offline. Your local therapist or a cognitive space may have a printed form available for you to take the test, and these can be accessed by you. However, it is always a better idea to leave the professional work to the professionals. And many psychologists have now made the IQ test available online on their websites, like https://www.iq-online-test.com, which can be taken from the comfort of your home.
If you have ever taken an IQ test, then this one question might have popped up in your mind – Can the test results change? Or can IQ change with age? Well, do not worry, as you are not the only one who had this question and the following data discusses on the same topic with some scientific and psychological information as well:
What Exactly Is IQ?
As discussed earlier, IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, is a device that was made to help struggling school children back in the early 1900s in France. There are many different scientists and psychologists who have challenged the original IQ measure and have come up with their own devices, all of which were equally important in developing the modern IQ test.
The modern IQ test tests an individual on a variety of parameters and scales, such as emotional well being, reasoning, mathematical problem solving and verbal communications, along with cognitive development and response. All these are then combined in a test, which bears 200 marks as the highest points achievable. However, any score between 85 and 115 is considered to be the average, meaning the person has an all round developed and functioning brain, and this is where the majority of the world’s population lie.
The great scientist, Albert Einstein is believed to have an IQ of 160, making him exceptionally talented and intelligent. There is a fraction of the human population who have IQ near and above this marl as well.
Does IQ Change?
The answer to this question is not as simple as it seems. This actually depends on how you define intelligence. IQs are volatile in children and adolescents, and yes, they can change with age. It might go up, or might come down as well. This becomes much more stable in adulthood, and later stages of life, as one becomes more mature and has a better understanding of things and stuff. Changes in IQ are natural and bound to happen, but the fluctuation rates decrease with age up to a certain level. However, intelligence tends to remain the same.
But then again, it should not be a topic to be worried upon. IQ is a measure to measure how well your brain can process a situation and respond to it. No two individuals are the same or are raised in an equal environment. This applied to IQ as well. What seems like a complex problem to you can be easily tackled by someone else.
The Common Standardized IQ Tests
The IQ test is not just one single test, as the human brain’s functioning can not be mapped with just a singular test. In fact, there are many different components to be measured. Hence, different scientists have come up with different types of tests, which all are used to test the intelligence quotient of a person. Some of the most commonly used and standardized IQ tests are given below for your understanding and reference:
1. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
This test was developed by David Wechsler, a half Romanian, half American psychologist back in the late 1940s. This test is administered on children from age 6 to 16, and measures not only psychological aspects, but also acts as a good clinical tool. It has been and still is being widely used to diagnose ADHD and other learning disabilities in children below the age of 16. It consists of various tests and is based on pattern recognition and analysis.
2. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults
Again, developed by David Wechsler in 1939, and officially released in 1955, this is meant to measure the IQ for subjects over 16 years. The latest edition of the test, WASI-II, was developed by Pearson and Co. in 2011, and has 4 subtests. These subtests are : Similarities and Vocabulary, which are a part of the Verbal Comprehension section, and Block Designing and Matrix Reasoning, which fall under the Perceptual Reasoning section of the test.
3. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
Originally designed by Binet and Theodore in France, this is the revised version of the test and was released by Stanford University, California. The test is administered by professional psychologists and therapists and is a measure of how well an individual can react in a situation, tackle, and overcome a problem. The scale starts from 40 points and goes all the way up to 160. There are many levels for indication and references, with 90 to 109 being the average IQ for an individual.
Tips To Improve IQ:
Well, everyone wants to improve their IQ and have a higher score. There are many tips that might help you achieve this, but these are not guaranteed to provide you with any significant increase. Memory activities like sudoku and solving jigsaw puzzles can be helpful. 3D maze and scrabble can also help you improve your IQ.
Conclusion:
IQ is a method to measure the potential of a person, and how they might react to a situation. This does not mean, in any way, that a person with higher IQ is bound to be successful or smart, or vice versa. You should compare your score with the person next to you, and always have faith in yourself.
