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Original poster

IQ Tests - A Few Questions

19 replies

Earlybird · 13/10/2007 14:17

Is there any real positive value in knowing your child's IQ, and if so, what?
Can knowing a specific number be negative in any way?
Have you told your child their number? Why or why not?
Do you know your own IQ?

Generally, how is a child tested? What is the age when it can be done with reasonable accuracy, and who would you 'trust' to do it?

OP posts:
snorkle · 13/10/2007 15:47

I find IQs fascinating, but don't know mine or my childrens and don't want to either. This is partly because I think the concept of IQ is a little flawed (I rather suspect they can and do change over time) and the measurement of them is very flawed (different tests can yield very different results and I suspect the margin of error in any result is fairly large).

If a child has an educational problem thought to be related to IQ then that might be a valid reason to have it tested, aside from that it's really only curiosity value.

If I did know my childrens results I wouldn't tell them as I think it's not info to be shared freely and it can easily incite elitist thoughts: life achievements are based on so much more than just IQ it seems wrong to set life expectations based on one test result.

Best age for most accurate results? - well I doubt they're very accurate at any age but I have heard that if you are looking for a high result it's best to test before about age 8 (that may only apply to the old ratio IQs though I'd have thought) but I think measuring them much before that gets increasingly ridiculous.

MyTwopenceworth · 13/10/2007 16:07

I don't think there is.

All an IQ test shows is that you can do an IQ test, imo.

They are set by people who think in a certain way and have decided that this demonstrates intelligence. It is a very narrow view of intelligence. What about common sense, creativity, 'intuition', wisdom or the ability to understand people and always say the right thing to comfort?

All an IQ test does is find out if you know what words mean and can pick the odd one out, and if you are good at maths

Oh, and the whole "what colour is the bear" shite.

They confuse intelligence with knowledge. Knowing the stuff you need to get through an IQ test does not make you intelligent.

I have a mensa certificate in a drawer somewhere, from my pretentious youth when I thought this crap meant something (and I could brag about it)

fullmoonfiend · 13/10/2007 16:19

my ds was tested at 7 as part of a dyslexia assesment. He is of 'exceptional' intelligence according to his IQ figure. However, it has proved feck all use knowing this as he is horribly bad at writing/spelling etc, is great at maths but cannot remember sequences and otherwise is basically exceptional in his 'normallness' as a 9 year old. I haven't told him as what possible good would it do him?

It is negative in some ways for me to know his 'IQ' as he really struggles at school in many ways and I can't help feeling a more ambitious mum might be making more effort to push him or whatever
I concentrate more on his emotional IQ IYKWIM.

I had my IQ tested as a child. I was higher than average but not excitingly so. I am barely numerate and have dyslexic tendancies. What possible good has it done me to know my IQ? none whatsoever. I know my strengths and my weaknesses and that's more useful.

MellowMa · 13/10/2007 16:22

Message withdrawn

MaureenMLove · 13/10/2007 16:28

Half of the 11+ is IQ stuff. They call it non-verbal reasoning.

fullmoonfiend · 13/10/2007 16:31

hmm well, I'd rely on your gut feeling, as I mentioned problems in Yr1 and Yr2, they said it was normal for a boy.
He is now 3 years behind in spelling and handwriting, and will never catch up!
I established he was dyslexic by paying for a private independant test. But I cannot afford the £50 a week (minimum) dyslexia coaching.
By the time the school realised he was not 'normal' for a boy, he was in Yr4.
And he is in Yr 5 now and I have sleepless nights worrying about his future.

MellowMa · 13/10/2007 16:41

Message withdrawn

fullmoonfiend · 13/10/2007 16:44

oh mellowma, my ds is exactly the same - especially the young for his age bit. Bless 'em...!

MellowMa · 13/10/2007 16:45

Message withdrawn

MellowMa · 13/10/2007 16:52

Message withdrawn

nospeak · 13/10/2007 16:53

To change the subject slightly I am notoriously bad at IQ tests. I don't think I am that much of a thicko, I have a masters degree and held a very senior position before becoming a mum and yet apparantly I scored lower than that guy who was found guilty of murdering Jill Dando . It was part of his defence that he could not have murdered her because his IQ was too low and yet I am less intelligent than him

I don't have any plans on becoming a murderer so maybe I can get through life being a thicky .

boo64 · 13/10/2007 21:06

High scores in IQ tests mean you are good at IQ tests. You are probably intelligent in some ways but not necessarily in others.

I have a high IQ (tested in my youth) - Mensa levels/ Vordermanesque (god please I do hope nothing else about me is like her!) but certainly on some dimensions I am incredibly stupid and not terribly practical.

Has having a high IQ made a difference to me in life? I think for the first half of my career so far my high IQ and low EQ were much more of a hindrance than a lower IQ and an ability to deal with people would have been. Now I've found a niche that uses my IQ and doesn't require so much EQ I'm doing better.

I have to say I'm rather uncomfortable with the idea of kids being tested and labeled with a particular IQ score. The only way it can be useful imho is if you suspect they are vastly underperforming at school compared to their intellectual ability (I think there probably is a high correlation between IQ and academic success - just not success in life as a whole).

If you can prove they are underperforming you can then try and identify why and work to improve things.

boo64 · 13/10/2007 21:07

btw I didn't mean 'you' personally early bird re being intelligent in some ways and not others - told you I can be thick!

Original poster
Earlybird · 13/10/2007 21:53

boo64 - what is EQ?

I've heard that some schools essentially give IQ tests in order to determine if a place will be offered. In fact, I think I'm right when I say that I believe the parents actually must pay for their children to be tested so extensively by this particular school. The entrance assessment takes the better part of a day - which is hard to believe for children entering reception.

OP posts:
MorticiasMother · 13/10/2007 21:54

I love you!

Original poster
Earlybird · 14/10/2007 04:05

Was that a dumb question to ask?

I'm guessing EQ is something to do with emotional intelligence? But just a guess....

OP posts:
Original poster
Earlybird · 14/10/2007 04:35

Ah MorticiasMother - now I see that you've been posting that same comment randomly on multiple threads so it wasn't necessarily in response to my question!

OP posts:
boo64 · 14/10/2007 10:04

Hi Early - yes it means emotional intelligence. Not a stupid question at all.

Original poster
Earlybird · 15/10/2007 16:54

Suppose I should answer my own questions: no idea about IQ level for myself or dd.

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