One can begin by asking him or herself, “What is intelligence?” It is understood that
psychometric theories of intelligence are based on the notion that intelligence can be defined in
terms of mental factors (Whinston, 2013). What are those mental factors? Well, the jury is still
out on that one. It now depends upon what type of intelligence one is referring to. I tend to agree
with the thought that there is more than one type of intelligence. As to what actually constitutes
any given type of intelligence is still to be determined. I believe there are many factors that
contribute to defining any given type of intelligence. Developing a measure that is significantly
reliable, valid and accurate is yet another story. There is still a great deal more we need to learn
about the brain and the human mind in order to get it right. Neuroscience has certainly made
great strides in that area. New technology in brain imaging has played a great part in the
advancements made in the past 5 – 10 years. It is important to recognize that there are those that
are diagnosed with a learning disability, such as ADHD, yet we find that may of those same
individuals (e.g. Einstein) are also known to be gifted in general intelligence or intelligence in a
specific field (e.g. physics or music).
I do not place a great deal of trust in IQ tests, but I chose to take both of the Free IQ Test
and the Queendom IQ Test. I decided to take both tests for comparison purposes. I was interested
in seeing if there would be a range in the difference between my two scores that would make
them a bit more believable. On the Free IQ Test I scored a 133 and on the Queendom IQ Test I
scored a 135. I would say the range in the scores would lead me to believe that there is a degree
of reliability and validity. I also had an IQ test done a couple of years ago by a trained license
psychologist, and the results were similar (134). I found myself much more nervous when it was
done by the psychologist. Completing the IQ tests online was less stressful. I believe is was less
stressful because I was doing it from the comfort of my own home, there were less time
constraints, I didn’t feel like I was being watched or judged, and it felt more like a game than a
test. But honestly, I find my scores difficult to believe. I believe I am an intelligent individual,
but not to be ranked in the 98th percentile.
References
Whiston, S. C. (2013). Principles and applications of assessment in counseling (4th ed.).
Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
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