What it is really like to take an IQ test

[Ozfactor]

http://www.news.com....r-1227145010974

Great read , fascinating insight with a few celebrity names thrown in .

Would you take the IQ test ?

I would , I think I should be in Mensa !

Edited December 4, 2014 by Still Waters
Removed copyrighted image

[keithisco]

It was de rigeur back in the day for hopeful Ox - bridge candidates to sit I.Q. Tests in the sixth form of secondary school. One major criticism of these Mensa tests is that they are culturally / linguistically biased and if English Language was not really your thing then 1 section of the tests would essentially not apply. I understand that Mensa these days tries to remove cultural / Linguistic bias but quite frankly I don't think that is possible. I must have been on a "good day" as I scored 167.5 on the tests and to this day could never work out what the 0.5 was for !!

The results were publicly read out to the assembled form of Oxbridge hopefuls (so much for secrecy then!). Did taking these tests help in my future career - not one jot, nada, zip, the big zero, it was much more just a recruiting drive for Mensa.

I went to one Mensa meeting and that was it - it was stuffed full of braggarts, big-heads, and idiots who hardly had the "smarts" to tie up their shoe - laces in the morning.

Is it a measure of intelligence? depends on your definition of "intelligence", but my experience is a definite NO. Lots of people scored dead average yet were a darn sight smarter than I ever was.... Just IMO

p.s. Never did get into Oxbridge and did you know that there is association called DENSA for those failing the MENSA tests - now that is an organisation that sounds like real fun, full of real people

Edited December 4, 2014 by keithisco

[Taun]

keith... I've taken numerous tests similar to the Mensa one (never took it though), and always scored very high... Did it help me?... Some.. It got me into more technical courses

both in school, (civilian) work and the military... But largely.. No it didn't really help me... (Other than giving me somewhat of a smug feeling, when I would outscore my bosses )

Early in life I learned that my main aptitude in life is for taking aptitude tests...

[Crabby Kitten]

I'm too artistic and impatient to sit those tests. Some of the questions made me very cold.

IQ means little.

[Leonardo]

I despise articles which are actually disguised advertisements - as this one is for a movie. The real 'content' of the article - the embedded movie clips - have nothing to do with IQ or IQ tests.

[quiXilver]

Removing the cultural bias from IQ tests is akin to removing the water from fish... we are so embedded in it, it's not really possible to even be aware of it until removed, and then the animal has changed entirely. Still, they are fun tests to take if you don't get too bent about the meaning. I enjoy puzzles and such.

[karmakazi]

I was tested around age 7...I barely remember the test itself honestly. I never really wanted to join MENSA though, ... not much for "clubs", exclusive or otherwise.

I despise articles which are actually disguised advertisements - as this one is for a movie. The real 'content' of the article - the embedded movie clips - have nothing to do with IQ or IQ tests.

Yep... I had never heard of the movie but it does kind of look interesting...