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Thread ID: 95325	2008-12-02 09:08:00	What do you think about I.Q tests.	never-u-mind (6500)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
725074	2008-12-02 09:08:00	The real standardised I . Q test done by qualified professionals, not the silly ones on the net . My son had an I . Q test when he was 8 . I was advised to do this by his headmistress . It was not something I would have even thought about doing myself . At the time it opened a lot of doors for him but . . . . . . Do I . Q test tell you what you could be capable of, what you should be capable of and therefore allow you to see whether or not your child is achieving at the level he or she mentally should be? Or are they just a waste of time and a good way to mess with a child's head knowing that they are suppose to be somewhat clever . He was given another test by the Dean of Higher Learning at his high school in the beginning of this year, something they do for all children to see what level they should be at . He said it was similar to the standardised test and gave a good indication of his abilities but once again . . . . nothing really came of it . Are I . Q tests relevant or a waste of time and what purpose do they serve?	never-u-mind (6500)
725075	2008-12-02 09:18:00	Errrr what was the question again :p Seriously though - they may be appropriate in certain situations, but at school Level - ???? Does'nt the internal Assessment standards that schools have these days meant to give "reports" on how well a child is doing at school and what levels they are obtaining.	wainuitech (129)
725076	2008-12-02 09:53:00	I was informed many years ago by an industrial psychologist that the ones the recruiters give you that consist of questions like "What would you do if...?" are pretty much a waste of time - they are personality tests, very subjective and are about 40% indicative (of the type of person you really are). Many people, recruiters and employers mistake these for IQ tests - in fact they are more like EQ (Emotional Quotient) tests. Certainly, some I had done previous to establishing that they are a waste of time and had discussed the result with a recruiter, I realised that if I answered some questions slightly differently, I would have got a totally different result. However the same psychologist said the ones that consist of logic puzzles and numeric questions are apparently about 90% indicative as to your IQ. They (the EQ ones) used to be a "value-added service" provided by recruiters to help make decisions on who would be the right 'fit' for a specific employer. A lazy way of interviewing... As a matter of course now, if I go for a job and they want me to do an "EQ" test, I tell them where to get off, and walk away. Happy to do 'proper' IQ tests, since they are more accurate (and I usually do reasonably well at them :)). But getting back to your original question, for a kid at school the SAT tests are more appropriate than full-on IQ tests... Certainly, they give teachers a basis for comparison of one child against a cohort of similar aged kids, both within the same school and across the country. But then any teacher worth his or her salt would not need a test to establish how 'achievement-oriented' a child is...	johcar (6283)
725077	2008-12-02 10:21:00	The question by never-u-mind raises questions about his/her own menatality. Hmm.	Greg (193)
725078	2008-12-02 11:06:00	The Raven Standard Progressive Matrices is probably the only test that doesn't show cultural bias - but most psychologists set a time limit for doing the test - whereas it is designed for the subject to keep doing the matrices until they can go no farther. The results are shown as a percentile as well, rather than the more old-fashioned IQ, or intelligence quotient. In my opinion, psychology is a soft science and IQ tests (and the psychometric tests to which johcar referred) are an attempt to standardise humans - who are the subject of the field of psychology. In other words, an attempt to quantify that which responds only to qualifiable analysis. It's like saying that 7 is an odd number - but 6 is a normal one...	Deane F (8204)
725079	2008-12-02 18:57:00	The question by never-u-mind raises questions about his/her own menatality. Hmm. Why? Because I was wanting peoples opinions about I.Q tests?	never-u-mind (6500)
725080	2008-12-02 19:15:00	The Raven Standard Progressive Matrices is probably the only test that doesn't show cultural bias - but most psychologists set a time limit for doing the test - whereas it is designed for the subject to keep doing the matrices until they can go no farther . The results are shown as a percentile as well, rather than the more old-fashioned IQ, or intelligence quotient . In my opinion, psychology is a soft science and IQ tests (and the psychometric tests to which johcar referred) are an attempt to standardise humans - who are the subject of the field of psychology . In other words, an attempt to quantify that which responds only to qualifiable analysis . It's like saying that 7 is an odd number - but 6 is a normal one . . . My son was tested on the Standardised Binet Intelligence Scale Form L-M . I actually found that the percentile was more indicative than the I . Q number . "Apparently Mensa only takes people in the 98th percentile . " I was just wondering if it is something that is not taken seriously or would having something like Mensa or the gifted society on your records be beneficial to my son . The reasons why I ask is not due to my mentality as Greg suggested but because my son is severely struggling at school . He is to sit his exams next year and it is very frustrating that he has a very high chance of failing all of them .	never-u-mind (6500)
725081	2008-12-02 19:16:00	In my opinion, psychology is a soft science and IQ tests (and the psychometric tests to which johcar referred) are an attempt to standardise humans - who are the subject of the field of psychology. In other words, an attempt to quantify that which responds only to qualifiable analysis. It's like saying that 7 is an odd number - but 6 is a normal one... I think that is very true. Schools and other institutions have been attempting to standardise children (and adults) for years. You are not permitted to be different but need to "fit in" and be the same. Children are taught that concept at a very early age and are very quick to put down someone who is or dares to be different. A child that is dissimilar learns very quickly to become what is considered normal. And so individualism goes out the window. How sad.:mad:	Roscoe (6288)
725082	2008-12-02 21:11:00	My son was tested on the Standardised Binet Intelligence Scale Form L-M. I actually found that the percentile was more indicative than the I.Q number. "Apparently Mensa only takes people in the 98th percentile." Well, the Stanford/Binet and the Wechsler tests produce different scores for the same subject - from memory the Wechsler (specifically the WISC) produces scores that are about 15 points lower on average than the Stanford/Binet test. This fact alone begs the question of the efficacy of the tests - if the tests were accurate then they'd be producing similar results. I was just wondering if it is something that is not taken seriously or would having something like Mensa or the gifted society on your records be beneficial to my son. The reasons why I ask is not due to my mentality as Greg suggested but because my son is severely struggling at school. He is to sit his exams next year and it is very frustrating that he has a very high chance of failing all of them. I think in the real world it is results that matter - not potential. Also, nearly all people that test very highly on IQ tests experience learning difficulties of one sort or another - a bit of a paradox I suppose - but there is a correlation. Were I a parent in your situation I would be questioning the school as to the interventions they think are appropriate for your child.	Deane F (8204)
725083	2008-12-02 23:08:00	IQ tests that I get low scores in hopeless bad questions stupid questions etc. Any test I get high marks in are good tests. Although if I was clever then I still woundnt be a pathetic bus driver	prefect (6291)
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