IQ discussions might no longer be new to you. You probably even took those free quizzes online that promise to reveal your intelligence compared to the intelligence of Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein.
But why do certain individuals value IQ so much? Is it really important?
Is IQ Important?
The question of whether IQ is important or not isn’t easy to answer as it mainly depends on what you need it for. Just because a person has a low IQ doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she won’t be able to achieve a successful and high-quality life. On the other hand, people with high IQs will always succeed in life.
Everyone can learn despite what their IQ score may be. But some people just happen to have the ability to learn easier or faster than others. Some people may also have a difficult time in a specific area with a weakness in one or several types of intelligence. This is why having special education programs in schools is invaluable for students.
When teachers know the IQ score of children, they are able to determine how much guidance a child will need and in what particular area. On the other hand, some people may be naturally blessed in specific areas of intelligence. These people will also benefit a lot from specialized education programs designed to help develop and expand their knowledge.
IQ scores are helpful in many ways which include but are not limited to the following:
- Assist with the diagnosis of children or adults
- Help with education placement and implementation of suitable educational programs for children
- Help employers determine the suitability of a person for a certain job
Can You Determine Success with IQ Alone?
The intelligence quotient of a person is not necessarily a determinant of success. IQ tests, after all, are meant to only measure the potential of a person. It doesn’t consider other critical factors such as ambition, opportunity, motivation, ability to think even under pressure, and more.
Some high IQ people may also have high anxiety levels resulting in poor performance on exams and tests. Others may also have high IQ scores, but have a hard time expressing themselves properly in written form, which happens to be the form that many exams and tests are in. Just because someone has a high IQ score doesn’t mean they will do and perform well at school.
On the other hand, even if someone has a low IQ score and performs poorly at school, they may still succeed in their career, which might or might not be more practical.
It is also crucial to remember that IQ tests only reveal what that specific test contains. Many IQ tests are meant to measure a skill set that is imperative to the society in which the person being tested lives.
How about gifted musicians or talented carpenters? These pursuits involve different skills, but they are also a form of intelligence. However, an IQ test wouldn’t be able to measure such skills.