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• IQ test are so flawed - it's sad to see them used (Score:1)

  by ajt (2546) on 2002.05.14 6:51 (#8359) Homepage Journal

  IQ tests are utterly flawed. Even if such as thing as intellegence does exist as a single concept, a test only tests the users ability to do tests.
  
  IQ tests have been utterly disgraced for decades, as it's been known for a long time that they are biased by culture, language abilities (vacabulary in particular), mental arithmatic and previous exposure to the test.
  
  IQ tests proved that white English males are more intelligent than black African women. Don't laugh that was the basis of US immigration policy for several years in the early 20th centruy, until someone pointed out the test was written in English, and assumed an Anglo-Saxon culture....!
  
  I've known very smart people, with good PhD qualifications do very poorly on these tests, and less "academic" people with practice score very highly.
  
  As many people in the thread point out, they are a bit of a joke, it's just sad to see a public TV broadcaster fall this low!

  --
  -- "It's not magic, it's work..."

  Reply to This

  • Re:IQ test are so flawed - it's sad to see them us (Score:1)

    by pudge (1)

    Hm. Does the fact that you have no less than six punctuation errors and two spelling errors -- not to mention the argumentation error of saying "it's been known" without saying who knows it -- contribute to your distaste for tests?
    
    • Re:IQ test are so flawed - it's sad to see them us (Score:1)

      by ajt (2546)

      Dyslexia has it's problems....
      
      As it happens, I've had my IQ measured by Statutory tests by the UK Government (11+), and had a score in the region of 160. As a result of this test I was allowed to go to a better school than other children, and was easily able to obtain a BSc and PhD.
      
      IQ tests do not test spelling or grammer...
      

      --
      -- "It's not magic, it's work..."
  • Re:IQ test are so flawed - it's sad to see them us (Score:1)

    by barbie (2653)

    IQ tests only measure the brain's ability to respond to a variety of mental puzzles, that are supposed to be aimed the both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The word intelligence is misleading as you really need to go into a lot more depth to discover someone's intelligence. However, as a guide to someone's mental dexterity, it's pretty good. Anyone who bases their life on their IQ score has probably missed the point.