IQ Test

Most people understand that an IQ test is designed to measure their intelligence. They also understand that a low IQ can refer to how unintelligent someone is. As a matter of fact, when someone is trying to describe another person in almost vicious terms, they will make note that a person or a group of people might not have the highest IQs. However, many people don't know how or why IQ testing got started.

Intelligence testing as we know it started in France in the middle of the 19th century. At that time, these tests were developed by psychologists to identify people who were mentally handicapped and those who were mentally ill. At the time, both mental disabilities and mental illnesses weren't understood well at all. Sadly, those who were either mentally ill or who were mentally disabled were treated with scorn, and with ridicule. If they lived in an institution, then they were tortured and abused. Intelligence test were the first steps in separating these two mental diagnoses, in order to make sure that mental patients could get the proper care and help that they needed.

The term IQ came into being around the start of the 20th century. The term IQ stands for intelligence quotient. These tests were administered in schools and they were administered to soldiers. These test were administered both as a tool to identify certain groups of people, and as a sociology tool. However, the IQ test was more commonly administered in academic and in scientific settings. The premise of these test academically was that when children were tested on their IQ, then teachers could identify who their gifted students were, who their special needs students were, and who were the children that would perform according to their proper age group.

An IQ test is based around a bell curve score of 100. Most people will score at 100 or very close to it. The scores are spaced out in numerical groups of 15. A score higher than 100 signals higher than average intelligence, up to the genius level of anything around 170 or higher. On the other hand, anything less than 100 can signal a lower than average intelligence level. Anything beyond 85 can signal mental disabilities.

The need to administer these test academically and socially eventually tied in together in many circles who studied IQ test. Theories suggested that those who scored high on IQ test were more likely to be excellent students, and become excellent citizens in life. It was thought that people who scored high on IQ test would become scientist, doctors, or become professionals in highly prestigious fields. Since they would become prestigious professionals, they would earn more money and do better for themselves. The same theory applied to those who scored low on IQ test. These students were predicted to do poorly in school. These students were predicted to never achieve a secondary education. They were targeted to only be able to perform low paying work or menial work. They would be doomed to living in poverty.

In time, it was shown that while an IQ test could help to identify certain factors about a student or an individual, IQ test weren't the final authority regarding the outcome of an individual's life. Many students who might have scored lower on their IQ test went on to achieve great things in their life. On the other hand, there are many instances of students who score above average or high on their IQ test, and became low achieving in life.

While IQ tests still might be administered in some parts of the world, there are many countries such as the U.S. in which the IQ test is seen as a bit outdated, with regards to the intelligence level of an individual, and with regards to the social and the financial outcome of their lives.