DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post

**Elitiachirl** · 01-31-2012, 06:17 PM

While we debate why blacks have low IQ, would it not be worthwhile to see if the IQ tests are culturally/racially limited?

I came across research a few years ago that mentioned how the parameters and criteria used to measure IQ are not entirely applicable to every group of people in this world. And further aren't IQ tests time bound?

There are culture fair tests. It's how they test illiterates. You can be an illiterate and have a high IQ.

For example when the Greeks were writing mathematical theories, the Brits were forming hunter societies. So an IQ test conducted 2500 years ago would probably show an average Greek to be smarter than a Brit. But what about now? Almost everyone will agree that a Brit would be smarter than a Greek now, given their respective country's position in the world. Hence it may not be possible to judge the intelligence of a community/ethnicity just by looking at IQ scores. It's fair to say most people throughout history had low IQs. Only the better off would have an adequate diet.

Further, IQ scores many time are based on cognitive ability inherently biased towards people with interest in mathematics or good with numbers in general. A typical IQ test has basic math questions. When I say basic , I do mean basic. I'm speaking of 4th grade math at the most.

An arts major would probably get a lower IQ score than a Maths grad. Does that mean the Maths major is more smarter? They probably make up for it on verbal ability. I'm dating a woman who has a Masters in theater from Yale and she sucks at math but her verbal ability is just fine.

And I wonder if Shakespeare, probably one of the best dramatists would be any smart according to today's IQ tests; but could that guy write...! He would and it's obvious he would. His plays are more sophisticated than most modern plays.

01-31-2012, 06:17 PM	#19
Elitiachirl Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 662 Senior Member	While we debate why blacks have low IQ, would it not be worthwhile to see if the IQ tests are culturally/racially limited? I came across research a few years ago that mentioned how the parameters and criteria used to measure IQ are not entirely applicable to every group of people in this world. And further aren't IQ tests time bound? There are culture fair tests. It's how they test illiterates. You can be an illiterate and have a high IQ. For example when the Greeks were writing mathematical theories, the Brits were forming hunter societies. So an IQ test conducted 2500 years ago would probably show an average Greek to be smarter than a Brit. But what about now? Almost everyone will agree that a Brit would be smarter than a Greek now, given their respective country's position in the world. Hence it may not be possible to judge the intelligence of a community/ethnicity just by looking at IQ scores. It's fair to say most people throughout history had low IQs. Only the better off would have an adequate diet. Further, IQ scores many time are based on cognitive ability inherently biased towards people with interest in mathematics or good with numbers in general. A typical IQ test has basic math questions. When I say basic , I do mean basic. I'm speaking of 4th grade math at the most. An arts major would probably get a lower IQ score than a Maths grad. Does that mean the Maths major is more smarter? They probably make up for it on verbal ability. I'm dating a woman who has a Masters in theater from Yale and she sucks at math but her verbal ability is just fine. And I wonder if Shakespeare, probably one of the best dramatists would be any smart according to today's IQ tests; but could that guy write...! He would and it's obvious he would. His plays are more sophisticated than most modern plays.
	Quote