In: Psychology
Of what practical use are intelligence tests? Does it matter what someone's "IQ" is? Why or why not? Do you think that you could tell the difference between two people whose IQ scores differ by 10 points? By 20? (Assume normal, everyday type conversations.) At what size gap do you think there WOULD be a noticeable difference? What behavior(s) or other observations would signal to you that a person has a higher IQ score?
Although it is indeed difficult to ascertain one’s exact “IQ” score in the context of a regular, day to day interaction, I do believe that intelligence tests have practical significance to a large extent. Gross estimations of intellectual abilities can be made during conversations with others and one should be able to tell the difference between people who differ by 30 or more points. Intelligence tests allow for broad classifications and serve as reliable indicators of one’s overall intellectual abilities. This is especially critical in the clinical context when diagnosis and assessment of intelligence is required to tailor interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities. When it comes to individuals with exceptional abilities, a high IQ score may not always present as IQ tests generally numerical and verbal skills. Keeping this in mind, one may expect that those with a high IQ display a high degree of accumulated knowledge, exceptional mathematical skills along with extreme fluency with language.