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I always had a problem getting the point of IQ tests. It necessarily makes assumptions on what intelligence is, seems a bit self referencing. It measures how yo

I always had a problem getting the point of IQ tests. It necessarily makes assumptions on what intelligence is, seems a bit self referencing. It measures how you conform to what a specific group of people think intelligence is... So I can't really take into high consideration inference based on average IQ test results. It could also mean that people are becoming intelligent in stuff not measured by the test. I really don't know. Another point to consider: even if we had the perfect way to measure intelligence, so what? Why waste an intelligent person time doing a test about intelligence? What does this accomplish?

bena 4y ago
Intelligent people will learn faster. Sometimes without explicit instruction. Just like those with intellectual disabilities, hyper-intelligent children also need special resources. A lot of people want to keep the hyper-intelligent in the same classrooms as the normally-intelligent students as a form of child labor almost. The idea being that the hyper-intelligent children could inspire and help the normally-intelligent. I always like to ask if they would also be amenable to allowing those students with intellectual disabilities in the general classrooms. And the answer is always no, because those students would slow down the classroom. And I ask why can't the normally-intelligent inspire and help the intellectually disabled. And they still don't get it. The distance between the hyper-intelligent and the normally-intelligent is the same as that between the normally-intelligent and intellectually disabled. Any help the normally-intelligent may receive is undercut by the harm done to the hyper-intelligent. They need special resources just as the other side of the spectrum does. But they often get less. And we often have to stretch the definition because while one intellectually disabled child would be enough to allocate resources for special instruction, you need at least 5 to 10 hyper-intelligent children before you're allowed to split them off for special instruction. Intelligence is a trait, just like height. Some people are tall, some short, some average.
- fedeb95 4y ago
  I share your point on help across all the spectrum of abilities, and I don't think there aren't differences in intelligence. I just question this way of measuring it and that measurement is useful. The IQ test models results with a gaussian distribution, so this should mean you don't have to think about distributing people across classrooms by hand. It's pretty rare to only have a class of intellectually disabled or geniuses all banded together. And to measure height only takes a meter. Pretty straightforward and without biases. The creator of IQ tests seemed to have doubts about the validity of the test, so... (validity, not its reliability)
  - bena 4y ago
    Both Simon and Binet objected to misuse of their work, but they never doubted that it had use and actually measured something. But, who wouldn't object to the misuse of their own work. You do understand how the special education system works, right? They specifically place kids in the programs because those kids need the resources. It is not rare at all. Because we explicitly do it. In nearly every school district in America, you will find teachers who are specifically there to service special education children.

bena 4y ago

Intelligent people will learn faster. Sometimes without explicit instruction. Just like those with intellectual disabilities, hyper-intelligent children also need special resources. A lot of people want to keep the hyper-intelligent in the same classrooms as the normally-intelligent students as a form of child labor almost. The idea being that the hyper-intelligent children could inspire and help the normally-intelligent. I always like to ask if they would also be amenable to allowing those students with intellectual disabilities in the general classrooms. And the answer is always no, because those students would slow down the classroom. And I ask why can't the normally-intelligent inspire and help the intellectually disabled. And they still don't get it. The distance between the hyper-intelligent and the normally-intelligent is the same as that between the normally-intelligent and intellectually disabled. Any help the normally-intelligent may receive is undercut by the harm done to the hyper-intelligent. They need special resources just as the other side of the spectrum does. But they often get less. And we often have to stretch the definition because while one intellectually disabled child would be enough to allocate resources for special instruction, you need at least 5 to 10 hyper-intelligent children before you're allowed to split them off for special instruction. Intelligence is a trait, just like height. Some people are tall, some short, some average.

fedeb95 4y ago
I share your point on help across all the spectrum of abilities, and I don't think there aren't differences in intelligence. I just question this way of measuring it and that measurement is useful. The IQ test models results with a gaussian distribution, so this should mean you don't have to think about distributing people across classrooms by hand. It's pretty rare to only have a class of intellectually disabled or geniuses all banded together. And to measure height only takes a meter. Pretty straightforward and without biases. The creator of IQ tests seemed to have doubts about the validity of the test, so... (validity, not its reliability)
- bena 4y ago
  Both Simon and Binet objected to misuse of their work, but they never doubted that it had use and actually measured something. But, who wouldn't object to the misuse of their own work. You do understand how the special education system works, right? They specifically place kids in the programs because those kids need the resources. It is not rare at all. Because we explicitly do it. In nearly every school district in America, you will find teachers who are specifically there to service special education children.