A large online intelligence study tested the myth that intelligence quotient (IQ) accurately measures one’s intelligence. According to the results, researchers argue that they have debunked the myth. IQ tests do not accurately measure an individual’s level of intelligence. In fact IQ tests only measures a single component of an individual’s brain, without taking into account other functions of the brain.
A team from the University of Western Ontario, Canada released the study in the journal Neuron, in an article entitled, “Fractionating human intelligence.” There were 100,000 participants from all around the world who were tested in 12 cognitive tests. They measured memory, reasoning, attention, and planning abilities. A brain-scanning technique, known as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), was used while the participants took the tests. Researchers found that each cognitive component was related to distinct circuits in the brain. This means that the brain has multiple specialized brain systems. In other words, specific regions of the brain specialize on a certain function of the body such as speaking, moving, and remembering.
A survey which followed the test measured an individual’s ability to perform different tasks. It showed that people’s performance was related to different traits such as anxiety.
“When we looked at the data, the bottom line is the whole concept of IQ – or of you having a higher IQ than me – is a myth,” said Dr. Adrian Owen, the study’s senior investigator of the research. “There is no such thing as a single measure of IQ or a measure of general intelligence.”
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