IQ Tests relevant?

[xmaddness]

In AO's IRC channel we were discussing whether IQ tests were a good way of gauging someones intelligence.

I for one don't believe they are. They are, in my opinion, very biased to a certain group. I mean, if we were to give a simple IQ test to some tribe in the rainforest, would they score high? Highly doubtful, they probably wouldn't know what to do with the pencil or pen they were given. Yet many of these tribes have very intelligent people. I remember on the Discovery channel once, there was a tribe building a bridge over a deep canyon river. The bridge was about 50 feet across, they had no tools, and had to make their own rope to tie it all together. In the end the bridge was fantastic and supported up to 10 grown men in the middle of it. Remember, they had no tools at all to do this. So they must have intelligence to accomplish an engineering feat such as this. I myself know many people that would have no clue what to do in this situation. So there is my question. Are IQ tests really a viable test to gauge the worlds intelligence?
x

[neel]

I think not, for the same reasons as you do. In most IQ test it is about how fast you do things, but if you're just can't think under preasure you're less intelligent

[Rewandythal]

No. They're not. They're totally pointless. They test too much of one kind of thing, usually they're just like maths tests. Intelligence is being able to apply what you know to new situations, not being able to work out the answer to a linear sequence of numbers in a set time.

[rcgreen]

It has become fashionable for losers to whine that tests are unfair.
It is as useful for ugly women to complain about beauty contests.

[Rewandythal]

Tests are stupid. Even the tests they do in schools or colleges. They're useless. They're not a challenge, not of any worth... its just unnecessary paperwork for everyone involved.

Life is the ultimate test

[Juridian]

Originally posted here by rcgreen
It has become fashionable for losers to whine that tests are unfair.
It is as useful for ugly women to complain about beauty contests.

I disagree. Xmaddness scores in the 150-160 range which for most tests is genius/near genius levels.

I also score fairly well on these tests and I believe they are fairly bogus as well. Tho they do measure some ASPECTS they are by no means comprehensive or accurate. And if you really want bogus tests then you have most of the ones on the internet. Bleh

[RuffRyder]

hey! what do u mean ugly women dont like beaty contests! *scratches fat rolls* i love them i like to think that i win at being ugly =) !

[crankygirl]

I don't think we understand intelligence well enough to test it accurately. I've always thought ot it as an ability to make connections others might not see. How would you test that?

[rcgreen]

Originally posted here by RuffRyder
hey! what do u mean ugly women dont like beaty contests! *scratches fat rolls* i love them i like to think that i win at being ugly =) !

I was hesitant to use the words "ugly" and "women" in the same
sentence, for fear that someone would misunderstand. We all know
that there are no ugly women, only men with an unrealistic
definition of beauty eh?

[cwk9]

The problem with IQ test is that you’re trying to sum up a person in to a three digit number (two if you didn’t do so well). IQ test are over rated all they do is prove that you’re good at answering questions on IQ tests. People think that just because you have a high IQ that your suppose to accomplish great things. When in fact having a good attitude, common sense and working hard will take you a lot further that some three digit number.