IQ, Career & Engineering - Your Thoughts?

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The discussion revolves around the relevance of IQ in engineering careers and the validity of online IQ tests. Participants express skepticism about the significance of IQ scores, arguing that they do not accurately predict success in engineering or correlate with creativity and imagination. Many emphasize that online tests are not legitimate measures of IQ, often being mere games rather than scientifically validated assessments. The conversation touches on the variability of engineering fields and the flawed nature of comparing IQ across professions, noting that professional organizations rarely collect IQ data. Overall, the consensus is that while IQ may be interesting, it holds little practical value in determining one's capabilities or potential for success in engineering.
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I'd be interested in seeing what your career is and your IQ. I'd also like your general thoughts on IQ and engineering, and do you think you need an IQ of 120 + to become a successful engineer?

Also this IQ test, which I'm sure doesn't have too much validity to it, but it's fun!

http://www.iq-test.com/free-iq-test/
 
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First, very few people have actually been administered IQ tests, the online games are not IQ tests and they do not count. IQ is not a predictor of how well someone will function in a particular field. You do know that the different types of engineers vary greatly?
 
strategos1618 said:
What is your IQ?

High enough to know that that is a fairly useless question. Scoring high on an IQ test basically shows that you have the kind of mind that scores high on an IQ test, not anything else.
 
IQ tests are primarily of use to therapists to categorize the mrdd population.

I don't believe IQ scores correlate well with imagination, creativity, etc. and STEM people shouldn't use them to compare each other.
 
\pm\infty of course. What kind of low IQ question is that?
 
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strategos1618 said:
I'd be interested in seeing what your career is and your IQ. I'd also like your general thoughts on IQ and engineering, and do you think you need an IQ of 120 + to become a successful engineer?

Also this IQ test, which I'm sure doesn't have too much validity to it, but it's fun!

http://www.iq-test.com/free-iq-test/

Last week I went to a job test in which I had to take an IQ& Critical thinking skill test. The IQ test included math reasoning skills. It was very hard. Your link to IQ test displays all completely easy problems. The CT test I took included reading and judging skills. I read a long statement and was given multiple choices and asked to pick up the one that was sufficient or insufficient to perform some action said in the statement. The only thing that annoyed me was that the receptionist who collected my paper and scanned my replies in the tests laughed at me for my bad scores. 30 min to work with 25 iq hard iq & 25 long ct questions.
 
jedishrfu said:
This site has a chart across professions but as you can its not very informative

http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/occupations.aspx
It looks like medical doctors are smarter than engineers. In fact, medical doctors are smarter than everyone.
 
  • #10
zoobyshoe said:
It looks like medical doctors are smarter than engineers. In fact, medical doctors are smarter than everyone.

Yes, but that's only if you ask THEM.
 
  • #11
phinds said:
Yes, but that's only if you ask THEM.
You're right! If you scroll down and read the fine print it says, "This site sponsored by the American Medical Association."
 
  • #12
I have an IQ of 161*, and I don't see rocket scientist on the list. I must be a closet rocket scientist.

---------------------
* I know this for a fact. On my last science forum was a member who I considered just a tiny bit smarter than I. One day I asked him what his IQ was. He said 162.
 
  • #13
15,747,724,136,275,002,577,605,653,961,181,555,468,044,717,914,527,116,709,366,231,425,076,185,631,031,296
 
  • #14
zoobyshoe said:
In fact, medical doctors are smarter than everyone.
OmCheeto said:
I don't see rocket scientist on the list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I
 
  • #15
Bandersnatch said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I

I've done brain surgery (neurosurgery). Believe me, it's not brain surgery. :-p

I like Evo's cute little muddled metaphor "rocket surgery". Always makes me laugh. :biggrin:
 
  • #16
This is a basic fact. I have been a member of the American Physical Society, and also have participated in survey done by the American Institute of Physics. In all those years, the AIP have survey a lot of things (one can look at the statistics report at the AIP page). However, there has NEVER, EVER been a survey or a question asking for IQ scores or number.

Now, this is purely a guess, but I tend to expect that other professional organizations (engineering, etc.) also may not have ever surveyed the IQs of their members. This brings me to two conclusions:

1. Whatever this IQ score is, it is of no relevance, or of little importance, to such professions. So why do we give even a second of our time on this?

2. Any reports comparing IQs of different professions may be based on faulty, non-representative data. After all, if these organizations that represents these professions do not have such data, just how many were used in the survey to arrive at any conclusion?

Zz.
 
  • #17
85

(much like my intellectual height, the above message was too short)
 
  • #18
Pythagorean said:
85

(much like my intellectual height, the above message was too short)

:smile:

No worries, Pyth, even a super genius would not meet the minimum character requirement :biggrin:.
 
  • #19
ZapperZ said:
2. Any reports comparing IQs of different professions may be based on faulty, non-representative data. After all, if these organizations that represents these professions do not have such data, just how many were used in the survey to arrive at any conclusion?

Zz.

It's not just the raw numbers. The sampling method also makes a huge difference, although I suspect you already know this.

Population-based surveys purporting to study IQ are fraught with major methodological issues that often invalidate or at least, greatly weaken, the results arising from them. It's a great pity that these deeply flawed studies have been used, and continue to be used, as a "scientific" basis for racial discrimination.
 
  • #20
Bandersnatch said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I

:thumbs: :smile:

A couple of things about the list:
1. Where is bouncer? Isn't the smartest man in the world a bouncer? I think bouncers should be surveyed.
2. What is it about running Fire Sales that takes so much brains?

pf.fire.salemen.are.smart.jpg

I've actually never been to a fire sale. Has anyone ever been to a fire sale? Did the salesperson seem smart? I suppose they'd have to be smart, to talk people into buying goods that are burned, or smell funny.
 
  • #21
Bouncers definitely need to be surveyed. If you want to measure their intelligence, see if they took their job before getting a run-down on the drinks. Women can be trouble if they have been pounding down Allen's coffee brandy (a favorite around here), but that's nothing compared to a 200# man who has been drinking rum and Coke all night. I hosted a lot of open-mike jams at a place with a reputation for roughness, and the new owner replaced the Coke barrels with a version that was free of sugar and caffeine. He said it cut down on discipline problems.
 
  • #22
Lol Pyth :smile:

lisab said:
:smile:

No worries, Pyth, even a super genius would not meet the minimum character requirement :biggrin:.


+1
 
  • #23
Not enough man... Not enough
 
  • #24
Bandersnatch said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I
That's hilarious!
 
  • #25
according to the mensa website I am 125, i did not get in =(
 
  • #26
My IQ is 83.
 
  • #27
Mine is 116 according to that iqtest.com
 
  • #28
Many things should be said, for example, culture can influence scores on such tests, how much logic you know can influence scores on such tests, it can be correlated with what school you went to, the various moods you might be in can cause a large swing in the scoring, etc. Also, each test is different, some have an average of 148, some have an average of 110. The worst of all are those word tests, you know, what does knoller mean, what does caterwauler mean.

Being good at recognizing patterns, I think I would score well on an IQ test, but I have never taken one.
 
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  • #29
Does a negative number count?:blushing:
 
  • #30
Dadface said:
Does a negative number count?:blushing:

Get in line behind me.
 
  • #31
Gad said:
+1
You are so much smarter than me...:shy:

Akaisora said:
Get in line behind me.

Get in line in front me!
:-p
##\ \ \ \ ##Wait, we are going in descending order, right?...I am so dumb.
:cry:
 
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  • #32
133-149. Is utter rubbish though, I'm pretty average.
 
  • #33
lincs-b said:
133-149. Is utter rubbish though, I'm pretty average.

Not at taking IQ tests you aren't, at least if that score is to be believed.
 
  • #34
I took a real one. It was during a test for learning disabilities. There were lots of different exercises ranging from the computer to pencil and paper to manipulation of 3-D objects. I don't know which were part of the IQ portion, some were just for testing learning disabilities. I scored three std. devs. above the mean in the IQ portion, which I think is high but not remarkably high. I was not found to have any learning disabilities. As far as career goes though, I am below average. I make minimum wage plus tips with no end in sight.
 
  • #35
Enigman said:
You are so much smarter than me...:shy:


Oh, that wasn't my IQ. My 'IQ' is zero. :biggrin:
 
  • #36
Gad said:
Oh, that wasn't my IQ. My 'IQ' is zero. :biggrin:

I was kidding...

*I am so dumb. you got the joke and were trying to be nice*...I have a negative IQ; Hence proved.
 
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  • #37
Ok, I was lying, it's -1.
 
  • #38
cjl said:
Not at taking IQ tests you aren't, at least if that score is to be believed.

I think people who study sciences tend to do well on the ravens IQ tests. You get used to looking for patterns in your lab work etc.
 
  • #39
Bandersnatch said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I
Oh no their pronunciation is too perfect for me to catch each single word they utter.
 
  • #41
I scored 160 on that IQ test.

I am not remotely that intelligent. Hahahahaha
 
  • #42
I like the IQ test I took about text reading and reasoning (no pure math involved). It was like an English GRE test but it directed test takers to reason the causes and effects of the mentioned actions in a long statement more than to find the correct meaning of words.
 
  • #43
I took one before,it consisted of 50 questions ,I only answered 38 before I got bored and I scored about 144 but I don't really feel that smart though
I did the math and I figured out that I would've scored 178.56 if I got all the other answers correct
 
  • #44
I think I will head up into 250~300 after 6 months from now. That sounds silly to many though :biggrin:
 
  • #45
inotyce said:
I think I will head up into 250~300 after 6 months from now. That sounds silly to many though :biggrin:

And what IQ test is that?
 
  • #46
ABD EL HAMEED said:
And what IQ test is that?

It is just my random silly reply, please ignore it. I am thinking now I reach 90 per test, I will try to redo to get 170. I don't know if I can.
 
  • #47
I scored 175, which is quite accurate if they were to assess my visualisation capabilities, back in high school we had some kind of "IQ test" with pattern recognitions and multi-detail wheel system and so on.. I scored 186 in that test.
"Succesful engineers" having 120+ IQ is completely meaningless. This test was ridiculously simple, for one and measuring IQ only by visual skills is a bit mis-guided in my opinion.
Give me chess problems, anything that requires visualising - no problem. I can remember picture and sound very well, which also helps me learn languages.

Visual logic is not the only kind of logic there is and there are various different fields of engineering that have "succesful engineers" with varying abilities.
 
  • #48
People should remember that the stuff posted on the internet are not actual IQ tests, they are just games that people made up. While some can be difficult and require certain skills and knowledge to do well, they're meaningless as far as a measurement of your IQ as it is currently assessed by trained psychologists that are required to administer the actual tests. Yes, I have actually been given an IQ test.
 
  • #49
Evo said:
People should remember that the stuff posted on the internet are not actual IQ tests, they are just games that people made up. While some can be difficult and require certain skills and knowledge to do well, they're meaningless as far as a measurement of your IQ as it is currently assessed by trained psychologists that are required to administer the actual tests. Yes, I have actually been given an IQ test.

AND? What's your IQ?
 
  • #50
If a stupid person's IQ was equal to his shoe number, the European stupid people would be geniuses next to AUS/US stupid people. :D No diss, just a funny thought.
 

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