Brilliant reflection from "IQ and the Wealth of Nations"

[Ixion]

Originally Posted by Ahknaton

Fair enough, but then why use a single-dimensional metric like IQ? If an African with an IQ of 70 is not the same as a European with an IQ of 70, why assign them the same number?

Because when matched by IQ, blacks and whites are only the same in their level of cognitive ability. There still remain profound psychological differences between them. IQ tests only measure cognition. They are not intended to measure creativity, personality, memory, concentration, knowledge, and other elements of intelligence, although they may show correlations with other abilities. When the word 'intelligence' is used by psychometricians, it is used in a narrow, technical sense and identified with very specific cognitive processes.

[TheForbidden]

Originally Posted by limit

What is the IQ of a lion for instance? My point is, without technology and weapons, intelligence comes to nothing.Complex speech? Try that on a lion. Now you're trying to tell me the lion doesn't understand, because it's stupider than you. Consider the lions perspective-does he care, or would he? What the hell are you? My suggestion is, take the lion seriously.

Your "point" is vastly off topic. The thread is dedicated to the human intelligence not survival of the species. But for you I will tell that:
1. Humans have been always intelligent enough to avoid lions.
2. Weapons and technology were invented by humans and are result of their intelligence.

Intelligence is a nonsense. Don't trust such an idea, trust me.

Please post more!

[Mikemikev]

Originally Posted by Apollonian

Because blacks and whites, even when matched by IQ, are only the same in their level of cognitive ability. There still remain profound psychological differences between them. IQ tests only measure cognition. They are not intended to measure creativity, personality, memory, concentration, knowledge, and other elements of intelligence, although they may show correlations with other abilities. When the word 'intelligence' is used by psychometricians, it is used in a narrow, technical sense and identified with very specific cognitive processes.

I'm not sure this is exactly correct. IQ seems to involve memory and concentration. Any individuals matched on IQ can be expected to perform similarly on purely mental tasks.

[Ixion]

Originally Posted by Mikemikev

I'm not sure this is exactly correct. IQ seems to involve memory and concentration.

Every test involves memory and concentration; that doesn't mean it measures it. Even personality tests involve a degree of concentration. IQ tests do not measure memory or concentration, although they involve these abilities and may show correlations with them.

[Mikemikev]

Originally Posted by Apollonian

Every test involves memory and concentration; that doesn't mean it measures it. Even personality tests involve a degree of concentration. IQ tests do not measure memory or concentration, although they involve these abilities and may show correlations with them.

Yes, I agree.

[Ixion]

Originally Posted by Apollonian

This argument has been addressed several times by Lynn and Rusthon in their works. The very low IQ of some African countries only seems implausible if you don't understand the differences between familial and organic forms of mental retardation. Familial retardation is not related to any physical disorder. It's within the normal range of human differences. Organic retardation, on the other hand, is caused by disease, injury, genetic defects, etc. An individual who suffers from organic retardation is not only deficient in the narrow range of abilities that are measured by IQ tests, but typically defective in all other areas of intelligence as well. An African with a 50 point IQ is not 'retarded' in the sense that we normally understand by the term.

A race with an average IQ of 54 has the cognitive capacity of eight year old European children, although that doesn't necessarily tell us anything about their level of competency in areas that are not measured by cognition tests. Eight year old European children would certainly be able to survive in a primitive society. They could easily be taught to hunt and gather food. After all, eight year olds can be taught much more advanced things - how to read, write, do arithmetic and function relatively well in a modern civilisation.

"Once focused almost entirely on cognition, mental retardation now includes both a component relating to mental functioning and one relating to individuals' functional skills in their environment. As a result, a person with a low IQ may not be considered mentally retarded."