Open Thread, November 1-15, 2012

OpenThreadGuy

If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post, even in Discussion, it goes here.

If my IQ was measured as "really high" (140-ish) back when I was 8, but I'm now 30, should I expect the same kind of "really high" score if I took an IQ test today, as an adult?

If your IQ was over the highest possible score on the test because they based that on an estimation calculated using your age (for a hypothetical example: you scored IQ 100 as a 2 year old, the equivalent of an average adult. You're much smarter than an average adult then, doing that at 2, so they'd give you a ridiculously high score.)

Unless this was the case, and it doesn't seem like it (it's not likely the test they gave you had a ceiling below 140) then you should expect a similar score. IQ is supposed to stay the same throughout one's life. Whether ... (read more)

7gwern14y

No. You should expect regression to the mean compounded with the higher variance of childhood scores and the decline of Gf beginning in the 20s. I don't know how much lower those would make one predict IQ at age 30, though.