Intelligence quotient (IQ)
How to calculate IQ
Introduction:
- Intelligence is an important aspect of personality. It has not been satisfactorily defined as yet.
- The widely accepted definition is that, ‘it is the ability to see meaningful relationships between things’.
- It includes perceiving, knowing, reasoning and remembering.
- Psychologists believe that intelligence results from an interplay between hereditary and environmental factors.
Intelligence quotient(IQ) definition:
An intelligence quotient (IQ) is a total
score derived from a set of standardized tests or subtests designed to assess
human intelligence
Intelligence Quotient (IQ) calculation:
- It is obtained by dividing the mental age by chronological age and multiplying by 100
- When the mental age and chronological age is same, then IQ is 100
- The higher the IQ the brilliant the child
Levels of intelligence:
Factors that affect IQ:
There are many factors that influence IQ. Here some of them are described-
1. Genetic factors
Our genes do influence intelligence and IQ.
Different studies have placed the genetic component at different levels ranging
from 30-80%, but it is agreed that the level of genetic influence increases
with age, at least from childhood through to early adulthood
2. Environmental factors
(a) Prenatal Environment
The prenatal stage is extremely important as
a fertilized egg is shaped the form of a human being during this period. Rapid
development takes place in major organs and brain cells. If things go wrong
during this period, the effects are nearly irreversible or are very difficult
to correct. The major prenatal environmental influences are: (a) mother’s
nutrition, (b) mother’s emotional state, (c) illness of the mother, (d)
mother’s use of drugs, and (e) birth complications.
(b) Postnatal Environment
When we speak of environmental determinants
of intelligence, we ordinarily mean the environment the child faces after he is
born. Environment consists of a heterogeneous array of stimulations ranging
from home experiences to the ecology of the natural habitat. Enriched
environment accelerates cognitive development, while impoverished environment
produces just the opposite effect.
(c) Home environment
Home is the first learning institution for
the child during his early years of development. Needless to mention that it
exercises tremendous influence on child’s understanding of the external world,
and his conceptions of success and failure. The home provides an identity for
the child, builds his self-concept, and prepares him to face the world
3. Parent-Child interaction
Parents are the first
teachers for the child. The nature of mental behavioral transactions between
the parents and the child has a critical influence on his intellectual
competence. Children’s intellectual develops is faster when parents provide
emotional security, make the family environment more supportive, praise the
child’s achievement, allow independence, support the intellectual achievement
of children. On the contrary, with stressful family conditions and protective
parents encouraging dependence in child the child’s intellectual development
suffers
4. Race and culture
Many studies have noted
racial and cultural differences in performance on lard intelligence tests
(Jensen, 1969; Kennedy, 1966). Jensen (1969) observed clear differences in the
cognitive competence of whites and blacks, studies conducted by Lesser, Fifer,
and Clark (1965) investigated the verbal reasoning, number facility, and space
conceptualization of children from : groups: Jewish, Chinese, Puerto Rican and
black.
5. Physiological conditions
The physiological conditions such as nutrition, health, drugs, disease, and physical injury affect the cognitive competence of the child. Healthy body gives a healthy mind. The mental development is associated with biochemical processes and hormones within the body. The biological processes within the body provide a necessary but not sufficient condition for intellectual development.
Conclusion:
The IQ of an individual is multifactorial and
is determined by a multitude of factors. Nature and nuture work together in
determining human intelligence. Even though the genetic susceptibility plays a
crucial role on the IQ of the individual, various modifiable environmental
factors like education, premature birth, nutrition, pollution, drug and alcohol
abuse, mental illnesses, and diseases can have an influence on an individual’s
IQ.