Human intelligence is very hard to define. There have been many attempts and most of those offer rather interesting, appealing and well-set explanation, though hardly any definition could encircle everything that intelligence represents as a whole.
Was intelligence universal or it is a complex? It is both, since, obviously, human beings are intelligent beings. In other words, we have intellect, which is, in common talk, often identified with intelligence.
On the other hand, it is proven that animals are also intelligent; at least some of animals are discovered to possess very impressive intellectual abilities. For example, crows and dolphins are thought to be unusually intelligent, in our, human terms. Everything about intelligence is debatable.
Nevertheless, any definition would be of use in order to understand how our human intelligence functions, could it be measured and represented as an IQ score. Perhaps the most fitting and, at the same time, very simplistic definition comes from one of the greatest minds of our age.
Famous scientist, Stephen hawking once have said that human intelligence represents our ability to adapt to changes. He sure was in right. We use our intellectual abilities in order to adapt to the circumstances gives.
We do even more than that; our intellect provides us with creative inventions. Thus, we are capable not only adapting to conditions around, but also adjusting conditions to ourselves.
Famous German writer Berthold Brecht said that human intelligence is meant to teach us learn from mistakes. He did speak about very practical and essential purpose of human intelligence.
While people usually identify intelligence with being smart in academic terms, it is not exactly correct. A naturally gifted person would definitely have more success in academic circles, if he or she were interested into it.
However, it does not mean that academic learning is the only purpose of intelligence, not at all. It is exactly what the famous author has told. Intelligence is what helps us to learn from experience and take every good step and every mistake as a valuable lesson.
While these ideas about intelligence are definitely plausible and understandable, they do not tell much about measuring intelligence and its complexity.
The main problem with attempts of measuring human intelligence and then classifying the results into certain categories is that intelligence cannot be tested as a whole. Common IQ tests actually test only some aspects of human intelligence and they still do not tell about our intellectual capability as a whole.
Many approaches have been offered in order to understand this. The theory of multifold intelligence is definitely one of the most appealing.
Multifold Theory of Human Intelligence
American psychologist Howard Gardner proposed the idea that human intelligence is not only our universally shared intellect or, more precisely, our given capability to use that intellect, but a complex of different aspects of intelligence. Many would agree with this interesting theory.
According to this theory, human intelligence is multifold. In other words, it consists of different types or aspects of intelligence that create a complex characteristic for an individual.
Each person possesses all aspects or types of intelligence, but these are not equally distributed or ‘developed’, if you wish, in all. Therefore, we present with certain advantages and disadvantages. We may become brilliant in one aspect and average in another one.
The thing is that what we are average in or even very bad at, does not necessarily make us less intelligent. Each of the aspects could be evaluated separately.
However, all these aspects are connected and all share a common place, which is our intellect, as universal mental ability. To make things clearer, let us see what those types of intelligence are.
They are verbal and linguistic intelligence, mathematical and logical intelligence, visual and spatial intelligence, musical and rhythmic intelligence, natural or naturalistic intelligence, intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence, physical and kinesthetic intelligence, spiritual or existential intelligence and added, moral intelligence.
It is pretty clear that no one would have all of these aspects neither given in the same degree nor developed to perfection. At the same time, it has been argued whether intelligence was inherited or acquired. The answer is, it is both.
Studies have shown that people who have been separated from their biological parents at birth present with the similar type and level of intelligence as their actual parents.
At least one portion of intelligence is genetic, while other factors, of course, affect one’s intellectual development.
One factor that is considered extremely important is emotional intelligence. Some experts argue that is even more important than IQ. The problem with IQ is that the actual life functioning does not depend on IQ level, because other factors are involved.
A very intelligent person does not have to achieve any prominent social position or acknowledged results in any area of life, if he or she was not interested into it.
On the other hand, a person with lesser high or average IQ, for example, can do amazing things and achieve great success through invested effort, dedication at cetera. It greatly depends on a person alone and it depends on an individual’s emotional and social intelligence.
All of this applies, of course, if we actually try to evaluate IQ tests as predictors of life success.
Those who support multifold approach to intelligence, complain that common IQ tests actually test only several types of intelligence, if so.
About Classification and High IQ Scores
The IQ score we are going to analyze today is a high one, score of 144. Before we see into meaning of high IQ scores, we have to understand how IQ tests measure and classify intelligence levels.
Most IQ tests set the average score at 100 and use one standard deviation of 15 units. This allows for normal distribution curve and helps classification.
So, what do different scores obtained by IQ test mean and how are they classified?
According to WAIS scale, which is the most widespread IQ testing practice, there are several ranges of scores. There are other scales, of course, more or less similar to this one.
WAIS test was developed in the fifties and its fourth revisited edition is today widely being used. The fifth is expected to take place in 2020. According to WAIS, here are the categories.
All results that score below 50 are considered definitely or severely retarded. Scores from 50 to 70 are moderately retarded.
Those who score from 71 to 80 are considered borderline deficient in terms of intellectual functioning. The next range is from 80 to 89 and it is considered below average, while scores from 90 to 109 are considered average. All above this range is higher than average, obviously.
Therefore, scores from 110 to 119 are considered ‘high average’. Scores between 120 and 129 are ‘superior intelligence’, while some scales label scores of 130 and up as ‘gifted’.
Lewis Terman’s scale marks score of 140 as ‘genius’ or ‘near genius score’, while score of 160 has also been proposed as an actual ‘genius score’. All scores that fit into categories of very high scores should be evaluated on other, specialized tests. A contemporary scale offers more detailed insight into ranges of higher IQ scores.
According to this scale, scores from 140 to 149 are ‘intelligent’, scores from 150 to 159 are ‘highly intelligent’, those from 160 to 169 are ‘very highly intelligent’.
The scale goes even further on and classifies scores from 170 to 179 as ‘pervasively intelligent’ and those from 180 to 185 as ‘exceptionally intelligent’. To avoid any confusion, this scale does not mean that lower scores are all bellow being intelligent. It is just a different terminology.
In any case, all scales and tests agree that scores above 140, such as 144, are, in a way, exceptional.
IQ 144 Score Meaning
IQ score of 144 would qualify one for Mensa membership, but not according to all scales.
Cattell’s scale requires the score of 148, but with WAIS, scores above 130 meet the requirements.
Mensa is the largest international organization that gathers highly intelligent individuals. Mensa is free of any restrictions based on any criterion other than an individual IQ score.
In other words, anyone can become a Mensa member, as long as he or she meets intellectual requirements.
Mensa has a bright and optimistic mission. This organization invests into exploring capacities of human intelligence, promoting its values, finding different way of application of human intelligence in real life and for the good of all. It favors its most prominent members, allowing valuable stipends at cetera.
Mensa supports all efforts into nurturing and further developing capacities of human intelligence. With the score of 144 you can most certainly apply for the membership.
What does IQ score 144 mean in practice? This score falls under the category of higher than average. What does it mean?
On some scales, it is labeled as ‘genius’ score. It means that an individual with such a high score is one amongst many people with such high results.
High intelligence opens doors to intellectual academic development, scientific and research work. People with high scores, high as 144, are definitely capable of achieving high academic results.
In everyday life, it would greatly depend on a person. Such a high score may make one feel isolated and misunderstood by many around, since the majority of population has an average score.
If he or she does not further invest into nurturing their given capabilities, he or she may become unsatisfied with so far achievements and their life. This is highly disputable. People with high scores may as well enjoy some pretty routine and common life situations, just as all others.
The problem is that people tend to understand IQ scores as ‘a must’, as a definitive predictor of this or that, so they fail to enjoy life if they do not act according to the score they have got.
The attitude towards life, environment and the intelligence itself would play a major role in actual manifestation of one’s high score. In any case, such a score opens up great opportunities in terms of academic achievement.