In this day and age, intelligence is still a little understood concept. While we all know intuitively if a person is intelligent or not, it is very difficult to define intelligence in precise words. Intelligence is most commonly described as ‘the individual's ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the environment, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning to overcome obstacles by careful thoughts.’ Nowadays Intelligence Quotient Tests or IQ tests are a popular method of properly measuring the intelligence of a person. Some people though, can be doubtful as to whether IQ tests provide an accurate representation of a person’s level of intelligence. In order to fully comprehend the accuracy of standard IQ tests, it may help to understand a bit about their background.

One of the first Intelligence Quotient Tests was introduced by British scientist Sir Frances Galton. Galton directed research which made comparisons of different people according to their ability to complete specific tasks. He was convinced by his research that there was a way of measuring human intelligence. Alfred Binet, a French psychologist, developed a different kind of IQ test, involving tests to measure intellectual aptitude and were particularly focused on the abilities of judgement, comprehension and reasoning. They also involved tests for memory, vocabulary, practical knowledge and problem solving skills. Binet’s test proved more effective in calculating academic success than Galton’s and is still the basic formula from which many of the standard intelligence tests of today are developed.

Today’s IQ tests are designed by psychologists and educators who study the way mental acuity relates to the potential to learn and solve problems. Generally, those who find learning new things to be relatively easy, are most likely to record higher scores on a standard IQ test. Studies show that standard IQ tests work, but taking multiple IQ tests can produce a more accurate reading of a person’s intelligence. It has been proven that the score results from a standard IQ test may be altered up to 15 points if the tested person is affected by environmental factors. These can be mood, anxiety, emotions and biochemistry. When multiple tests are taken, the scores are calculated to an average, and therefore are a more precise representation of a person’s intelligence.

The definition of intelligence is a continuous debate. A person’s grades at school aren’t necessarily a reflection of the score they will achieve in an IQ test. This doesn’t mean that IQ tests aren’t accurate, only that some people can be smarter when it comes to logic and reasoning, and others may have better memory skills. For example, a person may excel in mathematics, but may find English questions to be challenging. It is difficult to judge the overall intelligence of a person through their marks at school because a person’s marks can be influenced by many factors. For example, their grades can be reflected by how hard they studied, or their interest in a particular subject or possibly their natural ability to understand a particular concept. IQ tests are accurate as long as you take into account the aspects of intelligence they measure. Intelligence still cannot be defined by a universal value.

Bishop speculates about the accuracy of IQ tests as a measure of intelligence. Free IQ tests are available online.