anyone here in MENSA?

[allisolm]

160 is genius level btw


140+ here

150+ here

165+ here

130+ here

I don't think there's any universally accepted number and there certainly is no universal definition of genius. It involves so much more than an IQ number.

"It has been said that a 140 IQ is a "genius" score, however there is no definition, as such, in either of my psychological dictionaries about "genius." Neither is there an IQ score ranked as "genius"... Genius may be in the eye of the beholder. Furthermore, a true genius may not score particularly well on a standard group IQ test... And really, those who are what we may call a genius don't need a score to prove it."

The Question Of "Genius"
Abbie F. Salny, Ed.D, Supervisory psychologist, American Mensa

 

[gururu]

Originally posted by: Mookow

Originally posted by: gururu
I'm in Mensa. No biggie. It's easy to get in with high GRE or SAT scores. No need for IQ test. I've been in since I was 15.

How high do you need to score on the SATs?

Mensa Qualifying Tests

 

[element]

Originally posted by: allisolm
160 is genius level btw


140+ here

150+ here

165+ here

130+ here

I don't think there's any universally accepted number and there certainly is no universal definition of genius. It involves so much more than an IQ number.

"It has been said that a 140 IQ is a "genius" score, however there is no definition, as such, in either of my psychological dictionaries about "genius." Neither is there an IQ score ranked as "genius"... Genius may be in the eye of the beholder. Furthermore, a true genius may not score particularly well on a standard group IQ test... And really, those who are what we may call a genius don't need a score to prove it."

The Question Of "Genius"
Abbie F. Salny, Ed.D, Supervisory psychologist, American Mensa

This is so true I was just about to post something similar. Most of the people that do well on IQ tests do so because they've seen the "trick" to get the question right and know how to solve it. One example is the 6/8/10 triangle question that invariably ends up on these so called internet IQ tests on websites that claim to test your IQ. A true IQ test would consist of problems the likes of which you've never seen before. But if that were the case you probably wouldn't be able to solve them.

The learning of the problems on IQ tests is the reason why you see so many dumbasses with high IQ scores. You really have to get to know a person to realize their capacity for problem solving.

Really intelligence is about finding solutions to problems you and/or others have not yet encountered. These are the people that come up with new and improved ways of doing things.

I'd be more impressed if you found a non standard way of solving an old problem even if it took you a lot of time to do so, than if you came up with the standard solution everyone already knows about quickly.

 

[gururu]

Originally posted by: element

Originally posted by: allisolm
160 is genius level btw


140+ [L=...
Abbie F. Salny, Ed.D, Supervisory psychologist, American Mensa[/quote]


This is so true I was just about to post something similar. Most of the people that do well on IQ tests do so because the...lem even if it took you a lot of time to do so, than if you came up with the standard solution everyone already knows about quickly.

I disagree. When in a crunch, you want yourself, or a member of your team to find solutions quickly, not necessarily creatively. Particularly when there's a ton of problems to be dealt with. If everyone knew the solutions, they wouldn't be problems. Finding solutions quickly, whether it be through recognition of patterns or recollection of similar problems, is what determines IQ.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: element

This is so true I was just about to post something similar. Most of the people that do well on IQ tests do so because they've seen the "trick" to get the question right and know how to solve it. One example is the 6/8/10 triangle question that invariably ends up on these so called internet IQ tests on websites that claim to test your IQ. A true IQ test would consist of problems the likes of which you've never seen before. But if that were the case you probably wouldn't be able to solve them.

The learning of the problems on IQ tests is the reason why you see so many dumbasses with high IQ scores. You really have to get to know a person to realize their capacity for problem solving.

Really intelligence is about finding solutions to problems you and/or others have not yet encountered. These are the people that come up with new and improved ways of doing things.

I'd be more impressed if you found a non standard way of solving an old problem even if it took you a lot of time to do so, than if you came up with the standard solution everyone already knows about quickly.

An internet test rarely is a good indicator as people cheat or keep retaking them until their scores improve. On an administered test you cannot and there usually is a lot more questions involved and things that do not scale well to just a 2 dimensional webpage.

I don't know how many dumbasses get 'seen' with high IQ's although they may claim to have them. I just don't see where the proof comes out or even how it would come up except by an idiot trying to say they are right only because they are a 'genius'.

 

[element]

Originally posted by: gururu

Originally posted by: element

Originally posted by: allisolm
160 is genius level btw


140+ [L=...
Abbie F. Salny, Ed.D, Supervisory psychologist, American Mensa[/quote]


This is so true I was just about to post something similar. Most of the people that do well on IQ tests do so because the...lem even if it took you a lot of time to do so, than if you came up with the standard solution everyone already knows about quickly.

I disagree. When in a crunch, you want yourself, or a member of your team to find solutions quickly, not necessarily creatively. Particularly when there's a ton of problems to be dealt with. If everyone knew the solutions, they wouldn't be problems. Finding solutions quickly, whether it be through recognition of patterns or recollection of similar problems, is what determines IQ.

While that is all true, recollection really has little to do with problem solving skills and intelligence. That's just memory. If you've seen it before and you just regurgitated the solution someone else came up with, you may appear to have solved the problem, but would you have done so if the original problem solver hadn't done it for you to remember?

I'm more impressed with the person who first solved the problem you read and remembered the solution to, even if he took longer to solve it than you did to remember and regurgitate it.

 

[Trygve]

Shortly after college, I joined Mensa and some of the other high-IQ "societies." The only one I ever did anything with was Mensa (with any of the others, you got their newsletter and the opportunity to buy bumper stickers, etc., with their logo. Gosh.)

Mensa was fun--they put out a calendar every month with about 20 social events scheduled, so if you ever felt like getting together with people, you could pick up your Mensa calendar and head off somewhere. Seemed like a pleasant bunch; a little flaky and a lot of them were a bit socially awkward (rather like going to an SF convention or a local computer group get-together). I don't remember anyone ever talking about their IQs or thinking it was a big deal; there were a fair number of people who weren't actually in Mensa but who liked hanging around the group and nobody cared. Maybe it's different in different areas, but they seemed like a completely non-elitist bunch to me.

 

[Spamela]

i used to be a member, but
the meetings became tedious time-wasters.

 

[JSClark]

Hm, I need a laugh, I'll have to check this out later tonight