Is IQ Important? The Impact & Relevance of the Intelligence Quotient

It can be argued that IQ is important since IQ testing is still the number one method for assessing intelligence and measuring cognitive abilities in schools and workplaces across the globe. But despite its wide reach and general popularity, some still wonder whether the impact of this metric is blown out of proportion.

Many conflicting opinions exist on the topic, but our experts have discovered why IQ is relevant and which areas of our lives can benefit from intelligence testing.

In this article, we will be sharing the most important insights we’ve discovered, so let’s dive right in.

Key Takeaways

• IQ is a good measure of intelligence that takes into account your working memory, analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and pattern recognition.
• It’s measured using IQ tests such as the Stanford-Binet, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Raven’s Progressive Matrices, and more.
• IQ is important for identifying intellectual disabilities and giftedness, helping with educational placement and hiring, and doing intelligence-related research.

What Is IQ?

Is IQ important?

IQ is a score on a standardized and professionally administered test that measures your cognitive abilities, including working memory, pattern recognition, analytical thinking, and problem-solving. It is also known as the intelligence quotient.

To determine your intelligence quotient, IQ tests compare your performance to that of your peers and calculate the final score. The average score is 100, with a standard deviation of 15, meaning that about 68% of the population falls somewhere within the 85–115 range.

In other words, if you score above 115, you will be considered gifted to a lesser or greater degree. Likewise, a score under 85 indicates low intelligence and a potential intellectual disability.

Diagnosing intellectual disabilities is precisely what prompted French psychologist Alfred Binet to begin measuring IQ as early as 1905. He noticed that some children struggled in school and wondered if there was a way to discover them early and provide the help they needed.

Soon enough, his IQ test, originally in French, found an audience in the US, where it was no longer limited to children. After that, IQ became an important factor in psychology, with numerous scientists developing new and improved tests.

How Is IQ Measured?

IQ is primarily measured using standardized IQ tests that need to be administered by a professional. Most of these tests use similar methodologies, but their focus areas and types of tasks can differ to a degree.

Here are some of the most popular standardized tests for measuring IQ:

• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Developed from Binet’s original French test, Stanford-Binet measures fluid and quantitative reasoning, knowledge, working memory, and visual-spatial intelligence. It’s the oldest of all tests, first published in 1916.
• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). WAIS is currently the most commonly used IQ test, administered only to adults and older adolescents. However, there is also a children’s version—the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.
• Raven’s Progressive Matrices (RPM). With its focus on pattern recognition, RPM is fairly culture-neutral and easy to administer. As a result, this type of test is frequently used for practice, and its many iterations can be found online.
• Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive Ability Test (WJ IV). As one of the most comprehensive intelligence tests, WJ IV is only administered when you want a detailed analysis of your cognitive abilities. In total, it consists of 20 tests divided into the Standard Battery and the Extended Battery.
• Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test. In an attempt to neutralize the effect of culture on IQ scores, Cattell’s test consists exclusively of non-verbal tasks. For instance, the test taker will be asked to complete matrices or drawing sequences but not choose the correct synonym for a given word.
• Differential Ability Scales (DAS). The DAS measures cognition and achievement, but only in children aged 2–17. It consists of two cognitive batteries—the Early Years and the School Age, which also tests school readiness.

Why Is IQ Important?

IQ is important because it can have an impact on your professional and academic growth as well as determine your success to a certain degree. Generally speaking, the higher your IQ, the better your chances of excelling academically and building a successful career.

However, that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Below, you will find a few other reasons that show why IQ testing is necessary.

#1. Assisting With Professional Diagnoses

A person taking notes

As mentioned before, the average IQ is between 85 and 115, with about two-thirds of the population receiving a score in this range. Those who score below 85 are considered to have a low IQ, but it’s especially concerning when the score is under 70.

Namely, about 85% of children with intellectual disabilities score in the 55–70 range. Some may have an even lower score—that ultimately depends on the nature of the disability.

As a result, doctors often use IQ tests to determine whether someone needs further screening for specific intellectual disabilities. If a test taker receives a low score, they are sent for blood tests, specialist evaluations, and additional cognitive tests.

#2. Identifying Giftedness

IQ tests aren’t only important for diagnosing intellectual disabilities, though. The opposite side of the scale—intellectual giftedness—can be just as interesting to both psychologists and the general population.

Although everyone who scores above 115 is considered somewhat gifted, true intellectual giftedness begins with an IQ of 130. This is also the threshold for acceptance into Mensa, the most well-known high-IQ society whose goal is to provide space for the intellectually gifted.

While identifying giftedness may not be as crucial as diagnosing intellectual disabilities, it’s still an important task. Gifted students should be provided with enough resources and support to use their potential, as they are the ones who usually become inventors, scientists, great authors, poets, and world leaders.

#3. Helping With Educational Placement

IQ is relevant for measuring children’s academic potential and deciding which educational path they should take to make the most of it.

Therefore, it’s not unusual for children to take IQ or aptitude tests as soon as they reach school age. As a result, parents and teachers gain insight into their children's cognitive abilities, which helps them determine what schools and courses they would benefit from.

However, IQ tests don’t only assist children at the beginning of their education. High schoolers also frequently take the test during career counseling sessions to identify the types of intelligence they excel at. That can help their counselor narrow down suitable job and college opportunities.

#4. Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

Although IQ tests usually offer a single score at the end, you can always ask for a more detailed analysis to find out how you’ve performed on specific parts of the test. That way, you can identify areas of cognition that you’re good at as well as those that need improvement.

This is particularly useful for tailoring teaching strategies to a child’s specific needs. For example, if a child performs well on verbal tasks but struggles with numerical ones, your teaching should focus on improving their logical-mathematical intelligence while simultaneously nurturing their love for words.

#5. Picking the Right Candidate for a Job

Is IQ important in picking the right candidate for the job?

Evidence shows that IQ is important for success, so it’s no wonder employers seek out individuals with high IQs as their potential employees. Not only are they more likely to be successful, but they’re also usually excellent problem solvers, high performers, and innovators.

And what better way to determine someone’s IQ than by administering an IQ test?

Although using IQ tests in the hiring process is somewhat controversial, many employers still do it, often claiming it’s an aptitude test instead. Ultimately, the purpose is exactly the same—to determine which candidates have the necessary cognitive skills that qualify them for the job position.

#6. Doing IQ-Related Research

Finally, IQ is really important for psychologists who do IQ-related research in an attempt to discover trends in behaviors, career paths, and interests among people with similar IQs.

This is more than just a hobby, too—when discovered, these trends become predictors that can partially forecast some aspects of a person’s life trajectory.

Some correlations have already been discovered, such as between IQ and success in chess or high IQ and higher income. But the more people we test and observe, the more likely we are to uncover other, even more consequential ones.

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Final Thoughts

Whether you personally believe IQ is important or not, it’s hard to deny its many uses in psychology, education, and the job assessment process. In addition, intelligence tests are a great self-improvement tool that helps you learn more about your strengths and limitations.

That being said, as good as they are, IQ tests aren’t perfect, nor do they tell the whole story. Intelligence consists of many elements that IQ can’t accurately represent. Thus, it’s important to explore your abilities in more depth and not take the score as the end-all-be-all of intelligence.

For a deeper understanding of the accuracy and limitations of IQ assessments, check out our article 'Are IQ Tests Reliable?' to gain further insights.