Defining IQ

AlexanderHowl · 02-26-2018, 09:08 AM

One of the more common arguments within these forums is how to define attributes, especially IQ. While there are a range of positions, from IQ is equal to (Real World IQ/10) to IQ is equal to (((Real World IQ-100)/20, rounding down)+10) to IQ is undefinable, I think that many of these arguments miss the point because they do not refer back to real life. In real life, there are people who have exceptional capabilities, including exceptional intelligence, but it is the standard deviations from the norm that people tend to notice.

Within GURPS, I think that each point of IQ above or below 10 should represent a standard deviation of intelligence above or below average. Since modern IQ tests are designed to measure each change in standard deviation as a change in 15 points, that allows us to quantify an IQ score from 6 (IQ score of 40) to 18 (IQ score of 220). While IQ scores below 6 definitely exist and IQ scores above 18 might exist, they are difficult to quantify due to the difficulty of assessing a non-communicative intelligence (in the case of a person with less than IQ 6) or due to the difficulty of assessing an intelligence that much greater than the people who designed the test (in the case of a person with greater than IQ 18). In the case of characters with intermediate IQ score, they would go to the nearest IQ level. In effect, people would have an IQ equal to (((IQ score-100)/15, rounding to nearest number)+10).

By using standard deviations for intelligence, we can actually quantify the intelligence of characters, which is especially easy for realistic ranges in intelligence in GURPS (IQ 8 to IQ 14). A character with an IQ 8 would possess an IQ score between 63 and 77. A character with an IQ 9 would possess an IQ score between 78 and 93. A character with an IQ 10 would possess an IQ score between 93 and 107. A character with an IQ 11 would possess an IQ score between 108 and 122. A character with an IQ 12 would possess an IQ score between 123 and 137. A character with an IQ 13 would possess an IQ score between 138 and 152. A character with an IQ 14 would possess an IQ score between 153 and 167. What do you think?

02-26-2018, 09:08 AM	#1
AlexanderHowl Join Date: Feb 2016	Defining IQ One of the more common arguments within these forums is how to define attributes, especially IQ. While there are a range of positions, from IQ is equal to (Real World IQ/10) to IQ is equal to (((Real World IQ-100)/20, rounding down)+10) to IQ is undefinable, I think that many of these arguments miss the point because they do not refer back to real life. In real life, there are people who have exceptional capabilities, including exceptional intelligence, but it is the standard deviations from the norm that people tend to notice. Within GURPS, I think that each point of IQ above or below 10 should represent a standard deviation of intelligence above or below average. Since modern IQ tests are designed to measure each change in standard deviation as a change in 15 points, that allows us to quantify an IQ score from 6 (IQ score of 40) to 18 (IQ score of 220). While IQ scores below 6 definitely exist and IQ scores above 18 might exist, they are difficult to quantify due to the difficulty of assessing a non-communicative intelligence (in the case of a person with less than IQ 6) or due to the difficulty of assessing an intelligence that much greater than the people who designed the test (in the case of a person with greater than IQ 18). In the case of characters with intermediate IQ score, they would go to the nearest IQ level. In effect, people would have an IQ equal to (((IQ score-100)/15, rounding to nearest number)+10). By using standard deviations for intelligence, we can actually quantify the intelligence of characters, which is especially easy for realistic ranges in intelligence in GURPS (IQ 8 to IQ 14). A character with an IQ 8 would possess an IQ score between 63 and 77. A character with an IQ 9 would possess an IQ score between 78 and 93. A character with an IQ 10 would possess an IQ score between 93 and 107. A character with an IQ 11 would possess an IQ score between 108 and 122. A character with an IQ 12 would possess an IQ score between 123 and 137. A character with an IQ 13 would possess an IQ score between 138 and 152. A character with an IQ 14 would possess an IQ score between 153 and 167. What do you think? Last edited by AlexanderHowl; 02-26-2018 at 09:51 AM.