Predicting IQ With a Simple Visual Test 325
New submitter trendspotter writes "Scientists at the University of Rochester found a unique way to measure high IQ and IQ of the brain in general just by studying individuals and their abilities to filter out noise in images (abstract). The results of a visual test where people were told to quickly detect movements showed similar IQ results as a classic intelligence test. 'The relationship between IQ and motion suppression points to the fundamental cognitive processes that underlie intelligence, the authors write. The brain is bombarded by an overwhelming amount of sensory information, and its efficiency is built not only on how quickly our neural networks process these signals, but also on how good they are at suppressing less meaningful information. ... The researchers point out that this vision test could remove some of the limitations associated with standard IQ tests, which have been criticized for cultural bias.'"
Nice! Shows that IQ is quite limited. No surprise. (Score:5, Insightful)
Something I have been saying for a long time.
IQ as measured today is intelligence applied to details, core structures, _small_ puzzles, etc. It does not measure whether people can identify context, make fuzzy trade-offs, find what is important and what not in complex structures, etc. The testing is also fundamentally broken as it is done under time pressure. In practice, somebody that can figure out a complex problem in 1 week is about as capable as somebody that needs 2 weeks and not far behind is somebody that needs 10 weeks. People really fall into the classes "can do it in reasonable time" and "cannot do it, regardless of time available". Those that can do, but need a lot longer than others that can do are quite rare.
I also have met quite a few people with high IQ, but really low "wisdom" scales that could not use their intelligence effectively as a result. This also explains why the IQ is not a reliable predictor of future success in life, as for example Mensa found out.
Similar results = similar bias (or lack thereof) ? (Score:5, Insightful)
If the test "showed similar IQ results as a classic intelligence test", and the classic test is "biased", wouldn't that mean that this test is biased? Or would it have to mean that the classic test is *not* biased?
Re:Popcorn time! (Score:5, Insightful)
And maybe that's part of intelligence. Catching yourself being stupid is infinitely smarter than not catching yourself being stupid.
Alternate Hypothesis (Score:5, Insightful)
'The relationship between IQ and motion suppression points to the fundamental cognitive processes that underlie intelligence'
Or, IQ tests don't test anything but pattern matching / the ability to filter noise in the first place.
Re:Hmmm (Score:4, Insightful)
Yes, as would any sort of issue with ability to focus, or eye irritation that makes you blink more often than average.
Then look at the graph (the one in the article with blue and red dots). That is a TERRIBLE correlation. It might be significant from a purely statistical argument, but the correlation is so weak that it would be difficult to eliminate other factors.
The lower graph in the article shows a stronger correlation of IQ vs suppression of moving objects. On more thinking though, that is a HUGE range of IQs and still only a modest correlation. . Isn't it likely that people with an IQ of 140 will understand the instructions better than those with an IQ of 80. Even if there is a real correlation, it looks like the error bars on predicting IQ will have a 40 point spread! Useless.
All this assumes IQ is a good measure, something I question since intelligence appears to be a combination of factors (memory, 3D visualization, quick thinking, abstract math etc) and probably needs to be represented by a vector, not a scalar measurement.
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Popcorn time! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Popcorn time! (Score:2, Insightful)
People who use the term "street smarts" are usually referring poorly educated urban black males of above average intelligence by elitist liberal white males hoping not to have their bigotry exposed.
I always knew (Score:2, Insightful)
blind people were stupid.