How do we assess intelligence?

R

Rose65

Well-known Member
Location
United Kingdom
We all evaluate each other, it is amazing how many clues there are that indicate to us the intelligence level of a person.

Personally I think the vocabulary used by a person is a good indicator, also quick wit to make others laugh. Certainly many professional comedians are highly intelligent. I think habitual readers are likely wiser. Being talkative may not mean real intelligence but could be. I tend to think a quiet listener who summarises their points briefly is clever.

True intelligence is surely the ability to evaluate and retain information, to be able to solve problems competently and to have a hunger for knowledge.
I don't think having qualifications and letters after your name necessarily means real intelligence. I've known truly stupid people who on paper ought to have been very clever. In contrast, a seemingly simple person can have real intelligence but they never got opportunities to prove it.

So how do you think you evaluate someone when first meeting them and then over time?
 

You raise some valid points. However a lot of the sizing up might not be completely conscious at our ages either. Maybe a sort of communication "muscle memory" from experience gets applied... perhaps whether we like it or not.

Considering the medium at hand I'm setting aside body language analysis. A sizable portion of accent and speech patterns are lost for the same reason.

If I'm talking to a woman and she crosses her ankles, pulls her feet under, and leans forward slightly that speaks volumes to me. It doesn't say much about her intelligence, but it sure demonstrates her good taste! :ROFLMAO:
 
Rose65 said:
So how do you think you evaluate someone when first meeting them and then over time?
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Somehow I am drawn to those who can articulate themselves, in particularly, I am interested in people who might be of an opposite political view, have a different stance on the belief in, or not, of a higher being. When such people use skilful argument as opposed to those who think: "He/she who shouts loudest, wins," such people will always draw my admiration.

I do agree, Rose, in eloquence of language, in particular, avoiding everyday clichés, will inevitably arouse my interest. Intelligent people listen to opposing argument, evaluate it and think carefully before responding. You can also assess intelligence when someone knows, instinctively, when to shut up and say nothing. Those that avoid spats in life, or on a forum, are those who can walk away.
 

dilettante said:
If I'm talking to a woman and she crosses her ankles, pulls her feet under, and leans forward slightly that speaks volumes to me. It doesn't say much about her intelligence, but it sure demonstrates her good taste! :ROFLMAO:
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Or she could have poor foot circulation and lean forward because she's hard of hearing. Where do you come up with these things, Sir?! 🤭 Now I'm sitting here trying to remember if I've crossed my ankles (which is perfectly normal for me to do!) inappropriately recently! But do tell! What are these volumes it speaks to you if a woman does these things that are perfectly normal (and innocent) movements? The curious want to know! @dilettante
 
I think we’re talking about a few different things here - IQ, common sense, charm, and education. To me, “intelligence” refers to IQ, which, scientists believe, is partially genetic. Austic people, like Elon Musk, can be extremely intelligent, but find it difficult to relate to people personally.

Common sense is never losing the instinct to listen to that little voice inside you telling you “NO.” I believe that to be natural instinct going back to man’s earliest time.

I think charm is also mainly an inherited trait and doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a good person. Sociopaths like Ted Bundy can be very charming.

Education is self evident, but, loops back to IQ as to how much you retain and use.

All in all, we’re a very complicated species!
 
Einstein said the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination. However, I wouldn't necessarily concur with that. I think many great artists can have a very active imagination, but that in itself doesn't strike most people as intelligent. They are just gifted.
From my personal studies, I believe intelligence has a lot to do with how an individual's brain is wired. They tend to have a great many connections between stored places of memory as well as both hemispheres of the brain, and that is coupled with a very adept reasoning ability, which results in observable intelligence.

Personally, I think a person could have a college degree, and still be one who doesn't move the intelligence meter very far. Almost anyone can regurgitate information, but an intelligent person actually understands it. Otherwise, you only know what others know. I recall an old Yiddish proverb that says something to the effect that a man says what he knows, but a wise person knows what he says. So I think the secret recipe here is not necessarily assimilating knowledge, but being able to thoroughly understand it and apply it to most situations.

Intelligent people don't have all the answers, but they are always open to thoughts and ideas, and that willingness to absorb and try to understand what they encounter makes them intelligent. In the end, I think it's a hard thing to measure (Assess), but you just know it when you see it. When a person is endowed with extraordinary ability, we just know it, but it can be difficult to measure.
 
dilettante said:
You raise some valid points. However a lot of the sizing up might not be completely conscious at our ages either. Maybe a sort of communication "muscle memory" from experience gets applied... perhaps whether we like it or not.

Considering the medium at hand I'm setting aside body language analysis. A sizable portion of accent and speech patterns are lost for the same reason.

If I'm talking to a woman and she crosses her ankles, pulls her feet under, and leans forward slightly that speaks volumes to me. It doesn't say much about her intelligence, but it sure demonstrates her good taste! :ROFLMAO:
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Lol! It's not about your attractiveness factor.
 
Pepper said:
I consider you intelligent, Rose. You are always asking, always seeking, always evaluating. I love reading what is on your mind.
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Oh thankyou! I value a compliment about intelligence far more than about anything else actually.
Physical beauty fades, but the mind should become wiser with the years and experience. A curious active mind is very important and attractive - in my view.
 
bobcat said:
Einstein said the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination. However, I wouldn't necessarily concur with that. I think many great artists can have a very active imagination, but that in itself doesn't strike most people as intelligent. They are just gifted.
From my personal studies, I believe intelligence has a lot to do with how an individual's brain is wired. They tend to have a great many connections between stored places of memory as well as both hemispheres of the brain, and that is coupled with a very adept reasoning ability, which results in observable intelligence.

Personally, I think a person could have a college degree, and still be one who doesn't move the intelligence meter very far. Almost anyone can regurgitate information, but an intelligent person actually understands it. Otherwise, you only know what others know. I recall an old Yiddish proverb that says something to the effect that a man says what he knows, but a wise person knows what he says. So I think the secret recipe here is not necessarily assimilating knowledge, but being able to thoroughly understand it and apply it to most situations.

Intelligent people don't have all the answers, but they are always open to thoughts and ideas, and that willingness to absorb and try to understand what they encounter makes them intelligent. In the end, I think it's a hard thing to measure (Assess), but you just know it when you see it. When a person is endowed with extraordinary ability, we just know it, but it can be difficult to measure.
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Absolutely. A good mind seeks knowledge and knows how great it's ignorance is.
Logically, the more reading and seeking, the greater the connections and activity grows in the brain?

I actually however know people who have degrees but no interest in books. They are merely well learned in their own studied subject. That is not real intelligence in my view.
 
bobcat said:
Personally, I think a person could have a college degree, and still be one who doesn't move the intelligence meter very far. Almost anyone can regurgitate information, but an intelligent person actually understands it.
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Oh, absolutely true... and it's visible/apparent every single day. Some of the wisest and most intelligent people I've known in my life never stepped foot inside an institute of higher learning.
 
I'm not too sure we really know what intelligence is. Some may have an enormous vocabulary, but they have trouble figuring out where to put the key in a lock. Unless there's some medical reason, I think we are all intelligent. We're all the same "model" of human, so we should have about the same level of intelligence. It's just some are better in one particular activity. Of course, the better educated we are means we are better able to cope with life's problems.
 
CallMeKate said:
Oh, absolutely true... and it's visible/apparent every single day. Some of the wisest and most intelligent people I've known in my life never stepped foot inside an institute of higher learning.
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Indeed, it's not vital but is just one means of proving competence, knowledge and suitability for a role.

Many a great business person has succeeded hugely without benefit of much academic education.
 
I have spent the last 30 years evaluating clients which includes IQ testing. IQ is genetic and remains stable throughout life unless you have a head injury, etc that negatively impacts your intelligence.

Some people may not have a high IQ but have a high spatial and mechanical aptitude which can serve them well in work and life. The one thing that I can’t test for is motivation and if you lack that being smart isn’t going to get you very far.

Education actually has little to do with intelligence. People that read a lot tend to have higher intelligence. I don’t care about people’s intelligence when I meet them or become friends. I care about if they are enjoyable companions and how they treat others in the world. That says a lot about one’s character.
 
Clearly, some of the dumbest, most emotionally bankrupt people I ever worked with were Stanford grads.
Are political affiliations included in your assessment?
 
People who come up with witty puns tend to have a special sharpness. They are natural at sarcasm, a person with an enviable IQ tends to appreciate thought inducing humour. A sharp mind sees the humour in situations that most of us either miss, or need spelling out in basic ABC.
 
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