The Complete Book of Intelligence Tests : 500 exercises to improve, upgrade and enhance your mind strength (2 page)

ability to understand the meaning of words and use them effectively;

the more we practise at mathematics, the more confident we become

when working with numbers; and the more we practise our ability to

move our fingers and manipulate small objects, the more dextrous we

become at operations involving this type of aptitude.

Our brain is undoubtedly our greatest asset, yet, for most of us, it

is the part of the body we most take for granted.

Our brain needs exercise and care in the same way as other parts

of the body. We eat the right foods to keep our heart healthy, we

moisturise our skin to keep it from drying out and, just as gymnasts

strive to increase their performance at whatever level they are

competing, by means of punishing training schedules and refinement

of technique, there are exercises, or mental gymnastics, we can do

to increase the performance of our brain and enhance quickness of

thought.

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Introduction

Many people still have the outdated belief that there is little they

can do to improve the brain they are born with and that brain cells

continually degenerate with age, but in fact our brain cells continually

develop new and stronger connections and adult brains can grow new

cells, irrespective of age.

We should all be aware that we have the capacity to put our brain

to even more use and unleash many hitherto untapped creative talents

by continually exploring new avenues, experiences and learning

adventures. By continually exploiting our enormous brain potential,

we all have the ability to make more and stronger connections

between our nerve cells, with the result that not only our mental but

also our physical long-term well-being will improve.

Whilst the aim of the tests and exercises is therefore two-fold,

that of identifying individual strengths and weaknesses and that of

exercising the brain, they are at the same time, and equally importantly,

designed to provide fun and entertainment to those who take them.

Aspects of intelligence

Although it is difficult to define intelligence, indeed it appears to have

no formal definition, there is, nevertheless, at least one particularly

apposite definition: the capacity to learn and understand.

Scores from standardised intelligence tests (IQ scores) are often

used to define one’s intelligence level. It is, however, becoming

increasingly accepted that they do not reveal the complete picture and

only provide a snapshot of a person’s ability in the area under

examination, so that, for example, someone who has scored highly on

a verbal test can only be said to have a high verbal IQ and someone

who has scored highly on a mathematical test can only be said to have

a high numerical IQ. Obviously, therefore, the more different types

of disciplines that are tested and examined, the more accurately the

intelligence level of the individual can be assessed.

Whilst IQ testing is broadly based on the principle of a measurable

and genetically inherited intelligence that is cast in stone for every

individual and does not increase throughout adulthood, there is

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The Complete Book of Intelligence Tests

now another school of thought which believes there are many more

different types of intelligences, some of which could be as a result of

our upbringing and development and some of which could be the

result of a natural talent with which we are born.

The concept of general intelligence, or g, was devised in the early

twentieth century by the English psychologist Charles Spearman, who

established g as a measure of performance in a variety of tests.

Spearman’s research led him to the conclusion that the same people

who performed well in a variety of mental tasks tended to use a part of

the brain that he termed g. The g factor, therefore, laid the foundation

for the concept of a single intelligence, and the belief that this single,

and measurable, intelligence enables us to perform tasks of mental

ability.

Recent studies have to a certain extent reinforced Spearman’s theory,

and research has found that the lateral prefrontal cortex is the only area

of the brain where an increase in blood flow takes place when volunteers

tackle complicated puzzles.

Despite this, Spearman’s concept remains highly controversial and

is becoming increasingly challenged by those who claim that the concept

of a single overall intelligence is too simplistic.

At the same time, there is a body of research whose findings suggest

that our mental ability is not determined by biological inheritance, but

as the result of social factors such as education and upbringing.

Whilst IQ tests are, and will remain, helpful in predicting future

performance or potential in many areas, they do not provide us

with other information, such as the ability to connect with other

people emotionally or perform creative tasks that involve the use of

imagination.

Although most IQ testing only assesses what is termed ‘general

ability’ in three categories of intelligence, numerical, verbal and spatial (abstract) reasoning, there are several other equally important and

valuable intelligences that need to be recognised and developed.

The theory of multiple intelligence (MI) advocates that the traditional

view of a single general intelligence, g, is too narrow and that humans

have multiple intelligences. By expanding our definition of intelligence

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Introduction

to include multiple intelligences, we can identify, appreciate and

nurture more of our strengths.

This is important, as it would be as rare for any one individual to

be endowed in all the different intelligences as it would for any one

individual not to possess some kind of talent. We all tend to be aware

of some of our abilities and limitations, for instance, some of us may

be great musicians but completely hopeless when it comes to fixing a

problem with our car; others may be championship-class chess players

but would never be able to smash a tennis ball into the opposing

player’s court; and others may possess great linguistic and mathematical

skills but feel completely at a loss trying to make small talk at social

gatherings. The fact is that no-one is talented in every domain and no-

one is completely incapable in every domain.

The originator of the theory of multiple intelligences, Howard

Gardner, a professor of education at Harvard University, defines

intelligence as the potential ability to process a certain sort of infor-

mation. The different types of intelligence are for the most part

independent of one another, and no type is more important than the

other.

In all, Gardner identifies seven different types of intelligence.

These can be summarized as follows:

1. Verbal=linguistic, e.g. lexical skills, formal speech, verbal debate,

creative writing.

2. Body=kinesthetic (movement), e.g. body language, physical gestures,

creative dance, physical exercise, drama.

3. Musical=rhythmic, e.g. music performance, singing, musical

composition, rhythmic patterns.

4. Logic=mathematic, e.g. numerical aptitude, problem solving,

deciphering codes, abstract symbols and formulae.

5. Visual=spatial, e.g. patterns and designs, painting, drawing, active

imagination, sculpture, colour schemes.

6. Interpersonal (relationships with others), e.g. person-to-person

communication, empathy practices, group projects, collaboration

skills, receiving and giving feedback.

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The Complete Book of Intelligence Tests

7. Intrapersonal (self-understanding and insight), e.g. thinking strategies, emotional processing, knowing yourself, higher order reasoning,

focusing=concentration.

Although aspects of it are included in several of the above categories;

in addition to the above seven basic types of intelligence can be

added creativity, which has sometimes been referred to as ‘the eighth

intelligence’.

Additionally, if creativity is the eighth intelligence, then memory

must be the ninth, and both creativity and memory are explored and

tested in detail in Chapters 4 and 6, respectively.

Whilst Spearman concluded that people who performed well at

varying tasks tended to use the same part of the brain, g, Gardner

asserts that each of the above intelligences is located in one or more

particular areas of the brain. Some of the evidence for this belief is

provided by the study of people who have suffered brain damage,

either from strokes or other causes, and who may, for example, still be

able to sing words despite having lost the ability to use expressive

speech.

Although the jury may still be out on the debate as to whether the

g factor, as gauged by IQ tests, is just one single general intelligence,

or whether there are, as Gardner and others suggest, a set of

independent mental domains, it would appear to be coming increasingly

apparent that, as we learn more about the human brain and how

different parts of the brain appear to generate different intelligences,

the more compelling Gardner’s theory becomes.

The main lesson to be learned from this is that people can be

intelligent in many different ways. It is completely wrong to write off

or even put down someone who has scored badly in an IQ test which,

after all, has only provided us with one type of information about that

individual. All of us have the potential for achievement in some kind

of intelligence and we also possess the potential for improvement in

many other areas.

Although there are types of intelligence that cannot be tested in a

book, for example, aptitude at performing physical tasks or playing a

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Introduction

musical instrument, in the chapters that follow as many different

types of intelligence will be tested and explored as is feasible to do.

Intelligence quotient (IQ)

Intelligence quotient (IQ) is an age-related measure of intelligence

level and is described as 100 times the mental age. The word ‘quotient’

means the result of dividing one quantity by another, and a definition

of intelligence is mental ability or quickness of mind.

Such tests are based on the belief that every person possesses a single

general ability of mind. It is this which determines how efficiently each

of us deals with situations as they arise, and how we profit intellectually from our experiences. This ability of mind varies in amount from person

to person, and is what intelligence (IQ tests) attempt to measure.

Generally such tests consist of a graded series of tasks, each of

which has been standardised with a large representative population of

individuals. Such a procedure establishes the average IQ as 100.

IQ tests are part of what is generally referred to as ‘psychometric

testing’. Such test content may be addressed to almost any aspect of

our intellectual or emotional make-up, including personality, attitude

and intelligence.

Psychometric tests are basically tools used for measuring the mind;

the word ‘metric’ means measure and the word ‘psycho’ means mind.

There are two types of psychometric test, which are usually used in

tandem. These are aptitude tests, which assess your abilities, and personality questionnaires, which assess your character and personality.

In contrast to specific proficiencies, intelligence tests are standard

examinations devised to measure human intelligence as distinct from

attainments. There are several different types of intelligence test, for

example, Cattell, Stanford^Binet and Wechsler, each having its own

different scale of intelligence.

The Stanford^Binet is heavily weighted with questions involving

verbal abilities and is widely used in the United States of America, and

the Weschler scales consist of two separate verbal and performance

sub-scales, each with its own IQ rating.

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The Complete Book of Intelligence Tests

It is generally agreed by advocates of IQ testing that an

individual’s IQ rating is mainly hereditary and remains constant in

development to about the age of 13, after which it is shown to slow

down, and beyond the age of 18 little or no improvement is found. It

is further agreed that the most marked increase in a person’s IQ takes

place in early childhood, and theories are continually put forward

about different contributory factors, for example, it has been claimed

recently, following research in Japan, that the playing of computer

games by children, which involve a high degree of skill and agility of

mind, have resulted in higher IQ measurement.

IQ Tests are standardised after being given to many thousands of

people and an average IQ (100) established, a score above or below

this norm being used to establish the subject’s actual IQ rating.