Online IQ tests? How reliable are they?

monquixote

ToneControl said:

monquixote said:

chrispy108 said:

Phil_aka_Pip said:

ToneControl said:

Why refuse to accept the utility of these tests? They are the most scientifically valid and useful tests we have yet to devise. If you wanted apprentices, or choose people for specific training - they could be ideal.

Because the "science" is bunk. It's psychology backed up with carefully chosen statistics. It's an attempt to measure the inherently unmeasurable. Even worse are the "psychometric tests" which became fashionable about 20 years ago.

With years worth of feedback and tuning.

If the people who constantly rated high on the tests and were then employed turned out to be shit employees, companies would pretty quickly stop using the tests wouldn't they?

Funnily enough we used to use IQ tests for new applicants. The guy who scored the all time record score was an absolute disaster and didn't have a lick of common sense.

and the one with the lowest score was a star & became managing director?

Well no because the point of the test was that people who didn't have quite a high IQ didn't get an interview.

randomhandclaps

ToneControl said:

randomhandclaps said:

monquixote said:

Funnily enough we used to use IQ tests for new applicants. The guy who scored the all time record score was an absolute disaster and didn't have a lick of common sense.

Were there no clues at his interview?

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02072/TomRAINMAN_2072348i.jpg

An insensitive and inaccurate cliché

The vast majority (i.e. over 98%) of people with very high IQs are not autistic

The vast majority of autistic people do not have "special gifts", this notion is a cruel misunderstanding, caused by people thinking "Rain man" was a documentary.

Parents of autistic kids spend their lives trying to explain to people confused by this misinformation "no Johnny cannot play concert piano or do degree level maths in his head, he just eats cow poo when he finds it and can't communicate"

Thank you for the information.  As my wife and I spend a fair amount of time working with kids with various learning difficult, of which autism is all too prevalent, I was actually aware that the vast majority of autism sufferers and far from genius.  However it is handy for all those other people reading this who sensibly thought all autistic people were a superhuman race of cellular computers.

The point however that you may have missed is that Rain Man is not a film designed to be taken as a literal portrayal of a typical autistic person.  It is a film about a character called Ray who is a autistic SAVANT.  It is his autism that presents him with all his difficulties that Charlie has to help him overcome, and the fact he is a savant that means he possesses some amazing abilities.  Those who assume Rain Man is negative portrayal of autism either didn't pay attention properly or are ignorant of autistic savants, some of which despite their difficulties and autism related disabilities have indeed been some of the most brilliant minds and talents human kind has ever seen.  To say Rain Man (and referencing it) means that any sane person would expect autistic people to be geniuses makes as much sense as saying all motor neuron disease sufferers are likely to have an amazing grasp on quantum physics.

ToneControl

randomhandclaps said:

ToneControl said:

randomhandclaps said:

Were there no clues at his interview?

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02072/TomRAINMAN_2072348i.jpg

An insensitive and inaccurate cliché

The vast majority (i.e. over 98%) of people with very high IQs are not autistic

The vast majority of autistic people do not have "special gifts", this notion is a cruel misunderstanding, caused by people thinking "Rain man" was a documentary.

Parents of autistic kids spend their lives trying to explain to people confused by this misinformation "no Johnny cannot play concert piano or do degree level maths in his head, he just eats cow poo when he finds it and can't communicate"

Thank you for the information.  As my wife and I spend a fair amount of time working with kids with various learning difficult, of which autism is all too prevalent, I was actually aware that the vast majority of autism sufferers and far from genius.  However it is handy for all those other people reading this who sensibly thought all autistic people were a superhuman race of cellular computers.

The point however that you may have missed is that Rain Man is not a film designed to be taken as a literal portrayal of a typical autistic person.  It is a film about a character called Ray who is a autistic SAVANT.  It is his autism that presents him with all his difficulties that Charlie has to help him overcome, and the fact he is a savant that means he possesses some amazing abilities.  Those who assume Rain Man is negative portrayal of autism either didn't pay attention properly or are ignorant of autistic savants, some of which despite their difficulties and autism related disabilities have indeed been some of the most brilliant minds and talents human kind has ever seen.  To say Rain Man (and referencing it) means that any sane person would expect autistic people to be geniuses makes as much sense as saying all motor neuron disease sufferers are likely to have an amazing grasp on quantum physics.

So you know all about autism, but thought it was cool to joke about it, that's nice

My friend gets really pissed off about people thinking her autistic son will have special talents, and people making "rain man" jokes about people with high IQs is exactly the kind of behaviour that reinforces this.  Contrary to your assertion, plenty of sane people make this error, but at least your patronising backtracking might help in enlightening those fortunate enough to have no experience of autism

The comment about motor neurone disease is ridiculous. The issue with Rainman is well known, and a diligent professional should know about it:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-interactive-world/200908/dustin-hoffman-ruined-everything

http://csusmchronicle.com/2013/11/stereotypes-misinformation-about-autism-has-harmful-effects.html

and so on