Is IQ the Same as Intelligence?

Is IQ the same as intelligence or just a test score? Explore the history, meaning, and misuse of IQ to understand what these scores really measure.

Dr. Russell T. WarneChief Scientist

No, “IQ” is not the same as “intelligence.” IQ is the scores that someone obtains on an IQ test designed to measure intelligence. In other words, IQ is the metric used to measure intelligence, an IQ tests are the tool used to conduct that measurement. This is like how Fahrenheit or Celsius is the metric for measuring temperature using a thermometer. “IQ” is not the same as “intelligence” for the same reason that Celsius is not the same as temperature.

Origins of IQ

The first successful intelligence test was created by Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon in 1905. But they never used their tests to calculate an IQ. The idea of an IQ came from German psychologist Wilhelm Stern, who suggested that psychologists score tests use the formula of (mental age / chronological age) x 100 to calculate an “intelligence quotient.” In this formula “mental age” is the typical age of examinees that perform as well as a test taker, and the “chronological age” is the actual age of the test taker. Because mental age is divided by chronological age, this score was called an “intelligence quotient.”

The quotient formula is outdated today, and psychologists use a different procedure for calculating scores from intelligence tests. But the term “IQ” remains, though today it does not stand for anything.

Use and Abuse of IQ and IQ Tests

Professionally developed IQ tests are scientific instruments, and IQ scores are sensitive data. Like medical or other psychological data, they can be used to inform professionals and examinees and help people make better decisions. And like other tests and data, IQ scores and IQ tests can be misused, too.

Ethical and scientific standards are in place that help psychology professionals use IQ tests and IQ scores in ethical and justifiable ways. For example, at RIOT IQ, we respect examinee privacy and do not share scores on IQ tests with people who do not have a right and/or need to have access to a person’s IQ scores. Professionals who regularly work with IQ scores are aware of the ethical standards for using IQ tests. These professionals are careful to use and interpret IQ scores in ways that prevent abuse.

Test creation has its own standards for ethical and scientific development of IQ tests. At RIOT IQ, our Chief Scientist ensures that our tests meet or exceed these standards at every stage of creation. Professional psychologists are bound by these ethical standards, but non-professionals are not. That means that any test created by a non-professional is a test that is at a high risk for misuse or abuse. When selecting an IQ test, it is always important to find out who created the test and what their credentials are. Tests created by non-professionals or by anonymous parties should be avoided because these people cannot be held accountable for their errors and abuses.