IQ Tests Validity

Comments debate whether IQ tests accurately measure intelligence or general cognitive ability (g factor), their predictive power for success, cultural biases, legality in hiring, and comparisons across time.

📉 Falling 0.5x Science
4,962
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#970
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
40
2008
49
2009
169
2010
94
2011
121
2012
190
2013
189
2014
155
2015
134
2016
230
2017
254
2018
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2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
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2025
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2026
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Keywords

IQ US SD SAT WARNING PSAT wikipedia.org iq iq tests tests test intelligence measuring measure correlation genius ability

Sample Comments

projectramo Jul 24, 2018 View on HN

What is “better measured” with IQ tests?

butterNaN Sep 17, 2023 View on HN

IQ is a bad measure of the thing you're trying to quantificate here

pwny Aug 1, 2012 View on HN

"The only thing an IQ test is good at is measuring how close the test taker is to thinking the same way the test maker does."

naijaboiler Apr 26, 2022 View on HN

IQ tests measure something, but it sure isn't intelligence it is measuring

ekusiadadus Aug 18, 2025 View on HN

It does not have to be IQ test, right?

IQ tests seem to suggest otherwise.

giantg2 Feb 11, 2024 View on HN

I thought IQ tests were illegal?

amznthrowaway5 Mar 27, 2020 View on HN

Why not just give an actual IQ test?

QuiDortDine Apr 8, 2023 View on HN

This is a common belief that used to be true, but no longer is. IQ tests are reasonably good at measuring general intelligence, ie the g factor : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_factor_(psychometrics)

frankc Apr 10, 2017 View on HN

I suspect he is referring to iq tests. They have a pretty high correlation to success and are banned.