Verywell MindWhat is a Genius IQ Score?

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) testing remains a standardized method for measuring cognitive abilities, with scores following a bell curve distribution centered on a mean of 100. The scale encompasses multiple classifications, from profound mental disability to profoundly gifted, with 68% of scores falling within one standard deviation (85-115) of the mean.

Key Points:

• IQ testing evaluates fluid and crystallized intelligence through assessment of logic, spatial awareness, verbal reasoning, and visual abilities, distinguishing it from subject-specific tests like the SAT and ACT
• Standard deviation in IQ testing is ±15 points, with the majority of the population (68%) scoring between 85 and 115, establishing the parameters for average intelligence
• The Flynn effect demonstrates a sustained increase in IQ scores globally since the 1930s, attributed to enhanced problem-solving abilities, abstract thinking, and evolving educational approaches
• Current IQ classification system defines 11 distinct categories, ranging from profound mental disability (1-24) to profoundly gifted (180+), with clear delineations for clinical assessment
• Contemporary research suggests emotional intelligence may carry equal or greater significance than IQ in determining overall life outcomes

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Marilyn vos Savant, a magazine columnist, has the highest ever recorded IQ, with a score of 228.

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