u/Jaded_Ad350

I've always wondered how much IQ really matters when it comes to success. Let's say someone has an IQ of 105 but works really hard, while another person has an IQ of 135 but barely puts in any effort. Who do you think would end up doing better in life?

I know having a higher IQ has its advantages, but things like discipline, motivation, and consistency matter too. Do you think hard work can make up for a big difference in IQ, or does intelligence still give someone an advantage that's hard to overcome?

I see RIOT and Mensa mentioned a lot in IQ discussions, and they seem to serve different purposes.

Mensa is mainly about whether you reach the top 2% on an accepted test for membership, while RIOT gives an overall IQ score along with a breakdown of different cognitive abilities.

For anyone who has tried both, how close were your results? Did one feel noticeably different from the other?

I paint in my free time, so this made me curious. I always thought IQ and creativity were pretty separate, but research apparently finds a connection between intelligence and creative thinking. The interesting part is that the connection isn't that strong, and a higher IQ doesn't automatically mean someone is more creative.

When I’m painting, sometimes coming up with an original idea feels harder than actually painting it lol. So now I’m wondering, how much does intelligence really matter when it comes to creativity?

I paint in my free time, so this made me curious. I always thought IQ and creativity were pretty separate, but research apparently finds a connection between intelligence and creative thinking. The interesting part is that the connection isn't that strong, and a higher IQ doesn't automatically mean someone is more creative.

When I’m painting, sometimes coming up with an original idea feels harder than actually painting it lol. So now I’m wondering, how much does intelligence really matter when it comes to creativity?

I've been putting off taking an IQ test cause I'm kinda scared of what the number might be lol. So I ended up looking into whether IQ can even be improved in the first place, figured it might help with the nerves a bit.

Turns out it's not really yes or no. Twin and adoption studies put heritability of IQ somewhere between 50-80% by adulthood, but it's actually lower in early childhood (closer to 40%) and rises as you get older, which means environment plays a bigger role early on than a lot of people assume. There's also solid evidence that stuff like early childhood stimulation (Head Start programs are a good example) can meaningfully boost scores, though gains sometimes fade if that enriched environment goes away later.

Then there's the "practice effect" thing, where you just get better at specific test-style questions without actually getting smarter overall. Less clear if learning new skills actually transfers into broader intelligence gains or just helps with that one specific thing.

Anyone else nervous before their first test? Did the feeling go away after seeing your score, or nah lol.