# What is the qualitative difference between IQ scores **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-qualitative-difference-between-iq-scores/761406 "2016-07-31T20:55:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-qualitative-difference-between-iq-scores/761406/21 "2016-08-01T23:01:20Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I’m not entirely sure. > > With physical strength, I’m guessing humans follow a bell curve distribution. Take an easy to measure metric like the bench press for adults, and the numbers probably go from 10 lbs up to 800 lbs. So people on the extreme ends can bench press 80x as much as each other. > > I do not know if there is some kind of metric for IQ that can do the same thing. Since we (humans) are the ones writing these tests, why can’t we determine some kind of linear progression in how efficient people are at the skills that make up IQ? Why can’t someone determine that an IQ of 130 means you are 300% better at pattern recognition or reasoning than someone with an IQ of 100? > > To my knowledge it hasn’t been done, but what do I know. You can do it to some degree but it is of limited use and requires a new study for everything you want to measure along with theoretical justification of every metric you are interested in. A simple example would be something like looking at the verbal score that is a major component of many major IQ tests and correlating that to vocabulary size. IQ verbal scores and vocabulary size will correlate strongly but not perfectly especially for some groups like non-native speakers of the language it was given in. If you are really interested in vocabulary size, it is easier and better to just give a test designed to measure that directly. The same thing is true for all general measures including your example. There are tests that measure general athletic ability in the same way that IQ tests measure mental capability but, if you want to know something like how much weight someone can bench press, the only way to know that is to have them tested for that specific skill. The test of general athletic ability will give you a really good idea of who will perform well, average and poorly but it won’t tell you the specific results until you actually measure the one you are interested in. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-qualitative-difference-between-iq-scores/761406/22 "2016-08-02T01:19:55Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > [http://qz.com/334926/your-college-major-is-a-pretty-good-indication-of-how-smart-you-are/](http://qz.com/334926/your-college-major-is-a-pretty-good-indication-of-how-smart-you-are/) > > If you look at [this](https://qzprod.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/phds.png?w=640) chart in that article, people who earn a bachelors degree in education have about 1/4 the visual, math and verbal aptitude of people who earn a PhD in the physical sciences or engineering. However I don’t know how that is gauged. But the IQ difference between the groups in numbers is not that huge. I’d wager the IQ of people who earn a B.A. in education is about 110, the average IQ of someone who earns a PhD in engineering or physical science is probably closer to 130. However that implies the people earning the PhD have 4 times the specific aptitude and 2.6x the general aptitude despite having an IQ only 18% higher. > > But I don’t know if I’m reading that chart correctly. It may just be the scores relative to each other, probably not raw aptitude in those fields. > [@Nava](#): > > It’s a type of intelligence, and frankly some of the Chemistry PhDs I’ve known were about as creative as a flower pot without the flowers. Are you also going to discount all other STEM fields, plus anything requiring the ability to express one’s thoughts clear and understandably? Because if we discount all those, there aren’t many fields left. I can attest there are some people earning Ph.D.s that are not that bright. The general trend might be most of the people going for Ph.D.s have higher “IQs”, but that isn’t always the case. I was in a biological field and one infamous person in my department was basically given a Ph.D. to: 1) get rid of the person as they were just poison to the dept. being there, and 2) so the graduate committee would not have to admit they made a mistake in admitting the person in the first place. Rare, but it does happen. So, don’t believe that just because someone has a Ph.D. they are somehow possessed of a higher IQ. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-qualitative-difference-between-iq-scores/761406/23 "2016-08-02T02:18:48Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I can attest there are some people earning Ph.D.s that are not that bright. The general trend might be most of the people going for Ph.D.s have higher “IQs”, but that isn’t always the case. > > I was in a biological field and one infamous person in my department was basically given a Ph.D. to: 1) get rid of the person as they were just poison to the dept. being there, and 2) so the graduate committee would not have to admit they made a mistake in admitting the person in the first place. > > Rare, but it does happen. So, don’t believe that just because someone has a Ph.D. they are somehow possessed of a higher IQ. I am not able to find cites right now, but I am under the impression that the average IQ of a high school graduate is about 104 (because the less intelligent people drop out), average IQ of a college graduate is 115 and IQ of someone who obtains a PhD is about 125. Those are averages obviously, and yeah there are going to be some really dumb people who still manage (I know people who graduated high school who probably have IQs in the 80s). But on average, the higher your education the higher your IQ. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-qualitative-difference-between-iq-scores/761406.md?page=1)