Signs of High or Low IQ

The intelligence quotient enables us to determine the high or low range of an individual’s cognitive abilities. Cognitive abilities are the skills of the mind that it uses to process a wide amount of data, including reasoning, logical thinking, problem-solving, memorizing or retrieving, and decision-making. IQ covers almost all areas of an individual’s life, from his self-understanding to his theory of mind.

If a person has a high IQ, his chances of making progress in a field are higher compared to a person who has a low IQ. Therefore, we should polish our mental skills from time to time in order to function appropriately in society. Low IQ can become a barrier between you and success, while high IQ can pave the way to success; let’s discuss the signs of low and high IQ.

Understanding High IQ

In the past, people had an idea that some of us are highly intelligent while others are unable to perform complex tasks. Some cultures were based on the caste system in which upper caste people were considered highly intelligent while the lower cast were ordinary people. With the passage of time, these caste systems and hierarchies changed, and during the Industrial Revolution, people who owned more resources were considered intelligent compared to their workers.

The purpose of mentioning a brief background of intelligence is to convey a message that intelligence is shaped by the values of society and the culture in which we live. In Eastern cultures, high intelligence is associated with authority, harmony, and a holistic view. Meanwhile, high intelligence in Western culture is associated with competition, individual achievement, and analytical thinking.

Therefore, we should understand the term intelligence based on cultural and societal values. There are some universal high IQ signs we can find in both Eastern and Western cultures, in small and large societies, and at all hierarchical levels. Let’s see each one of them in detail.

High IQ Signs in Childhood

Rapid Learning

A high-IQ child is more prone to learn skills quicker than the average kid. For example, the child may learn speaking language faster, polish reading skills efficiently, and engage in complex cognitive tasks. Additionally, the majority of the high-IQ kids demonstrate more interest in mathematics.

Curiosity

Another sign observed in the high IQ kids is the curiosity to know more and more. They ask questions like what is beyond the sky, why the sky is blue, how airplanes fly, or why something is good or bad. Such questions are signs that the kid has an enormous amount of curiosity to question everything and find answers.

Problem-Solving

High-IQ kids are more prone to solve problems quicker than average kids. They like to play puzzle games, riddles, and chess.

They engage in both physical and mental activities. Additionally, they are creative and try to find new ways to solve old problems rather than applying old methods to sort out the issues.

High IQ Signs in Adults

Analytical Thinking

One of the most important signs of intelligent people is that they think differently compared to the majority of people. For example, they apply logical approaches and try to find out the proper answers to the problems. Additionally, they break down problems into smaller chunks in order to find solutions.

Excellent Memory

It is observed that highly intelligent people have incredible memory skills. They can memorize details that we usually do not consider, and they can memorize more quickly than the average person. Memorizing words and phrases is difficult, but numbers are nearly impossible, whereas high-IQ individuals can remember long numbers, dates, or timeframes.

Desire to Learn

Another common trait of high-IQ individuals is that they have a strong desire to learn new languages or learn approaches and methods to solve problems. The majority of the high IQ individuals are efficient readers and writers, and they spend most of their time learning something and then applying it in daily life.

Signs of Low IQ in Children

Slow Learning

It is possible that some newborn babies have lower IQs compared to other ones due to genetic factors. Such babies have slow growth of skills, such as rolling over and learning motor skills like crawling. They may also demonstrate difficulty interacting with other kids, being unable to understand social cues, and being unable to convey their message to other people.

Cognitive Problems

Newly-born babies are not smart enough, but with the passage of time, they learn to interact, think, and feel their and other people’s emotions. If a child is unable to find solutions to simple problems, finds it hard to learn a new language, or is unable to attempt simple mathematical problems, he may demonstrate low IQ.

Low IQ Signs in Adults

Cognitive Dysfunctioning

The difference between an average IQ and a low IQ person is that he has cognitive dysfunction. Simply put, he is unable to think clearly, cannot find solutions to complex problems, and fails to think logically. In cognitive dysfunction, people also have high levels of emotional reaction; they are more aggressive and unable to manage stress.

Memory Issues

The majority of the people who scored low on the IQ test demonstrate memory issues. Some are facing retrieval issues, while others are unable to form new memories within a specific time frame. Memory problems can be a sign of low IQ.

Attention Problems

People with low IQ are unable to focus on something for more than 15 to 20 seconds. Some claim that they have ADHD, while others link it with low IQ, arguing that their mind is unable to bear the cognitive burden, which is why it shifts attention faster than the average IQ people.

Important Note

The majority of people diagnose themselves on the basis of these signs, but it does not mean that you have a low IQ if you are unable to form memory or suffer from cognitive dysfunction. Such issues may occur during high-stress conditions, or maybe you are suffering from a mind fog. So, instead of diagnosing yourself on the basis of these signs, you should contact experts.

IQ plays an important part in our daily lives, and it helps us solve problems, think clearly, and memorize crucial details. Low IQ can affect all areas of one’s life as one is unable to compete with people and cannot accomplish goals. Anyhow, I have explained the major signs of low and high IQ in both children and adults, I hope this information will help you in the future; thank you.