Real IQ test (questions)

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I am wondering about a real IQ test rather than those I see online. I would like to have one done out of mere curiousity. Are they expensive, and would I be able to find someone to do it simply to satisfy this curiousity? Also, how to they measure performance IQ in person? I did a study today where they gave a IQ-like test for which I will never be able to get the results (pout!) but I asked if she could tell me which one I did better on, and she said she is not scoring them herself, but it looks like the performance one is better. On online tests, my verbal is usually a bit higher, but the questions were much easier than the ones I was asked today (and I don't have very good verbal communication skills). Anyway, for people who have had the test, what is the performance and verbal part consisting of (I am wondering how much of it I actually completed today). I probably spent about a 1/2 hour on that part of the study--are complete IQ tests longer than that?

At least with the WAIS, performance IQ is measured by Raven's Progressive Matrices and block design.

I think that might have been what I did. I was given 4 and then 8 blocks and had to make patterns out of them. I don't know how well I did, but the tasks seemed really simple. I completed them all, but was also timed, so I don't know how that figures in. I also had to look at some pictures of patterns and "fill in the blank". SOME of those were a bit tougher, but I still think I did well on those.

How do they score definitions of the vocabulary?

No idea, but I know I got some wrong because I described them unusually... she kept saying, "Tell me more about 'pet.'" Uhhh it's an animal that lives in your house for companionship that you take care of. "Tell me more." It can be (lists a zillion types of pets). "Tell me more." ARRRRGHHHH. Lol. There was a lot of that. Like, obviously if I know and can provide definitions for much more complex words, I know what "lunch" and "pet" mean, even though I can't give you what you're looking for. But, I scored about 140 on the verbal portion of that test.

You did indeed do block design and Raven's. I have trouble with the block design because while I can do it in my head pretty much instantaneously, I have trouble getting my fingers to cooperate (I was on narcotics, as I'd had surgery the day before, which totally didn't help). I even dropped a block, and time kept ticking. So, not the most accurate measurement, I don't think. I scored 120 on the performance portion.

I gave almost that exact response, but was not proded for more (could be because mine was not an official test though). I said "an animal friend who lives with you" and left it at that.

I was asked to tell more about some words though like lunch and bell, and some other ones. Sounds like I did basically do the IQ test, just without it being official (and without me being able to get my results)

Who cares about blocks, or any of that other stuff. IQ is meaningless. What matters is what you know and what skills you have. That's all, nothing more! So what if you have an IQ of 150? If you don't know anything and have no skills, then you are nothing.

An educational psychologist would be able to give you an IQ test and you can probably find one who would be willing to fully disclose the results to you.

I don't know how much they cost. Probably a few hundred to $1200.

Performance IQ is measured by things like digit symbol coding, picture completion, block design, matrix reasoning, picture arrangement, and symbol search, but these are all vastly different sub tests. Verbal IQ sub tests include arithmetic strangely enough. However you should be able to see the scores for the individual sections.

The tests can help people better identify their weak points and strong points regardless of overall IQ. In fact in a lot of people on the spectrum, the over all IQ does not mean the same thing as it might for those not on the spectrum, because those on the spectrum tend to have a lot of scatter.

I agree with this. IQ can be interesting to know, like your Myers-Briggs, but it means SO much less than your motivation, curiousity, and other difficult-to-measure personality traits. I was required to take a professional test to get into an honors program in middle school, but have never told anyone IRL or online what my IQ is, and have never brought it up in conversation. Throughout the years, IQ has been used as a rationale for deplorable ideas like scientific racism, and in US schools its used primarily to put people into little boxes so the counselors can avoid the effort that comes with evaluating each struggling student individually. "Oh, your son tested as having a 75 IQ, he's ret*d, we're just gonna put him in the special ed class and forget about him." (they don't say this of course but that's what's going on). That same student might in fact might have normal drive and intelligence, but also have dyslexia or something like, well, autism!

Don't get me started on the a-holes at Mensa...while your reasoning for wanting to seek out a professional test seems sound, it's really just a waste of time and money. What value are you going to get out of it? If you get a high score, what will that tell you that you didn't know before? You just might turn into one of those people. And if you get a low score it will just make you feel worthless (which is not true of course).

"People who boast about their I.Q. are losers." - Stephen Hawking

It is only mere curiousity, that is all. Personally, I would still like to know.

I see your point. I can't help but what to know, but I agree that it doesn't mean a whole lot. If I find out I have an IQ of 160 (I'm sure I don't) or if I have an IQ of 90 (which I don't think I do), then I don't think it'll make a huge difference in terms of where I am at today (a university student with absolutely NO idea of what to do next, and little hope of ever having a full-time job whatever my IQ is). But I've wanted to know ever since I was young, and I don't trust online tests. I don't know if I'd be willing to pay 1000$ to satisfy my curiousity though....

nicologic.fr has some pretty accurate nonverbal IQ tests and the scores I've achieved on those tests approximated my WAIS nonverbal IQ quite closely.

Also, for more info on WAIS's subtests, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wechsler_A ... e#WAIS-III. The verbal's primary subtests are vocabulary, comprehension and general knowledge while the nonverbal part's main subtests are block design and matrix reasoning.

Also, I think your IQ is probably significantly higher than average. My intuition tells me that because we seem to be intellectual peers at the semantic level.

Last edited by swbluto on 09 Aug 2011, 9:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

Threre was one response from the woman who was the host from the TV show The Weakest Link that has stuck with me. A contestent was more or less bragging about how they were a member of MENSA. The host replied something to the effect of " so you're saying you are so smart that you have to pay someone to tell you how smart you are, that's smart"

I had to do IQ tests during testing for autism and AD(H)D. Not much of a "want to do it?" thing there.

If that's not option, I know that Mensa administers group (!) tests for an affordable price. Not sure whether they'll do 1:1 or 1:3 tests upon requests or if they would if you tell them you have autism.

I heard it's possible, but I don't know whether it's generally possible or only done so in some countries but not others or whether a couple of people were simply lucky.

I was quoted $800 for a full psychoeducational assessment, which would have included IQ testing plus a bunch of tests to figure out exactly where my strengths and weaknesses were. My adviser at university said if I got a student loan I could get the assessment for free, but I was too scared to get a student loan because my Mom's still paying off her student loan and I have less certain prospects of work than she does.

My testing cost somewhere between $800-1000 in Canada about two years ago in Canada. For those of you interested in the IQ info, the matrix reasoning test is a good indicator of what may be.
The results should be fully disclosed to you, ask in advance, before paying, what you will receive after and how long will they spend with you after the results are calculated explaining each test.

For me the whole testing time was 5 hours with two people running the test. When one was testing me the other was doing a check of the last test they gave me. This was done to see if they should give me another test that they may not always give individuals. Directly after all the test were completed the Educational Psychologist gave me a debriefing, about 45 minutes. When the full results and the assessment had been written up I went back for about 2 hours and she went over each of the test results with me, explaining what each meant/showed.

It was an expensive (should cost less IMO) and long process, but one I think was well worth it for my self.



The weak areas compared to the strong areas, the scatter effect, is used to test/check for learning differences (disabilities) as well as ADD/ADHD, depending on the test.

I will find my assessment and post the different test I had and what they are used to look for/diagnose. It might be useful for some.