New Study Unravels Why Some People Tend to Overestimate Their IQ

Is one of your friends thinking he has a higher IQ than he actually has? Well, it turns out people might think they’re better than others because of age! A new study delves into the reasons why some groups of people think they have higher IQs than they actually do. The findings are surprising in some ways. The full study results were published in Brain and Behavior.

Both Men and Women Overestimate Their IQ

Scientists took into account both the IQ and the EQ (emotional quotient) of participants in the study. The results revealed both genders tend to overestimate themselves at a certain age. Males, for example, think they’re better off at young age. Women at an older age also tend to believe their scores are significantly higher than they really are.

The study used 159 young people and 152 older people to conduct the research. The average age of the older group was 72, with mostly women participating in both groups. Researchers first asked a set of SEI questions before subjecting participants to IQ and EQ tests.

Young males tend to overestimate their scores by up to 15 points. The result confirmed previous studies on the matter. Surprisingly, the results were reversed in older participants. Women in the older group reported higher SEI results, suggesting they might be overconfident in themselves.

IQ Is Still a Matter of Debate

Researchers still debate how to accurately measure IQ. Many experts believe a person’s intelligence simply can not be assessed with a single test. Some even argue it is pointless to try and measure it. Nevertheless, it has been linked to higher life achievements.

However, there is still one thing to keep in mind when talking about IQ – if someone brags too much about theirs, it probably isn’t as high as they say. The new study confirms this statement.

Study Goals and Achievements

Researchers who participated in the project say it is less about looking at IQ and much more about finding whether their perceptions are close to their actual intelligence. That is what SEI is all about. As it turns out by the results of this unlikely study, there’s still much to learn about SEI in older people.

Experts believe including the age of the assessed when determining SEI and intelligence is important, as it appeared to have impacted all tested factors. In any case, it might be some time before the results of that study are taken into account when drafting new IQ tests.