This topic came about because I have noticed an interesting trend that seems, to me to be on the rise. This trend pops out at me when listening to people discussing how intelligent their children are. The subtext in their commentary is that their children are more intelligent than others or at very least demonstrate more proficiency with a particular task which they take to be indicative their broader precocious nature. Now ordinarily, this kinds of talk does not bother me, except I suspect that it is happening often enough so as to constitute a statistical anomaly. That is, how can there be so many children with above average intelligence? Well the answer in short is that there can’t.
I suspect that the reason that this trend is salient, is because I am observing it in a school environment, on Facebook and other social media, and therefore it is much more obvious, and has the opportunity to present itself more frequently. In addition, I suspect that these children are being judged by their parents, as naive observers, that is not with the use of statistically valid and reliable tools such as a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or other IQ tests, but with the natural bias that most parents have towards their children’s abilities. Incidentally, if you think that you have taken an IQ test online and know your own IQ, you have not, and you do not. You have only taken an IQ test if it has been conducted under controlled conditions, by a psychologist or another registered and qualified mental health professional. So failing this, you do not know your IQ.
But this is the preoccupation that I want to discuss. It seems that most people are obsessed with intelligence to some degree and as a result with the measurement of that intelligence. Which are two very, scientifically, tricky concepts in terms of definition and execution, but that is an in-depth discussion for another day.
So to be more specific, being “gifted” is the conversation that I hear a lot about. That is typically, in the west, we label individuals to be “gifted” when they achieve IQ scores of above 130. This is with a focus on academic aptitude. This is a label that we do not resist. If someone wants to label our children as having ADHD, we are likely to want to reject this and fight against such an assessment, and in my opinion, rightfully so. We should all be cautious of labels. And the label of “gifted” is no different.
The problem here is, I think, that people’s vanity takes over and they get carried away with the label by making the assumption that the child’s IQ is genetically passed on and that the world has the parents to thank for their exceptional progeny, implying by extension that we are also exceptional and that the child is the proof in the pudding.
As a slight digression, the stereotype that gifted individuals become maladjusted, because of their superior intelligence makes it difficult for them to get along with less talented individuals, is wrong. Studies have shown that individuals with IQs of between 130 and 160, tend to score with the average and above average in terms of of adjustment, have greater chances of marital success, and are more likely to achieve their vocational goals. So those of your who claim that you have trouble getting along with others because of your superior intelligence are more likely just making a pretext with which to brag, and simply don't get along with others because you're arrogant jerks.
But getting back to labels. Other studies have shown that children who are made aware of their giftedness at a young age are significantly more likely to suffer from poor mental health in later years, because of a perception of a failure to meet the expectations of others. This seems to be a very specific form of social perfectionism.
This is a critical element to this argument and a very good reason to avoid the labels of giftedness. The reality is that IQ tests, are great at predicting academic performance, but unless your child is going to become a university professor, it is not likely going to predict your child's future success in the real world of work. Now you can see, how the label and the outcomes can easily be misaligned. This is like saying that if I can set a record breaking time at Laguna Seca on the driving simulator Grand Turismo, I am likely to be able to do it in a real F1 Ferrari.
Try to keep in mind that a high IQ is not going to help all that much, if the child lacks other parts of what makes us successful human beings. At the end of the day, reciting Pi to 100 decimals, or memorising the entire works of Shakespeare, is impressive but ultimately inferior to an iPhone and a good internet connection.
Keep in mind that one of the biggest elements that will factor into your child’s future success, is their creativity. Creativity is the ability for a person to create outcomes of value in a novel way. What we know is that creativity is moderately correlated with intelligence as measured by IQ tests, but not all intelligent people are also creative. In a 40 year follow up to a seminal study conducted by Terman it was found that none of the 140 child participants of superior intelligence who where studied, produces highly creative or innovative works.
It is thought that the personality traits and skills that predispose individuals to be creative, are not usually present in most people, even those classified as gifted.
So what would I focus on? This by the way is not advise, this is my own perspective and if you want advise in any of these areas, you should consult a doctor or a psychologist who may be aware of your specific circumstances.
I would keep quite about my child’s intellect, for fear of negatively impacting that child’s future with implied expectations of grand works. I would allow my children to be children. Precocious children often appear to be more mature than others because of their exceptional command of language, or their evident skills with abstract reasoning. But that does not make them emotionally ready to be adults.
I would also foster my child’s intellectual development as an extension of his/her social persona, not at the expense of it and I would encourage them to develop skills in divergent thinking, empathy, emotional analysis, will power and perseverance. Finally, I would indulge their curiosity and love for learning while helping them understand that no one aspect of their personhood should define who they are in its entirety.
This, I think, is a good recipe for the raising the strong and successful individuals we all want our children to become.
Thank you very much for reading, I will catch you again soon.
-Rod Peredo - SOCM Services
Watch the video to this post at: https://youtu.be/Q7Srpp5vvUk
