Test Yourself For Above Average Intelligence

[total-recoil]

As I've mentioned before there is a very fine line between diagnosis of aspergers, giftedness or both combined. That is, the perceived symptoms of asperger syndrome are almost identical to symptoms displayed by children who may be gifted, i.e. capable from an early age of well above average comprehension of maths, language or music. Just like aspie chidren, such people create problems for teachers at school by struggling over social interaction and appearing to be bored in class or disconnected.
I should stress, you could maybe be smarter than you thought you were, an aspie or both of these definitions may apply.
You are invited to test yourself here. Feel free to consider how many of the below apply to you. I may highlight any definition that wouldn't normally apply to aspergers but you may consider if it still applies to you.
This is a very different set of criteria to what you'd encounter in a standard I.Q. test:


(1)I am a perfectionist and set high standards for self and others. Yes/No (not sure)
(2)I have strong moral convictions. Yes/No (Not Sure)
(3)I am highly sensitive, perceptive or insightful. Yes/No (Not sure)
(4)I am fascinated by words or an avid reader. Yes/No
(5)I feel out-of-sync with others. Yes/No
(6)I am very curious. Yes/No
(7)I have an unusual sense of humour. Yes/No
(8)I am a good problem solver. Yes/No
(9)I have a vivid and rich imagination. Yes/No
(10)I question rules or authority. Yes/No
(11)I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas. Yes/No
(12)I thrive on challenge. Yes/No
(13)I learn new things rapidly. Yes/No
(14)I have a good long-term memory.Yes/No
(15)I feel overwhelmed by many interests and abilities. Yes/No
(16)I am very compassionate. Yes/No
(17)I feel outrage at moral breaches that the rest of the world seems to take for granted.Yes/No
(18)I have passionate, intense feelings. Yes/No
(19)I have a great deal of energy. Yes/No
(20)I can't switch off thinking.Yes/No
(21)I feel driven by creativity. Yes/No
(22)I love ideas and ardent discussion. Yes/No
(23)I need periods of contemplation. Yes/No
(24)I search for ???? in my life. Yes/No
(25)I feel a sense of alienation and loneliness.Yes/No
(26)I am very perceptive. Yes/No
(27)I feel out of step with others. Yes/No

O.K., doing it myself, I get:
Yes to all except: 3= not sure 8 = I don't rate myself as a fast problem solver but am O.K. in my own time span
13 = I am not a fast learner and I tend to learn slowly and thoroughly
18 = Not sure
19 = I do have a lot of mental energy but physically I'm kind of lazy and like to sleep in late
22 = Not sure, maybe I prefer to discuss in my own mind
24 = Yes, but not in religious sense
26 = Am only perceptive in fine details but may miss obvious, routine things.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giftedness is not a matter of degree but of a different quality of experiencing: vivid, absorbing,
penetrating, encompassing, complex, commanding -- a way of being quiveringly alive." Michael
Piechowski, PhD
~ ~ ~ ~
There is indirect evidence for atypical brain organization and innate talent in gifted children:
Many gifted children and savants have enhanced right-hemisphere development, language-related
difficulties, and autoimmune disorders. ... gifted children have social and emotional difficulties
that set them apart. ...

 

[King_Oni]

What bothers me with these questions, and many tests alike is that a lot relies on "others". It requires you to pass some kind of judgment to where you should know what the norm is. Not to mention, that, perhaps more specific for people on the spectrum, we might experience things differently, thus I don't know if I can call this emotion/experience as such.

Just a few thoughts about a few of these criteria on this checklist.

(1)I am a perfectionist and set high standards for self and others.
When is a standard high or "too high"? And who judges if this standard is too high for myself? Or others? Wouldn't it depend on the people you use as a benchmark?

(2)I have strong moral convictions.
What constitutes "strong"? Without a frame of reference of others, I don't know if my personal convictions are strong. Perhaps they are weak compared to some.

(5)I feel out-of-sync with others.
Isn't this somewhat culturally defined, aside from relying heavily on the type of people in general you are around?

(7)I have an unusual sense of humour.
Unusual to whom? If I can laugh about it, it's not that unusual. Besides; what's unusual nowadays? There's a plethora of archetypes of humor, and probably for each of them, there's someone making money of it, meaning there is an actual audience for it.

(8)I am a good problem solver.
Perhaps, but compared to whom? Someone who doesn't try at all? Someone who is a "bad" problem solver, and how is this person a bad problemsolver?

(11)I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas.
To whom are they unrelated? If I can make that mental jump, they are connected somehow. Why do others need to understand MY train of thought?

(16)I am very compassionate.
Psycho- and sociopaths can be very intelligent. Those often miss this notion of empathy or compassion.

(18)I have passionate, intense feelings.
I'm not sure if I possess the identifier nor activation switch for "passion". And I'm quite sure this applies to some others on the spectrum. Also "intense" is like "strong"... where's the benchmark to this?

(19)I have a great deal of energy.
Compared to who? My mom? My nephew? Peers? And what if this is actually my ADHD kicking in (and it's fair to state this, since it's pretty common to be "hyperactive" nowadays).

(25)I feel a sense of alienation and loneliness.
Alienation yes, loneliness no. Do I still qualify? To be alienated, does not equal loneliness. Some people like being alone (or lonely), but might not like the fact they are alienated and misunderstood.

(27)I feel out of step with others.
See 5

 

[total-recoil]

To me, it makes total sense. I mean, for example:
"I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas."
I do this a lot. To give an example, once when riding my mountain bike to work, it struck me that while going up a small hill and changing to a larger gear, I had to physically push harder with my leg muscles. Immediately I connected electrical theory and mechanical motion. That is, the bigger gear was the same as a resistor in a circuit and the extra muscle power I needed to overcome the resistance of the hill and the gear was like increased voltage. So, this really helped me understand resistors and voltage in purely mechanic terms. So, very much so I connect with that question.
I do understand what you are saying here but I didn't personally find the questions too vague to get the general meaning. Like the "perfectionist" question really means do you set high standards for yourself and those around you? That is, the best you can do. If you fail short of your best do you get upset or agitated or just depressed?

What bothers me with these questions, and many tests alike is that a lot relies on "others". It requires you to pass some kind of judgment to where you should know what the norm is. Not to mention, that, perhaps more specific for people on the spectrum, we might experience things differently, thus I don't know if I can call this emotion/experience as such.

Just a few thoughts about a few of these criteria on this checklist.

(1)I am a perfectionist and set high standards for self and others.
When is a standard high or "too high"? And who judges if this standard is too high for myself? Or others? Wouldn't it depend on the people you use as a benchmark?

(2)I have strong moral convictions.
What constitutes "strong"? Without a frame of reference of others, I don't know if my personal convictions are strong. Perhaps they are weak compared to some.

(5)I feel out-of-sync with others.
Isn't this somewhat culturally defined, aside from relying heavily on the type of people in general you are around?

(7)I have an unusual sense of humour.
Unusual to whom? If I can laugh about it, it's not that unusual. Besides; what's unusual nowadays? There's a plethora of archetypes of humor, and probably for each of them, there's someone making money of it, meaning there is an actual audience for it.

(8)I am a good problem solver.
Perhaps, but compared to whom? Someone who doesn't try at all? Someone who is a "bad" problem solver, and how is this person a bad problemsolver?

(11)I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas.
To whom are they unrelated? If I can make that mental jump, they are connected somehow. Why do others need to understand MY train of thought?

(16)I am very compassionate.
Psycho- and sociopaths can be very intelligent. Those often miss this notion of empathy or compassion.

(18)I have passionate, intense feelings.
I'm not sure if I possess the identifier nor activation switch for "passion". And I'm quite sure this applies to some others on the spectrum. Also "intense" is like "strong"... where's the benchmark to this?

(19)I have a great deal of energy.
Compared to who? My mom? My nephew? Peers? And what if this is actually my ADHD kicking in (and it's fair to state this, since it's pretty common to be "hyperactive" nowadays).

(25)I feel a sense of alienation and loneliness.
Alienation yes, loneliness no. Do I still qualify? To be alienated, does not equal loneliness. Some people like being alone (or lonely), but might not like the fact they are alienated and misunderstood.

(27)I feel out of step with others.
See 5

 

[total-recoil]

"When is a standard high or "too high"? And who judges if this standard is too high for myself? Or others? Wouldn't it depend on the people you use as a benchmark?"

You judge. Is it at the standard you have set?

"What constitutes "strong"? Without a frame of reference of others, I don't know if my personal convictions are strong. Perhaps they are weak compared to some."

Do you have strong ethics? That is, a sense of justice and fair play? You don't have to be religious to have strong ethics.

"Isn't this somewhat culturally defined, aside from relying heavily on the type of people in general you are around?"

Probably not. I lived in various countries and everywhere you go there is definitely the same sense of normality more or less. Basically it's asking you if you feel relatively tuned into to those around you or do you feel like you're on another waveband?

"Perhaps, but compared to whom? Someone who doesn't try at all? Someone who is a "bad" problem solver, and how is this person a bad problemsolver?"

Maybe standardise and use maths? Or let's say you did one of those golden nugget IQ problem tests, are you good at solving such problems? Compared to others who are given the same puzzle?

"Psycho- and sociopaths can be very intelligent. Those often miss this notion of empathy or compassion."

Wasn't sure about that question either but, yes, I tend to feel compassion for vulnerable people and animals. Not social empathy in my case but often sympathy for someone who is having a hard time.

"Alienation yes, loneliness no. Do I still qualify? To be alienated, does not equal loneliness. Some people like being alone (or lonely), but might not like the fact they are alienated and misunderstood."

I'm sure it means loneliness in the sense of not connecting to other people. Do you feel like you're not connecting with most people as if you're on your own waveband? I don't specifically feel lonely as I have my interests and animals around me but people make me feel lonely as I don't relate to them at all. I can laugh and joke and make conversation but ultimately there is no specific connection not even with my own mother, brother or family.

What bothers me with these questions, and many tests alike is that a lot relies on "others". It requires you to pass some kind of judgment to where you should know what the norm is. Not to mention, that, perhaps more specific for people on the spectrum, we might experience things differently, thus I don't know if I can call this emotion/experience as such.

Just a few thoughts about a few of these criteria on this checklist.

(1)I am a perfectionist and set high standards for self and others.
When is a standard high or "too high"? And who judges if this standard is too high for myself? Or others? Wouldn't it depend on the people you use as a benchmark?

(2)I have strong moral convictions.
What constitutes "strong"? Without a frame of reference of others, I don't know if my personal convictions are strong. Perhaps they are weak compared to some.

(5)I feel out-of-sync with others.
Isn't this somewhat culturally defined, aside from relying heavily on the type of people in general you are around?

(7)I have an unusual sense of humour.
Unusual to whom? If I can laugh about it, it's not that unusual. Besides; what's unusual nowadays? There's a plethora of archetypes of humor, and probably for each of them, there's someone making money of it, meaning there is an actual audience for it.

(8)I am a good problem solver.
Perhaps, but compared to whom? Someone who doesn't try at all? Someone who is a "bad" problem solver, and how is this person a bad problemsolver?

(11)I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas.
To whom are they unrelated? If I can make that mental jump, they are connected somehow. Why do others need to understand MY train of thought?

(16)I am very compassionate.
Psycho- and sociopaths can be very intelligent. Those often miss this notion of empathy or compassion.

(18)I have passionate, intense feelings.
I'm not sure if I possess the identifier nor activation switch for "passion". And I'm quite sure this applies to some others on the spectrum. Also "intense" is like "strong"... where's the benchmark to this?

(19)I have a great deal of energy.
Compared to who? My mom? My nephew? Peers? And what if this is actually my ADHD kicking in (and it's fair to state this, since it's pretty common to be "hyperactive" nowadays).

(25)I feel a sense of alienation and loneliness.
Alienation yes, loneliness no. Do I still qualify? To be alienated, does not equal loneliness. Some people like being alone (or lonely), but might not like the fact they are alienated and misunderstood.

(27)I feel out of step with others.
See 5

 

[total-recoil]

O.K. during any spare time I get, I've done a bit of digging into this. I was wondering whether my thoughts about similarities between AS and HFA, on the one hand, and above average intelligence, on the other hand, are shared by other aspies or psychologists. To my surprise, I found this is already quite an issue in the circle of psychiatry and psychology.
Before I even begin, rest assured I have no definitive answer, except to say it's possible I think to be neurotypical with super intelligence and likewise to have aspergers and be super intelligent. Except that, in my view, if a neurotypical child with well above average intelligence isn't catered to early on, he or she can possibly go on to develop difficulties with social interaction and various other problems.
So, really the line between aspergers and intelligence is a very fine one indeed. I don't think there is any precise answer either or enough research been done to get to the bottom of it. I think the idea really hit me after I saw a fictional story about a girl who was given away to a think-tank by her mother. All her childhood was spent at the think-tank developing her brain, learning languages, music and maths. However, after escaping from the think-tank, she found she was unable to understand the rules of social behaviour and could only go about doing this textbook style.
Here is something I found:

"The difference matters. We need to know whether a child is struggling to relate to others and make their way in the world, due to functioning at a much higher level than their peers, or due to a neurological condition which makes these tasks fundamentally more difficult and challenging. One of the reasons this matters so much, is because of how you then address the problems: Do you respond to their difficulties by actively extending their education and increasing interactions with those of much higher intellect than their peers; or do you respond to their challenges by giving them remedial assistance and addressing their anxieties and behaviours with therapies and maybe even drugs."

P.S. out of necessity I had to delve into I.Q. as this is something that is thrown around so much. It's become synonymous to desdribe intelligence as "high I.Q. score". Here is some thoughts over I.Q.


"— the most comprehensive research study ever done says standard intelligence tests are far dumber than you are, with a Western University research team turning the idea of intelligence testing on its head.

IQ tests simply can’t measure the many ways people can be smart, say Adrian M. Owen and Adam Hampshire from Western’s Brain and Mind Institute. They co-authored the landmark study with Roger Highfield of the Science Museum Group in London, England.

“The whole concept of IQ really is bogus,” Owen said Wednesday. “The brain is complex and you can’t sum it up by answering a few question on a piece of paper.”

Their study included 100,000 participants worldwide who completed 12 online brain tests to tap their memory, reasoning, attention and planning abilities.

They also gave details on their backgrounds and lifestyles.

The conclusion: Test performance is based on short-term memory, reasoning, verbal skills and a host of other abilities, both measurable and not.

And no one test, or even a series of them, can explain it all.

“You can’t sum up an individual based on any single number,” said Owen.

Traditional IQ tests show 100 as average intelligence. A higher number indicates smarter; a lower number, not so smart.

Owen emphasized the research findings don’t suggest traditional IQ tests be replaced with better tests; rather, that intelligence as defined by any IQ test is bunk.

In what Owen calls a double-whammy against IQ testing, researchers also used functional magnetic resonance imaging to map the brain paths where all these different types of thinking take place.

Images of the brain at work show high-level skills happen in different brain circuits: there’s no evidence for an “IQ node” that unifies them all as a master control for all these different smarts.

“We need to stop thinking about people’s general intelligence in terms of a number” and start talking about brain function instead, Owen said.

 

[Ehmagerd]

(1)I am a perfectionist and set high standards for self and others. Yes/No (not sure)
Depends... but I'll say yes as my psychologist put that on my evaluation.
(2)I have strong moral convictions. Yes/No (Not Sure)
yes
(3)I am highly sensitive, perceptive or insightful. Yes/No (Not sure)
yes
(4)I am fascinated by words or an avid reader. Yes/No
I guess not
(5)I feel out-of-sync with others. Yes/No
yes
(6)I am very curious. Yes/No
yes
(7)I have an unusual sense of humour. Yes/No
It's not mainstream so i guess, yes
(8)I am a good problem solver. Yes/No
I don't know
(9)I have a vivid and rich imagination. Yes/No
I don't know
(10)I question rules or authority. Yes/No
Hell yes I do
(11)I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas. Yes/No
Yes
(12)I thrive on challenge. Yes/No
Not really
(13)I learn new things rapidly. Yes/No
Depends what it is, probably not
(14)I have a good long-term memory.Yes/No
yes
(15)I feel overwhelmed by many interests and abilities. Yes/No
Overwhelmed by the things I cannot stop thinking about, yes
(16)I am very compassionate. Yes/No
I could be if I had someone to care for. But I hate everyone. When someone actually cares for me and understands me I'll be happy to reciprocate.
(17)I feel outrage at moral breaches that the rest of the world seems to take for granted.Yes/No
Yes, but not at the regular crap. My morality is very different than mainstream.
(18)I have passionate, intense feelings. Yes/No
Yes
(19)I have a great deal of energy. Yes/No
Nope
(20)I can't switch off thinking.Yes/No
Yes
(21)I feel driven by creativity. Yes/No
no
(22)I love ideas and ardent discussion. Yes/No
Yes, new ideas. Sadly I rarely see any and it's just the same boring ******** that people continuously parrot to each other.
(23)I need periods of contemplation. Yes/No
yes
(24)I search for ???? in my life. Yes/No
What
(25)I feel a sense of alienation and loneliness.Yes/No
yes
(26)I am very perceptive. Yes/No
yes
(27)I feel out of step with others. Yes/No
yes

 

[ifightdragons]

I have to completely agree with King Oni on this one. Just answering these questions wouldn't seem to be anything more than a display of conviction of the self. I.E. your answers will most likely be psychologically comforting and softening.

You could argue that hardly any test wouldn't be very objective, but this one falls way too far over on the subjective side.

 

[Biblio-Love]

What bothers me with these questions, and many tests alike is that a lot relies on "others". It requires you to pass some kind of judgment to where you should know what the norm is. Not to mention, that, perhaps more specific for people on the spectrum, we might experience things differently, thus I don't know if I can call this emotion/experience as such...

King - everything is relative. In this case just read "relative to the general population." At least, that is the intent. Whether a test like this succeeds in doing what it intends on is dependent on the how the "general populace" was selected and who it is comprised of. The DSM is built around this - the "norm" is the majority and the "aberrant" is the few. Unfortunately, difference is usually deemed as wrong or something to be corrected.

 

[total-recoil]

Hmmmm, I think maybe this could have been misunderstood as some sort of specific diagnosis test. There are plenty of similar online tests for aspergers as well but all of these tests really point you in the direction of further investigation.
I happen to think the test is a pretty good one and would have been drawn up on the basis of what we know about highly intelligent children. However, it's not a diagnosis, just a preliminary prod in the right direction.
I agree there is a danger I suppose you could answer online questionnaires with a degree of bias but you should just be totally honest. If you answer yes to the majority of the key questions that is not some wonder diagnosis but simply a basis for further testing or research.

I have to completely agree with King Oni on this one. Just answering these questions wouldn't seem to be anything more than a display of conviction of the self. I.E. your answers will most likely be psychologically comforting and softening.

You could argue that hardly any test wouldn't be very objective, but this one falls way too far over on the subjective side.

 

[Autism]

I reject any type of testing for obvious reasons.
Similar to the doctor's office tests these rituals will often not do justice to the test subjects.

Further, it seems that by testing someone has something to prove. If one has to prove how intelligent he or she is then I would surely believe that a real intelligent person would not even have the need to test themselves because they already know.

To me testing seems to be the attempt to place people into neatly defined categories, similar to people in India when they are a part of the Kaste system. Kasten by the way in German means box.

By testing you are placing yourself in a box and you are not stepping outside of the box. Very misleading, and restricting in my opinion.

As I've mentioned before there is a very fine line between diagnosis of aspergers, giftedness or both combined. That is, the perceived symptoms of asperger syndrome are almost identical to symptoms displayed by children who may be gifted, i.e. capable from an early age of well above average comprehension of maths, language or music. Just like aspie chidren, such people create problems for teachers at school by struggling over social interaction and appearing to be bored in class or disconnected.
I should stress, you could maybe be smarter than you thought you were, an aspie or both of these definitions may apply.
You are invited to test yourself here. Feel free to consider how many of the below apply to you. I may highlight any definition that wouldn't normally apply to aspergers but you may consider if it still applies to you.
This is a very different set of criteria to what you'd encounter in a standard I.Q. test:


(1)I am a perfectionist and set high standards for self and others. Yes/No (not sure)
(2)I have strong moral convictions. Yes/No (Not Sure)
(3)I am highly sensitive, perceptive or insightful. Yes/No (Not sure)
(4)I am fascinated by words or an avid reader. Yes/No
(5)I feel out-of-sync with others. Yes/No
(6)I am very curious. Yes/No
(7)I have an unusual sense of humour. Yes/No
(8)I am a good problem solver. Yes/No
(9)I have a vivid and rich imagination. Yes/No
(10)I question rules or authority. Yes/No
(11)I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas. Yes/No
(12)I thrive on challenge. Yes/No
(13)I learn new things rapidly. Yes/No
(14)I have a good long-term memory.Yes/No
(15)I feel overwhelmed by many interests and abilities. Yes/No
(16)I am very compassionate. Yes/No
(17)I feel outrage at moral breaches that the rest of the world seems to take for granted.Yes/No
(18)I have passionate, intense feelings. Yes/No
(19)I have a great deal of energy. Yes/No
(20)I can't switch off thinking.Yes/No
(21)I feel driven by creativity. Yes/No
(22)I love ideas and ardent discussion. Yes/No
(23)I need periods of contemplation. Yes/No
(24)I search for ???? in my life. Yes/No
(25)I feel a sense of alienation and loneliness.Yes/No
(26)I am very perceptive. Yes/No
(27)I feel out of step with others. Yes/No

O.K., doing it myself, I get:
Yes to all except: 3= not sure 8 = I don't rate myself as a fast problem solver but am O.K. in my own time span
13 = I am not a fast learner and I tend to learn slowly and thoroughly
18 = Not sure
19 = I do have a lot of mental energy but physically I'm kind of lazy and like to sleep in late
22 = Not sure, maybe I prefer to discuss in my own mind
24 = Yes, but not in religious sense
26 = Am only perceptive in fine details but may miss obvious, routine things.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giftedness is not a matter of degree but of a different quality of experiencing: vivid, absorbing,
penetrating, encompassing, complex, commanding -- a way of being quiveringly alive." Michael
Piechowski, PhD
~ ~ ~ ~
There is indirect evidence for atypical brain organization and innate talent in gifted children:
Many gifted children and savants have enhanced right-hemisphere development, language-related
difficulties, and autoimmune disorders. ... gifted children have social and emotional difficulties
that set them apart. ...

 

[Andy R]

(1)I am a perfectionist and set high standards for self and others. Yes
(2)I have strong moral convictions. Yes
(3)I am highly sensitive, perceptive or insightful. Yes
(4)I am fascinated by words or an avid reader. Yes
(5)I feel out-of-sync with others. Yes
(6)I am very curious. Yes
(7)I have an unusual sense of humour. Yes
(8)I am a good problem solver. Yes
(9)I have a vivid and rich imagination. No
(10)I question rules or authority. Yes
(11)I have unusual ideas or connect seemingly unrelated ideas. Yes
(12)I thrive on challenge. Yes
(13)I learn new things rapidly. No
(14)I have a good long-term memory.Yes
(15)I feel overwhelmed by many interests and abilities. Yes
(16)I am very compassionate. Yes (People come to me for a practical perspective,. especially with bereavement)
(17)I feel outrage at moral breaches that the rest of the world seems to take for granted.Yes
(18)I have passionate, intense feelings. Yes
(19)I have a great deal of energy. Yes
(20)I can't switch off thinking.Yes
(21)I feel driven by creativity. Yes
(22)I love ideas and ardent discussion. No
(23)I need periods of contemplation. Yes
(24)I search for ???? in my life. Yes
(25)I feel a sense of alienation and loneliness.Yes
(26)I am very perceptive. Yes
(27)I feel out of step with others. Yes