How often do people lie about their IQ's online?

[LC EFA]

lightningandsnow  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Wed Feb-18-09 12:10 PM
Original message
How often do people lie about their IQ's online?

Whenever a "What's your IQ?" discussion pops up on a forum, here or anywhere else, I pretty much assume a good chunk of people are exaggerating.

Here's why. IQ's of 150+ are extremely rare - in the top 0.1% of the population or so. And, usually, in these discussions, a good chunk of people claim to have IQs of 150 or higher. Unless I've been hanging around on the MENSA forums, I'd have to say this is very unlikely.

And, nobody has the guts to say their IQ is average, or *gasp* below average! Like I said, statistically, not everyone who posts on message boards is a genius. Where, pray tell, are all these average/below average people? Do none of them have internet access or something? Geez.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x8531156

DUmmies lie. DUmmies lie all the time.

flvegan  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-18-09 12:14 PM
Response to Original message
2. Hell, in GD it happens roughly every quarter.   Updated at 4:42 PM
   
Matter of fact, we're due one fairly shortly.

By which time this discussion will be forgotten and everyone will be claiming a 150+ IQ again.

hobbit709  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-18-09 12:15 PM
Response to Original message
3. Mine's a bit higher than average but it ain't no 150.
   
And no, I'm not telling. It's not exactly something worth bragging about

Mmmmmhuh.

Rabrrrrrr  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Wed Feb-18-09 12:22 PM
Response to Original message
4. Couple things to offer here -
   
One is that probably a lot of people don't actually know their IQ, or they've taken some 20 question test on the Internet that gave them an IQ score.

But another is that since you are a liberal, you probably frequent fora that other liberals, progressives, etc. hang out at - and those people tend to be better educated than those who hang out at conservative/Republican websites.

And also, those who wish to frequent said boards are probably the people who are more into thought, ideas, and discussion than their less intelligent brothers and sisters. The dumb just aren't going to go to those places.

And, lastly, the below average probably have a higher percentage of their demographic that isn't even on-line to begin with.

So there's a certain self-selectiveness going on that would, I'm sure, skew the ratio of geniuses-to-proles on discussion fora than occurs in regular life.

But even so, I think a lot of so-called high IQ people are either lying intentionally, or have taken some dumb-ass poorly done test that gave them a score of 150 when they really don't deserve it.

*chortle*

Fire Walk With Me  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Wed Feb-18-09 12:40 PM
Response to Original message
7. If anything, I would lie upward.    Updated at 8:43 PM
   
My current score went down from my school days.

Well no shit Sherlock. 

NJmaverick  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-18-09 12:43 PM
Response to Original message
8. It's always a safe bet to subtract 50 from any publicly stated IQs
   
That's always been my cyber rule. The fact of the matter is, smart people don't need a number to make themselves look smart. They look smart by their logic, reason and command of facts.

Generous type are you ?

jobycom  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Wed Feb-18-09 01:35 PM
Response to Original message
13. When you have a 195 IQ, like me, you don't have to lie.
   
:smoke:

seriously, though, there is a filter involved. The average IQ is probably higher online than as a whole of the population because there are monetary and intelligence requirements to getting online. Narrow that further to online discussion boards, especially politics, and the average probably goes up a little.

But yeah, people lie about everything online.

For the record, I've tested everywhere between 115 and 148 on IQ tests, and according to MENSA, my test scores on the GRE indicate significantly above 150. So which do I believe? Depends on who I'm trying to impress. I was a lucky guesser on the GRE, and I was in third grade when I tested 115. The 148 was on a test I had taken previously, so I knew the types of questions if not the actual answers. So I've probably dropped the "genius level IQ" label on myself at times, when I've been more full of myself than normal, or more frustrated with the idiots I was arguing with. People want to be taken more seriously, and that's one way to do it--except of course that no one believes anyone on such matters.

 

snooper2  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-18-09 01:44 PM
Response to Original message
15. You can tell by the posts....
   
People saying "I have 147 IQ" and continual to wright there thoughts down at an third grade leval.

 

[Chris]

 

For the record, I've tested everywhere between 115 and 148 on IQ tests,

Yeah, that's kwite a strech thare. 

My highest score from a professionally-administered test was 127.  I will leave it at that.

[RobJohnson]

If anything, I would lie upward

Well we know his IQ is at least 40.

 

They would be lucky to get 150 if they added up the IQs of the entire threads participants!

[PatriotGame]

hobbit709  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-18-09 12:15 PM
Response to Original message
3. Mine's a bit higher than average but it ain't no 15.0
   
And no, I'm not telling. It's not exactly something worth bragging about

f1x0r3d - decimal point moved one digit to the left...

[JohnnyReb]

"I am the worlds smartest person. I get by on gummint handouts without working.", most any DUmmie.

Sometimes, for a brief moment or two, I wonder who is truly the "DUmmie" in this country, the workers or the free loaders?

[Chris_]

The average IQ is probably higher online than as a whole of the population because there are monetary and intelligence requirements to getting online.

Those requirements being the ability to recognize the Western Alphabet and the ability to breathe.

[JohnnyReb]

Those requirements being the ability to recognize the Western Alphabet and the ability to breathe.

IQ's should be falling by some degree. People walk around with a cell phone stuck in their ear, unaware and unconcerned with their surroundings and the world in general. If you're forever preoccupied (or have all your free time occupied) with some cell phone drivel, then you're not open to learning anything new....and soon everyone will be walking around with a laptop and a cell phone, staying in constant contact with their small little, ever decreasing, world until, the sum total of "general knowledge" can be measured in the single digit range.

[crockspot]

hmm.. I've never seen one of these "What is your IQ" threads on any of the sites i frequent. Must be a DUmmy thing.

[JohnnyReb]

hmm.. I've never seen one of these "What is your IQ" threads on any of the sites i frequent. Must be a DUmmy thing.

It is....and it'd take a volume of books to explain it completely. But to put it simply, they must reassure themselves often that they're not DUmmies.

[Mike220]

But another is that since you are a liberal, you probably frequent fora that other liberals, progressives, etc. hang out at - and those people tend to be better educated than those who hang out at conservative/Republican websites.

 

Right... this is among the funniest things I've read in a long time. You've got to love people that have to lie to get some self-affirmation.

[Karin]

I know, Mike, that one made me laugh.  This from a board who thinks the Dow Jones is some dude. 

The other one was the remark about "monetary and intelligence requirements to getting online."  My first thought was "like Bobbolink?"  This person is actually patting himself on the back for getting online???   

One last thing:  Does anyone else think the use of the word "fora" is pretentious? 
Oooooooo look at me!  I know how to make plurals in Latin!!!   

[jukin]

It is truly amazing how the super smart liberals at the DUmp are in the lower 3 sigma of achievement and success.

[BlueStateSaint]

One last thing:  Does anyone else think the use of the word "fora" is pretentious? 
Oooooooo look at me!  I know how to make plurals in Latin!!!   

Karin, I do that.  I tend to be a stickler about my own usage of various languages.  The Lord knows that I mangle them enough.  I need to do better.  Ever heard of the phrase "attention to detail?"  The Lord also knows that I don't do that enough, either.

[Chris_]

According to DUmmie math, everyone should be above average.

[Taxman]

My Internet IQ is somewhere in the 500 range.  Honest. 

[thundley4]

My Internet IQ is somewhere in the 500 range.  Honest. 

Did Stephen Hawking call you last week, before or after he called me?

[Taxman]

Did Stephen Hawking call you last week, before or after he called me?

Before, he always seeks my advice first. 

[Chris_]

Before, he always seeks my advice first. 

Yeah, then he calls me to get the right answer.   

[thundley4]

Before, he always seeks my advice first. 

And then he has to get the correct answer. 

[Chris_]

And then he has to get the correct answer. 

Beat ya to it.   

[Texacon]

I know, Mike, that one made me laugh.  This from a board who thinks the Dow Jones is some dude. 

The other one was the remark about "monetary and intelligence requirements to getting online."  My first thought was "like Bobbolink?"  This person is actually patting himself on the back for getting online???   

One last thing:  Does anyone else think the use of the word "fora" is pretentious? 
Oooooooo look at me!  I know how to make plurals in Latin!!!   

hahahahahahahahahahahaha  OMG!  You just posted EXACTLY what I was going to post.  You hit all three points.

^5 cause you MUST be a jeen ee us.

KC

[MarshallLaw]

My Internet IQ is somewhere in the 500 range.  Honest. 

He's being truthful, I tested him when he was through washing and waxing my car after mowing my grass. It was actually 497.243391, but I rounded up.


Myself, my IQ is yet to be measured. The current tests are not capable of calculating it, but it has been estimated at between 2,400 and eleventybillion.

[LC EFA]

He's being truthful, I tested him when he was through washing and waxing my car after mowing my grass. It was actually 497.243391, but I rounded up.


Myself, my IQ is yet to be measured. The current tests are not capable of calculating it, but it has been estimated at between 2,400 and eleventybillion.

Oh yeah ?

Well mine is a hundred brazilian.

 

[NHSparky]

It is truly amazing how the super smart liberals at the DUmp are in the lower 3 sigma of achievement and success.

And if you actually tried to EXPLAIN what that actually meant to a DUmmie, you'd be served an immediate helping of granite tombstone.

(FWIW, yes, I understand--even from taking Statistics over 20 years ago.  0.15 percent or lower, given that 1 SD covers 68 percent of the standard normal curve, 2 SD covers 95 percent, and 3 SD covers 99.7 percent.   Frankly, you overestimate their abilities, jukin.)

[NHSparky]

He's being truthful, I tested him when he was through washing and waxing my car after mowing my grass. It was actually 497.243391, but I rounded up.


Myself, my IQ is yet to be measured. The current tests are not capable of calculating it, but it has been estimated at between 2,400 and eleventybillion.

Well, if you take a simple test and send me a processing fee of $500, I can have your TRUE score to you in 24 business hours, along with a lump sum payment of 1110,000 dollars which has been held in a Kenyan bank waiting for Jomba the Solicitor to contact you for disbursement.