IQ & Resilience

Augmentation

Mark Ashton Smith, Ph.D.

2016

IQMindware.com
HRPLab.org

Cambridge, UK
 Foreword
IQ is a measure of our general cognitive ability. We live in an increasingly
cognitive world.

‘Cognition’ comes from the Latin cognosco – con ‘with’ + gnōscō ‘know’ – and
the Ancient Greek verb meaning ‘I know, perceive’. Cognition concerns getting,
storing, processing and using knowledge. It concerns perception, memory,
learning, problem-solving, strategy, skill-sets, expertise and decision-making.
At a meta-level it involves goal focus, mental flexibility, multi-tasking,
prioritization and self-control. The meta-level is called ‘executive functioning’
by cognitive neuroscientists.

 Cognitive ability enables us to learn and use the technologies & skills,
and process the information that enriches our culture and social lives.

 Cognitive resilience and performance is valuable cognitive capital in our

complex, dynamic, high tech, data-driven economy – in education,
training and employment.

 Performance in our skills, knowledge and expertise can be improved

substantially by applying the right strategies and interventions, allowing
us to push our limits, unlocking our potential to excel.

In this eBook, I review the most effective, evidence-based cognitive

interventions for augmenting IQ & cognitive ability, and building resilience to
keep performance levels high under pressure.

Mark Ashton Smith, Ph.D.

Cambridge, England
 Chapter 1.

IQ & Resilience
Definitions
 Intelligence, g & IQ
How smart we are – our intelligence - is our ability to grasp situations, reason,
problem-solve, and learn and act efficiently and effectively. An op-ed statement
in the Wall Street Journal signed by fifty-two researchers in the field defined
intelligence as:

A very general mental capability that, among other things,

involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think
abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn
from experience. It is not merely book learning, a narrow
academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, it reflects a
broader and deeper capability for comprehending our
surroundings—"catching on," "making sense" of things, or
"figuring out" what to do.

This was a definition from back in 1995 – 20 years ago. It’s still valid, but over
the past 20 years there has been a shift of emphasis in how we see intelligence
- partly due to entrepreneurial productivity and partly due to the success of the
artificial intelligence (AI) movement.

From the innovation culture comes and emphasis on productivity, captured by:

“An intelligence is the ability to solve problems, or to create

products, that are valued within one or more cultural settings.”
H. Gardner

From the AI movement comes an emphasis on goal achievement, captured in

these definitions:

“Achieving complex goals in complex environments.”

B. Goertzel

“Intelligence is the ability to use optimally limited resources –

including time – to achieve goals.” R. Kurzweil
 IQ - g Factor

There is good evidence for a general factor of intelligence, or g factor (g), that
summarizes the correlations observed between an individual’s scores on a wide
range of cognitive abilities. This is what IQ tests measure.
IQ test scores give us a baseline measure of this general factor, and IQ test
scores vary like a bell curve, with an average of 100 and most scores
(approximately 70%) falling between 85 and 115. An IQ higher than 115 – in the
top 15% - can be considered a high IQ.

Cognitive Capital

The current economy is based in large part on cognitive performance – what

has been called ‘cognitive capital’ or ‘mental capital’.

“…One element of human capital is cognitive ability: quickness

of mind, the ability to infer and apply patterns drawn from
experience, and the ability to deal with mental complexity.
Another is character and social skills: self-discipline,
persistence, responsibility. And a third is actual knowledge. All
of these are becoming increasingly crucial for success in the
post-industrial marketplace.” Professor Jerry Muller, March
2013, Foreign Affairs

Statistical research reveals a clear link between IQ level and income or wealth.
Here is some data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics back in 2008. Tested
IQ scores range from 84 to 116.
Looking at cognitive performance more globally, in 2010 Rindermann &
Thompson analyzed IQ test scores from 90 countries and found that the
intelligence of the people – especially the smartest 5 percent – made a big
contribution to the strength of their economies.
For each one-point increase in a country’s average IQ, the per capita gross
domestic product (GDP) was $229 higher. For the smartest 5% of the
population in each country it made an even greater difference: for every
additional IQ point in that group, a country’s per capita GDP was $468 higher.

Why is cognitive performance – IQ – so critical? Rindermann & Thompson offer

some explanations, consistent with our definitions of intelligence:

“IQ is relevant for technological progress, for innovation, for

leading a nation, for leading organizations, as entrepreneurs,
and so on”

And:

“cognitive ability predicts the quality of economic and political

institutions, which further determines the economic affluence of
the nation”

And they conclude:

“in the modern economy, human capital and cognitive ability

are more important than economic freedom.”

Cognitive Resilience
“The moment we believe that success is determined by an
ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard
work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” Joshua
Waitzkin

“Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected.

Sustainability is about survival. The goal of resilience is to
thrive.” Jamais Cascio
Cognitive resilience is the capacity to overcome the negative effects of
stressors on cognitive function or performance and harness stress for
greater cognitive performance.

We differ widely in cognitive resilience. Some of us seek out stressors as

‘challenges’ to motivate better cognitive functioning and performance. Others
try to stay in their comfort zone. Some of us are able to take in our stride
negative stressors such intense work demands, interpersonal conflict, financial
pressures or even loss of employment and poor health – stressors that can be
devastating to others. With low resilience, even with a high IQ, concentration,
memory, problem solving and decision-making – as well as mood and mental
health - may take a hit.

Cognitive resilience is more important than ever because (a) there has been a
steady rise in stress levels over recent decades, and (c) much of this stress is
due to workload that is typically the demand for productivity and cognitive
performance.
Cognitive resilience enables us to maintain mental focus and clarity in times of
stress and crisis and bounce back from setbacks. Cognitive resilience also
reduces susceptibility to serious cognitive health issues – insomnia, anxiety,
depression and burnout, as well as cognitive decline (dementia, Alzheimer’s)
with aging. In recent years, UK doctors have been noticing a sharp uptick in
visits from patients reporting stress, anxiety and dementia issues, and this
trend is not confined to the UK.
 Chapter 2.

IQ & Resilience
Increasing
Technologies
Working Memory Training, Smart
Drugs and tDCS Reviewed
The practical advantages of having a high IQ increases as our work/career
environments become more changeable and complex – more novel, ambiguous,
unpredictable, or multifaceted. This advantage is held in place with cognitive
resilience.

IQ training for intelligence augmentation and building resilience is a viable

strategy. Here we look at three of the most effective IQ-increasing
interventions that have a scientific basis – a basis in experimental laboratories
and the exacting standards of peer reviewed scientific journals. The methods
described below are part of the accumulated understanding of the scientific
community about what can increase IQ through neuroplasticity change – not
just temporarily but long-term.

Cognitive-enhancing nutrition, exercise and meditation are not covered in this

review that focuses on the use of intervention technologies

IQ Increase Brain Training Apps

Far-reaching advances in cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience over
the past decade have identified a close link between frontal lobe working
memory circuitry, and fronto-parietal problem solving and reasoning
circuitry – core elements of intelligence and IQ.

Our working memory is our mental workspace.

It is used for making relevant information accessible while screening out

distractions. It’s our workspace for images, concepts, language, numbers, etc.,
for online, goal-focused thinking, problem solving, decision-making, planning
or comprehension.

Working memory has a limited capacity – it’s a cognitive bottleneck. The bigger
that capacity the more the cognitive ‘RAM’ power we have for processing and
applying information and knowledge to the task at hand. This kind brainpower
lies at the core of being smart.
 IQ training software has now been developed for
selectively targeting working memory circuitry, resulting
in long term neuroplasticity changes increasing short
term memory capacity, problem solving ability, self-
control and overall IQ. One example of this kind of
training is the dual n-back.

A scientific review on the effectiveness of n-back working

memory training – looking at multiple studies - concludes:

“core working memory training produces far-reaching

transfer effects…because it targets domain-general
mechanisms of working memory. The results of studies
encourage optimism regarding the value of working
memory training as a tool for general cognitive
enhancement.”

A comprehensive review that I have written on working memory training for IQ

can be found in the article: Review of 2014-2015 Meta-Analyses on Working
Memory Training for IQ and Working Memory.

Working memory training

targets the fronto-parietal
brain network as well as our
attention networks. The fronto-
parietal network is wired up for
and adaptive problem solving
and novel task control – core
elements of our intelligence.
The neuroplasticity evidence is
reviewed in my article:
Working memory brain training
mechanisms.

In choosing an n-back working memory training app, ensure that you have a
version that incorporates interference control training. Recent
research (article 1, article 2) show that the link between intelligence and
working memory is specifically in interference control – the ability to filter
out distracting information that attracts your attention. Most readily available
n-back training programs do not incorporate this critical feature.

IQ Mindware’s brain training apps are explicitly based on interference

control to increase IQ. Other providers with sustained working memory
training programs include CogMed and Brain Workshop.

It should be noted that some popular providers have working memory and dual
n-back games in the menu of options, but because the training does not drill
down on these for a minimum of 8 hours over a period of 6-8 weeks, the
neuroplasticity change and associated cognitive benefits are not attained.

A comparison of popular brain training with working memory training

programs can be seen in this evidence-based infographic comparing sustained
working memory training with Lumosity training.

The articles supporting these graphs, incorporating reviews from 2014-2015

can be accessed at this link (click on the journal article icons).
 Brain Training to Build Resilience
Stress Reactivity

Low resilience is marked by stress reactivity and brooding. These are risk
factors for developing depression.

In a recent study by Kristof Hoorelbeke and colleagues (2015) at-risk students

with low resilience performed 10 sessions of working memory (cognitive
control) or placebo (visual search) brain training. They found:

 Increase in cognitive control was related to increased resilience.

 The cognitive control group was more resilient when confronted with
a lab stressor.
 Cognitive control training reduced brooding in confrontation with a
naturalistic stressor at follow-up.

This has implications for disorders associated with low resilience, as they
conclude:

“The current experimental study provides evidence for the

effectiveness of a working memory based cognitive control
training (CCT) in increasing resilience to depression in an at
risk population.”

Burnout

Stress related exhaustion (‘burnout’) has been linked to cognitive

impairments including:

 Weakened executive functioning / attention control

 Memory problems for personal experiences

Gavelin and colleagues (2015) have recently looked at the additional benefits of
working memory brain training to a standard stress-rehabilitation program for
patients diagnosed with burnout.

Results showed pronounced training-related improvements on both executive

functioning and memory, as well as subjective feelings of burnout
Effect sizes for everyday memory problems on three measures are shown
below:

The findings suggest that process-based cognitive training may be a very

effective and cost-effective intervention for improving resilience, productivity
and performance after burnout.

More on Evidence-Based Apps

If you are interested in finding out more about effective working memory
training apps, sign-up to this invitation-only mailing list.

Click for limited app promotions

 Nootropics (‘Smart Drugs’)
The issue of using medication for cognitive enhancement is highly
controversial, but the ethics of smart drugs is not discussed in this article.

Nootropics – also known as smart drugs, memory enhancers, cognitive

enhancers and intelligence enhancers – are drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals
(a product isolated or purified from foods) that are designed to improve
cognitive functions such as memory, attention and intelligence.

In 2008 the science journal Nature launched an informal survey into readers’
use of cognition-enhancing drugs, and found large-scale use among
academics. One in five respondents said they had used drugs for non-medical
reasons to stimulate their focus, concentration or memory.

In 2008 the scientific journal Nature ran a commentary on this topic

entitled Towards responsible use of cognitive enhancing drugs by the healthy.

The Nature authors outline the evidence in favor of the effectiveness of ‘smart
drugs’ and I will quote at length from the section “Paths to Enhancement” which
reviews the nootropics known to enhance brain function:

Ritalin and Adderall

“Many of the medications used to treat psychiatric and

neurological conditions also improve the performance of the
healthy. The drugs most commonly used for cognitive
enhancement at present are stimulants, namely Ritalin
(methyphenidate) and Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), and
are prescribed mainly for the treatment of attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Because of their effects on the
catecholamine system, these drugs increase executive functions
in patients and most healthy normal people, improving their
abilities to focus their attention, manipulate information in
working memory and flexibly control their responses…”

Modafinil

“A newer drug, Modafinil (Provigil), has also shown

enhancement potential. Modafinil is approved for the treatment
of fatigue caused by narcolepsy, sleep apnoea and shift-work
sleep disorder. It is currently prescribed off label for a wide
range of neuropsychiatric and other medical conditions
involving fatigue as well as for healthy people who need to stay
alert and awake when sleep deprived, such as physicians on
night call. In addition, laboratory studies have shown that
modafinil enhances aspects of executive function in rested
healthy adults, particularly inhibitory control. Unlike Adderall
and Ritalin, however, Modafinil prescriptions are not common,
and the drug is consequently rare on the college black market.
But anecdotal evidence and a readers’ survey both suggest that
adults sometimes obtain modafinil from their physicians or
online for enhancement purposes.”

Aricept

“A modest degree of memory enhancement is possible with the

ADHD medications just mentioned as well as with medications
developed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease such as
Aricept (donepezil), which raise levels of acetylcholine in the
brain. Several other compounds with different pharmacological
actions are in early clinical trials, having shown positive effects
on memory in healthy research subjects.”
The authors focus at length on the potential risks and ethical concerns of using
nootropic cognitive enhancers, but conclude:

“Like all new technologies, cognitive enhancement can be used

well or poorly. We should welcome new methods of improving
our brain function. In a world in which human workspans and
lifespans are increasing, cognitive enhancement tools —
including the pharmacological — will be increasingly useful for
improved quality of life and extended work productivity, as well
as to stave off normal and pathological age related cognitive
declines23. Safe and effective cognitive enhancers will benefit
both the individual and society.”

Cortical Stimulation – tDCS

A number of studies have shown promising results from applying electrical
current to the brain using a technology known as transcranial direct current
stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive technique in which a weak
current is applied to the brain constantly over time to excite or inhibit the
activity of neurons.
 Supporting Studies

In late 2010, a group of researchers from University College London and Oxford
University published a study showing that tDCS applied to the parietal lobes
enhanced a person’s mathematical ability selectively, without influencing other
cognitive functions. The improvement was found to have persisted six months
after the training, showing the IQ gain was long-lasting.

A 2011 study by Mulquiney and colleagues published in Clinical

Neurophysiology showed that tDCS of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC)
improves working memory functioning. The dlPFC is a region in the frontal
lobes toward the top and side: hence dorso (top) and lateral (side). It is part of
the fronto-parietal network of the brain that is a substrate of intelligence. The
researchers reported a significant improvement in speed of performance
following tDCS on an n-back working memory task (reviewed above).

In another study published recently, a team at Centre for the Mind at the
University of Sydney demonstrated that tDCS can dramatically improve insight
problem solving. Three times as many cortically stimulated individuals
succeeded in solving puzzles needing creative insight. People find it difficult to
think outside of the box because their problem solving ‘mind set’ becomes
crystallized by habits. By inhibiting the activity of the left temporal lobe, and
stimulating activity in the right temporal lobe, this team changed the balance
between the two hemispheres of the brain, leading to better release from
mental sets and better creative insight.
One of the team, Professor Snyder, believes brain boosting headgear could be
widely used.

“The thinking cap of the future is not one that helps us to

remember facts as the internet has solved that problem, but one
that facilitates learning and unlearning mind-sets. It’s all about
being original.” Professor Snyder

Some of the most recent work on tDCS was presented recently by Professor
Prof Heidi Johansen-Berg and her colleagues at Oxford University. They found
that just ten minutes of motor cortex brain stimulation increases the speed of
learning motor skills. In their study a musical keyboard sequence was the
learning task.

“While the stimulation didn’t improve the participant’s best

performance, the speed at which they reached their best was
significantly increased.” Professor Johansen-Berg

The researchers envisage the technique could be used to help in the training of
athletes and suggest that the same method could be applied to other parts of
the brain (such as the frontal or parietal cortex) to improve educational
learning simply by positioning the electrodes in different locations so the
current is focused on the correct area.

The potential for self-experimentation is exciting. As this BBC report on cortical

stimulation states:

“The relative simplicity, low price (around £2,000 per unit),

and portability of the technology may mean that, following
further research, a device could be designed to be automated for
use at home.”

Non-Supporting Studies

Despite the excitement about the potential of tDCS for cognitive enhancement,
more studies are needed. A recent 2015 randomized, double-blind, placebo
controlled study looking directly at tDCS applied to the dorso-lateral prefrontal
cortex (dlPFC) reported a reduction in IQ test performance compared to the
non-tDCS control group – particularly for matrix reasoning tests. There are
different tDCS methods and it’s important to look at the pattern of results from
multiple studies.

What is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn is a systematic meta-

analysis of all relevant studies. This has in fact been done with single session
tDCS in this 2015 meta-analysis, which concludes:

“There appears to be no reliable effect of tDCS on executive

function, language, memory, or miscellaneous measures.
Single-session tDCS does not appear to generate reliable
cognitive effect in healthy populations.”
So either there is need for more specificity in tDCS techniques for single
sessions to be effective, or effectiveness depends on multiple tDCS sessions.

Either way, unlike working memory brain training and nootropics, tDCS is not
firmly established as an effective cognitive intervention.

Summary
In this article I have reviewed two technologies – working memory brain
training and nootropics - that can have a substantial IQ increasing effect by the
exacting standards of peer reviewed scientific research. tDCS may also offer
cognitive benefits, but more evidence is needed. Brain training also has benefits
for building cognitive resilience.

The most effective IQ-increase technologies directly target working memory

brain mechanisms – the general purpose RAM power of our brain. But
technologies can be effectively applied in a targeted way to enhance more
specialized aspects of cognitive function such as motor learning, numerical
ability or insight problem solving.

Intelligence augmentation is a cultural enterprise that is gaining momentum,

but the technologies reviewed above take us into largely unexplored territory.
It is our privilege to be in an era of both imaginative brain science, and
responsible self-experimentation, to move forward in mapping out this
territory.
Chapter 3

IQ Tests
 General Intelligence (G)
As we have discussed, the most general concept of cognitive performance is
that of general intelligence.

IQ Tests
The most well-known measure of general intelligence – or g - is a standardized
IQ test. ‘IQ’ stands for ‘intelligence quotient’. Standardized means that scores
can be compared in the general population and you know what score is needed
to be in a certain percentile – for instance above average, or in the top 2%
(Mensa standard). Examples of IQ tests include the Wechsler Adult Intelligence
Scale, the Stanford-Binet, and the Cattell Culture Fair test, and Raven’s
Progressive Matrices.

There are many bogus IQ tests on the web that either don’t accurately or
reliably measure your general intelligence, or which give you an inflated score.
Valid, reliable, standardized tests are difficult to locate and are usually
professionally administered.

IQ tests are widely used in our institutions and organisations because of their
consistency and validity. Schools and universities use IQ tests (or ‘aptitude
tests’) to select and stream students, companies use IQ tests to screen
applicants, with estimates of 80% of Fortune 500 companies’ HR departments
using these kinds of tests for recruitment.

The IQ Score Bell Curve –

A ‘Normal Distribution’
With standardized IQ tests, IQ tests are designed so that their scores have a
‘bell curve’ distribution in the general population with an average of 100. This
curve has a peak in the middle where most people score and tapering ends
where only a few people score. In statistics this is called a normal distribution.
.

The area under the curve between scores corresponds to the % in the
population between those score. The scores on this IQ bell curve are color-
coded in ‘standard deviation units’. A standard deviation is a measure of the
spread of the distribution. 15 points is one standard deviation for most IQ tests.
Nearly 70% of the population score between 85 and 115 – i.e. plus and minus
one standard deviation. A very small percentage of the population (about 0.1%
or 1 in 1000) have scores less than 55 or greater than 145 – that is, more than 3
standard deviations out!

A critical insight from research over the past decade is that IQ is not a fixed,
genetically determined attribute. An individual’s score on the bell curve is not
static. Over time – weeks, months or years – an IQ level can change substantially.

What is an Average IQ Score?

Standardized IQ tests are designed so that the exact average (mean) IQ score in
the general population is 100. An ‘average IQ score’ or ‘normal IQ score’ can
be defined as a score between 85 and 115 – between plus and minus one
standard deviation from the average.
 What is a High IQ Score?
What is Mensa Standard?
An IQ of 115 or more can be considered to be a high IQ score or level. Only 15%
of the population have an IQ level of 115 or above. There is no magic bullet but
in general it is thought that:

 An IQ of 110 or above enables you to attain a college level education if

you choose it.

 If you have an IQ of 115 or above you are capable of the cognitive

demands of almost any profession, and can attain the highest levels of
education and training.

 The entry score for An IQ of 124 is needed to become a member of

the International High IQ Society. This is the first entry-point score into
high IQ societies. This is another criterion for a high IQ score.

 Around 2% of the population has an IQ greater than 130 which is ‘gifted’

intelligence. This is an IQ of 2 standard deviations from the average IQ.
This is Mensa standard – the IQ score on a valid, standardized IQ test
required to become a member of Mensa.

IQ Level
This table indicates how IQ levels can be classified. The IQ ranges are
conventional ones.
 IQ Score Scale

Types of Intelligence Tests

There are two broad types of intelligence test:

1. ‘Culture-fair’ tests of fluid intelligence, which is our ability to reason and

problem solve, independently of training and practice.

2. ‘Full-scale’ IQ tests that measure the overall g-factor (g) by multiple

subtests for different cognitive skills: reasoning, vocabulary and general
knowledge, visuo-spatial ability, short term memory, and processing speed.
Sometimes quantitative/mathematical reasoning is also tested in full scale
tests.

Very popular among standard intelligence tests:

 Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test (fluid intelligence test)

 Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices Test (fluid intelligence test)
 Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test (fluid intelligence test)
  Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (full scale test)
 Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test (full scale test)

Mensa accepts scores from approximately 200 different standardized

intelligence tests (click for qualifying test information here). Raven’s tests are
popular career / job aptitude tests. As described by the publishers of the
Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices test (APM):

Progressive Matrices Tests

Here is an example of a progressive matrix problem:

Matrix reasoning IQ problem

 How To Measure Your IQ?
Knowing that most IQ tests on the internet are not standardized tests, if you
want to test your own IQ level, how do you go about it?

One approach is to take a professional IQ test administered by a qualified test-

administrator, such as a private psychologist or a Mensa test official.

Professionally Administered IQ Tests

Professionally administered IQ tests (e.g. WAIS-IV or Cattell III B) give you an
accurate measure of your IQ level. They are typically administered by a
certified psychologist, educationalist or clinician. They cost to you will be in the
region of $300-$500 for an assessment. The test kits can be purchased
independently – at a high cost: $1,110.00 for the test battery (link).

A cost-effective method of measuring your true IQ level is to take a Mensa

Supervised Test. Mensa offers supervised IQ tests ($40.00 in the
US / £17.50 in the UK). This fee includes:

 A reserved place at the centre of your choice.

 The opportunity to take two IQ test papers. The Cattell III B and the
Cattell Culture Fair III A.

 The marking of your IQ test papers and your results returned to you in
confidence.
  Mensa Supervised test sessions are held at centres throughout your home
country. Click here for details from International Mensa. For those in
the US click here. For those in the UK click here.

.Free Online IQ Tests With Instant Results

There are many so-called ‘IQ tests’ online. The vast majority these or more
are not scientifically valid or standardized. They may be fun, they may even
be good for training purposes, but they are worthless as a measure of your true
IQ.

Free Online Culture-Free Tests

Here is a culture-free progressive matrices tests based on the Raven’s standard
and advanced matrices tests. The methodology used by the test makers for
standardizing the scores for this test are not made explicit, and its validity is
not guaranteed. This is an example of a test that may inflate your IQ score in a
way that is not accurate. However, it is a useful test for gaining practice in
matrix IQ tests.

>>Take the Matrices Test

IQ-Brain.com offers 3 realistic fluid IQ tests based on Cattell, RPM and the
Mensa-administered Figure Reasoning Test (FRT). The IQ score estimates are
comparable what users have been able to achieve on proctor-administered
tests. The tests have a similar number of questions and time pressure as both
FRT and the Cattell culture fair IIIa tests which are often administered by
Mensa to test fluid intelligence. This test-developer recruited a cohort of test
takers from all walks of life, but more importantly several test takers who
had taken a Mensa-administered IQ test. The test developer calibrated the test
to ensure that the raw score required to achieve a passing score of 132 was in
line with the Mensa threshold of difficulty. The test developer believes that if
you can achieve an IQ score of 132 on his tests, that you stand a good chance of
achieving a similar result with a Mensa-administered test.
The cost of 1 test result is $9.00, 2 test results for $12.00 and 3 test results for
$15.00. The tests measure IQs up to 148.

>>Take the Test

Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test (standard)

The classic Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test can be found at this link below.
Note that at the end of the 60 questions, you will be asked for a fee of 19.99
Euros for the standardized results. This is a valid IQ test for your fluid
reasoning, and since fluid reasoning is highly correlated with other factors of
IQ, this test provides a valid measure of overall IQ score. Practicing on this test
may help you with a job aptitude test, since Raven’s tests are popular here.

>>Take the Raven’s Test

The GIQ ‘Full Scale’ Test

The GIQ test will give you a valid estimate of your IQ. This is a good general IQ
test, combining non-verbal (spatial) and verbal problems, providing a valid
measure of your full-scale IQ.

The fee is $10.

According to the test-makers:

The GIQ Test is an online analogue for the most common clinically
proctored IQ tests. In our internal study, the GIQ Test correlated within
about 4% of an individual’s full scale score on a clinically proctored IQ
test. The GIQ Test’s sections are modelled after clinical IQ test sections.

The GIQ has the following features

 Time required: 25-45 minutes estimated. No time limit.
 Components of intelligence measured: full scale intelligence,
‘verbal’, ‘spatial’ and ‘quantitative’ intelligence. Your performance sub-score
on this test can substitute as a measure of your fluid intelligence.
 Culture fair IQ test? No. Vocabulary, similarities and arithmetic subtests are
culture-dependent.
 Repeat testing: No
 Fee: $10

Take the GIQ Test

IQ Mindware IQ Tests

IQ Mindware provides its own standardized IQ tests in its IQ Mindware Lab

Test Battery. These tests are modelled on Raven’s advanced matrices tests, but
they are speeded and take only 5 minutes to complete. They measure both fluid
reasoning like the APM, but also working memory - one of the sub-factors of IQ.

This test battery also has valid tests for decision-making, cognitive resilience
and EQ (emotional intelligence) as well as burnout, anxiety and depression –
for an overall ‘cognitive profile’.

Self Quantification
The fact that the tests can be taken multiple times means that you can track
your brain performance and resilience over time, and if you are doing brain
training or using nootropics, you can measure the gains objectively.

Find out more about these tests here.

 Chapter 4.

How To Join Mensa

In this Chapter you will learn the following:

 The IQ score you need to become a Mensa member.

 An explanation of how a Mensa IQ score compares to an average IQ.
 The official IQ tests that qualify you for Mensa membership.
 Where to find practice IQ tests for Mensa.
 How to prepare for taking a Mensa qualifying IQ test to maximize your
chances of success.
 What is Mensa and what are advantages to being a Mensa member.

An IQ in the top 2%
Getting into Mensa is not easy, even with ample preparation and training. You
have to score at or above the 98th percentile – the top 2% – on a standardized,
professionally administered IQ test. This is typically a score of 130 or more.

What does an IQ score of 130 mean?

The IQ score bell curve

As we saw in Chapter 3 above, standardized IQ tests are designed so that their
scores have a ‘bell curve’ distribution in the general population with an average
of 100. This curve has a peak in the middle where most people score and
tapering ends where only a small percentage of people score. In statistics this
distribution of scores is called a bell curve or normal distribution – as shown
below.
Standardized IQ tests are designed so that the exact average (mean) IQ score in
the general population is 100. An ‘average IQ score’ or ‘normal IQ score’ can
be defined as a score between 85 and 115. 68% of people score between 85 and
115.

The Mensa qualifying IQ score is a score that puts you in the top 2% of the
population in a bell curve like this one. The Mensa qualifying score is 130 or
higher, as shown below.
This table indicates how IQ levels can be classified.

Note that this IQ scale is meaningless unless you obtain a score from a valid,
standardized IQ test. Most of these tests are professionally administered –
for a fee!

How to test your IQ? Mensa

accredited IQ Tests
Standardized IQ tests accepted for Mensa membership are administered by
school districts (e.g. the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)), private psychologists
(see below), the military (e.g. Army GCT) and human resource departments
(e.g. the Wonderlic). There are two broad types of intelligence test:

1. Full-scale IQ tests, made up of subtests for fluid intelligence (Gf) as well as

vocabulary and general knowledge, visuo-spatial ability, short term
memory, and processing speed. Sometimes quantitative/mathematical
reasoning is also tested in ‘full scale’ tests. A popular example is the WAIS-
IV IQ test.
 2. Culture-fair tests of fluid intelligence. Fluid intelligence is our ability to
reason and problem solve, independently of familiarity, training and
practice. These tests measure intelligence without the influence of
cultural climate, level of education or verbal fluency. They are non-verbal
and require only that candidates be able to distinguish relationships in
figures and shapes. A well-known example of a ‘culture fair’ test is the
Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices test.

Mensa accepts scores from approximately 200 different standardized

intelligence tests (click for qualifying test information here). Some are fluid
intelligence tests. Some are full-scale tests.

The more well-known IQ tests can cost in the region of $300-$500 for a
professionally administered assessment.

The Mensa Admission Test

If you have not already taken an approved IQ test where you scored in the top
2%, a cost-effective method of measuring your true IQ level is to take a Mensa
supervised test – $40.00 in the US / £24.95 in the UK. This fee includes:

 A reserved place at the centre of your choice.

 The opportunity to take two IQ test papers. The Cattell III B and the
Cattell Culture Fair III A.
 American Mensa offers two test batteries by Mensa proctors that may
qualify you for membership. The first includes both the Mensa
Admission Test and the Mensa Wonderlic®; this is the battery of tests
given most frequently. This is a full-scale IQ test. The second battery
is a “culture fair” battery that includes the Cattell Culture Fair, the
Nonverbal Reasoning Test and the SRA Pictorial Reasoning Test. This
is primarily a fluid intelligence test. This needs to be requested
specifically.
  The marking of your IQ test papers and your results returned to you
in confidence.

Mensa Supervised test sessions are held at centres throughout your home
country. Click here for details from International Mensa. For those in the
US click here. For those in the UK click here.

Mensa online practice IQ tests

The Mensa Workout

To get you limbered up, try the Mensa Workout. This quiz is not an official IQ
test to qualify you for Mensa but gives you a good idea of the range of question
types involved in official IQ testing. The questions on the “Mensa Workout” are
biased towards people whose primary language is English. You have half an
hour to answer 30 questions.

The Mensa Home Test

Alternatively you can take the online Mensa home test for $18. As explained by
American Mensa:

The Mensa Home Test is a fun way to discover if you are Mensa material.
While this timed test will not qualify you for membership, it does offer
an equivalent score that correlates to your IQ range and provides a strong
indication of your likelihood for success should you choose to take our
admission test. For only $18, you can take the Mensa Home Test online
now, and it will be scored immediately.
 Other online practice tests
The GIQ Test
As reviewed above, the GIQ test will give you a decent standardized estimate of
your ‘full scale’ IQ – combining fluid intelligence (non-verbal) and verbal
problems. The fee is $10. According to the test-makers:

The GIQ Test is an online analog for the most common clinically
proctored IQ tests. In our internal study, the GIQ Test correlated within
about 4% of an individual’s full scale score on a clinically proctored IQ
test. The GIQ Test’s sections are modelled after clinical IQ test sections.

The GIQ has the following features

 Time required: 25-45 minutes estimated. No time limit.

 Components of intelligence measured: full scale intelligence, ‘verbal’,
‘spatial’ and ‘quantitative’ intelligence. Your performance sub-score on this
test can substitute as a measure of your fluid intelligence.
 Culture fair IQ test? No. Vocabulary, similarities and arithmetic subtests are
culture-dependent.
 Fee: $10

The iqtest.dk
The iqtest.dk test is a fluid intelligence test of culture-fair reasoning and
problem solving skills. As explained on the website:

This test is developed with the aim of measuring your Intelligence

Quotient (IQ). The test is Culture Fair, i.e. it minimises the effect of
cultural variables, such as language, mathematics, etc. The test is based
on logic, but is furthermore designed to test learning capability, memory,
innovative thinking and the ability to simultaneously address several
problems. The test measures the general intelligence – g. The calculation
of IQ is based on answers from more than 250,000 people
 Getting into Mensa:
Training Strategies
As noted above, Mensa accept two types of officially administered IQ tests:
‘culture fair’ tests that that measure fluid intelligence - your abstract reasoning
and problem solving skills; and ‘full scale’ tests that measure all sub-factors of
your intelligence, including verbal and quantitative intelligence. There is a
Mensa Admission Test for both. The culture fair test needs to be requested
specifically.

To prepare for a full scale Mensa qualifying test, we recommend the following.

Full scale IQ test strategy

1. Schedule a month in advance a Mensa accredited full scale IQ test with a
psychologist or educationalist or a standard Mensa Admission Test with
your local Mensa organisation. Ensure that you establish that the test is ‘full
scale’ – including verbal and quantitative problems.
2. Take the Mensa workout (see above).
3. Take the Mensa home test (see above).
4. Take the GIQ test (see above).
5. All these practice tests will give you a good estimate of your current full
scale IQ level – the type that is tested on the standard Mensa Admission test.
They will also give you valuable practice for developing test-taking cognitive
skills.
6. Leading up to your qualifying IQ test, commit to training your working
memory capacity. Working memory capacity is your mental ‘workspace’.
The larger the capacity, the more complex reasoning and problem solving
you can do, and the more efficiently you can learn test taking strategies.
There is a body of scientific evidence showing that working memory
training can have widespread benefits for IQ and resilience to stress (e.g. for
testing conditions) as reviewed above. IQ Mindware provides affordable
working memory training apps. Other options found in Chapter 2.
7. Leading up to your qualifying IQ test, commit to practicing full scale IQ test
problems. It is known that this practice can substantially improve scores on
full scale tests. Here is one resource for practice.
8. There are other lifestyle practices you can adopt over this period to increase
your brain performance and resilience. These include regular exercise,
intermittent fasting and a ‘brain healthy’ diet. Mindfulness meditation is
another strategy that can improve the results from your training. Detailed
information about brain ‘cross-training’ can be found here.
9. After completing brain training and cross-training program – which
typically lasts for 20 days minimum spread over 4-6 weeks - allow for at
least two days before taking the qualifying IQ test.
10. Take the official test.
11. Join Mensa (hopefully).

Culture fair test strategy

1. Take the free iqtest.dk. This will give you a good estimate of your current IQ
level. Take a note of your score. If it is 115 or higher, with the right
preparation and training you have a good chance of attaining a qualifying
score of 130 on a Mensa accredited IQ test for fluid intelligence.
2. Schedule a month in advance a professionally administered fluid reasoning
(culture-fair) IQ test such as the Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices
(RAPM) or the Cattell Culture Fair III IQ test with a local psychologist or
educationalist. Alternatively, request the ‘culture fair’ Mensa admissions
tests from your local Mensa society. Culture fair tests are essentially fluid
intelligence tests.
3. Leading up to your qualifying IQ test, commit to training your working
memory capacity. Working memory capacity is your mental ‘workspace’.
The larger the capacity, the more complex reasoning and problem solving
you can do, and the more efficiently you can learn test taking strategies.
There is a body of scientific evidence showing that working memory
training can have widespread benefits for IQ and resilience to stress (e.g. for
testing conditions) as reviewed above. IQ Mindware provides affordable
working memory training apps here. Other options found in Chapter 2.
4. Leading up to your qualifying IQ test, commit to training your IQ problem
solving strategies. Practice on fluid intelligence IQ tests, such as found here
on SmartKit. A Matrices tutorial can be found here.
5. There are other lifestyle practices you can adopt over this period to increase
your brain performance and resilience. These include regular exercise,
intermittent fasting and a ‘brain healthy’ diet. Mindfulness meditation is
 another strategy that can improve the results from your training. Detailed
information about brain ‘cross-training’ can be found here.
6. After completing your training program of at least 20 days (spread over 4-6
weeks), allow for at least two days before taking the qualifying IQ test.
7. Take the official test.
8. Join Mensa (hopefully).

Additional information
There are now around 100,000 Mensans in 100 countries throughout the world.
There are active Mensa organizations in over 40 countries on every continent
except Antarctica. The website for Mensa International can be found here.
Websites for national groups can be found here.

Advantages of being a Mensa member

Mental stimulation

You can find intellectual resources to exercise your brain in national

magazines, in local newsletters, and at regional, national and international
conventions. Mensans (Mensa members) have a profusion of special interest
groups. To quote from Mensa International:

Whatever your passion, there’s almost certain to be a Special Interest

Group (SIG) filled with other Mensans who share it! Mensa offers
approximately 200 SIGs, in mind-boggling profusion from African Violets
to zoology. Along the way you’ll find microbiology, and systems analysis,
but you’ll also find Sherlock Holmes, chocolate and Star Trek. There are
the expected: biochemistry, space science, economics — and the
unexpected: poker, roller-skating, scuba diving, UFOs and witchcraft.
There are SIGs for breadmaking, winemaking, cartooning, silversmithing,
and clowning. Heraldry, semantics and Egyptology co-exist with
beekeeping, motorcycling and tap dancing. Sports SIGs cover the classics
(baseball, basketball, and football) and the not-so-classic (skeet shooting,
hang gliding, skydiving). And any Mensan who can’t find a SIG to join can
easily start one.

Social life
Local groups meet monthly or even more regularly. There are widely attended
annual conventions offering workshops, seminars, and parties.

Mensa member publications

You will receive your national magazine with contributions by Mensans on a
wide variety of subjects. In some countries, in addition to the national
magazine you may receive lively local newsletters. Mensa also publishes it’s
own research journal on IQ related topics – The Mensa Research Journal – for
the general public.

Career advantage
In some countries Mensa sponsors a members-only credit card and insurance
program. There is also a program that aids traveling Mensans. There have been
reports that job applications have been easier with Mensa membership on your
CV – particularly if the hiring person is also a Mensan.
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