How do people with IQs of 140 - 200 think?

I probably fit into this category, my IQ is anywhere between 130 and 165 depending on the test used and I've scored high on tests my entire life. When it comes to IQ I don't really think about it, and for the most part just brush it off as my personality type (I'm INT J/P the final one really does just depend on the day... I've tested as both), either way people with those personality types generally score better on IQ tests because we think like the test designers which adds quite a few points.

I've been called a genius virtually my entire life, in school I was always in the 99th percentile on the standardized tests (aside from my ACT which was only a 32... 98th percentile). In high school I was kicked out of classes saying I should be in higher level ones, and outright called a math genius by one of my teachers (who then taught me for all four years) because I could perfectly understand a concept before the initial explanation was finished (really, I think I just had a very good teacher for my learning style, as this didn't continue past high school). In college, particularly in my programming classes I had many teachers and fellow students call my work genius because of my approaches to solving a problem (and again general ability to grasp concepts quickly). And in past work I've been called a few times (though usually it's just very smart). The word itself has no real meaning to me, I certainly don't feel smarter than anyone else, I just think my approach towards learning makes me a good problem solver, which has allowed me to get pretty good at applying what I know.

I've never been one to memorize solutions to a problem or facts and figures (and in school in cases like memorizing a periodic table for chemistry I would devise methods to cheat to avoid doing so) and instead prefer to focus on how to take a starting set of parameters and get my desired result. In a way this is more inefficient as I typically have to redo the same problem over and over because I don't memorize the answer, but at the same time I get really good at solving the problem and other problems like it. Additionally I've never put much focus on studying because I generally understand concepts quickly. If it was just pure memorization I would go over it for 30 minutes or so shortly before a test, and then forget it. This approach means for example that I'm very good at knowing how to order my thoughts, break them down, and sequence properly when programming but I'm very poor with syntax unless I use a language over and over for a time. In my current job tutoring, this means for example that I know what someone needs to write if we're going over programming but I'm not always certain of how to write it without reference materials because there's syntax rules for 10+ languages jumbled in my head and I don't focus on any specific one long enough.

The truth is, I don't feel all that smart, when people ask me my response is that I know just enough to realize how stupid I actually am. There's millions of people out there in my field that can run circles around me with what they know compared to me, or atleast should be able to. On this subject I actually get quite impatient with people who clearly know less than me about something when they shouldn't. The field is irrelevant. I've had quite a few heated arguments with computer instructors that know less than me in a class (and I've had a few that just gave up and had me teach it instead), I have little patience for people that argue politics but can only repeat popular talking points, even something as simple as picking up a strategy game with a friend (a game they play a lot that I've never played) I expect them to beat me because I have to spend time learning the mechanics, tech trees, and so on but that's usually not the case. Basically, I have high expectations of others and expect those in authority to have actually earned that position with ability but find almost everyone fails to live up to it.

Other than that I've noticed that I usually see problems entirely different from most people. I can draw parallels between one problem and another effortlessly, isolate patterns in almost anything, and break things down into a series of steps in order to pinpoint the exact issue. As a result I tend to be very analytical. Because of this a lot of day to day occurrences to make no sense to me, especially when combined with my desire to know how/why something works, this leads me to be very pessimistic in general because many everyday activities seem wrong.

I don't know. how do i think? right now it's pretty hard to cut through the glen fiddich, pizza and pudding i had for lunch an the rather large herbal "supplement" i just inhaled. normally, i try not to think about it but ........

reply to post by Hijinx


Hi, Hijinx, jinx! (Get it?) Never mind. Anyway, thank you for replying. Much appreciated. This wasn't as scary as I thought a reply to my "monologic wall" should be! The reason I do not punctuate, or format myself is simply because that's how I think. I wanted to represent myself as accurately as my self would allow. Also, part of how I am as a person is my exacting nature, and as such, I believed I should exact my nature to a fault, by showing it in text. Which is ridiculous I agree. But that's just how I am, I guess. For you, though, I will use some kind of format to my text, starting now:

Thank you for understanding what I had to say; thank you for finding it interesting. I am glad I was able be insight-ful.

reply to post by Snarl


Odd! Hello, Snarl! It is very nice (and also a bit frightening) to see it active again. Like I said previously, I had stumbled upon this site and this thread three years ago to the day (now three years and one hundred and one days) and had wanted to respond once the commenting had ceased. I had held this consensus up to three years, knowing I would respond even if there were still comments dating back to less than a year. There were, but it had been three years, so I responded finally! It seemed, though, that responding reignited this thread, as responding usually does. Also! I'll "Mark" your wonderings and king me one of my own: I wonder how many of these ' 'gifted' ' (as you put it) people are being uncompromisingly honest. I sure hope I am. Also! I would like to quell a bit of your wondering: I have reverted to lurking. Although, I'm not sure if one can call it a reversion, since my original monologue in this thread was the first and only thing I have posted to this website in its entirety. Anyway, have a great day, Snarl!

Conflagration
reply to post by Hijinx

 

Hi, Hijinx, jinx! (Get it?) Never mind. Anyway, thank you for replying. Much appreciated. This wasn't as scary as I thought a reply to my "monologic wall" should be! The reason I do not punctuate, or format myself is simply because that's how I think. I wanted to represent myself as accurately as my self would allow. Also, part of how I am as a person is my exacting nature, and as such, I believed I should exact my nature to a fault, by showing it in text. Which is ridiculous I agree. But that's just how I am, I guess. For you, though, I will use some kind of format to my text, starting now:

Thank you for understanding what I had to say; thank you for finding it interesting. I am glad I was able be insight-ful.

edit on 7-2-2014 by Conflagration because: Correct formatting, my dear!

edit on 7-2-2014 by Conflagration because: (no reason given)

Many people don't think with punctuation included, but what's the point in having an idea if you can't communicate it effectively?

reply to post by Aazadan


Hi there, Aazadan. While something such as this would usually be a perfect place for me to complement myself for being "not most people" in this particular case, unfortunately, this is not the case. This is merely a misunderstanding; I wasn't conveying a normal thought process that then would include punctuation. I was conveying a normal thought process that then would be punctual. Which I think is what HiJinx was curious about: why I was not punctual, did not "~punctuate~", and/or did not use proper formatting in my "monologic wall." As for what the point is/was, my ideas are for me, and for me to share. As such, communicating them any differently than they come to me would be a different point in the most individualistic of senses. It's a little complicated, but I always take things to a weirdly specific degree. Sorry! Thank you for your question!

I had my IQ tested by MENSA of Finland about 16 years ago when I was in high school and we were offered a cheap "official" test during psychology class. I scored 153 and I have gotten results in more or less seriously taken online tests from 138 to 161. I absolutely hate those silly "what picture is the next to come"-tests as they are just retard counting to find simple patterns from way too low quality pictures that are way too small to start with.

I know several other people who are officially tested by MENSA and are scored about the same as I or a lot higher. I haven't noticed any real "pattern" of thoughts and we all have our weaknesses and strong areas. My "speciality" overall is that I can find flaws, errors, problems and weaknesses very quickly - but I assume it is more because of my personality than my intelligence (or lack of it). I _always_ seem to think what is wrong with things, thoughts, persons, ideas, theories etc. before going to positive qualities. (Yes, I am a pain in the ass to work with, as I also seem to be overly "honest" and I don't bow for authorities in any situation, ever. So I always tell my "negative" thoughts and most people reject that.)

I am also very good (at least in my native language of Finnish) with words/language. I can make perfectly logical and somewhat complicated story lines instantly. I can be given any "subject/idea/character/situation/whatever" and I can make a story of (almost) any length without thinking more than a few seconds. I seem to remember all that I "thought" earlier and can put them together even when I am given any number of new "material" to work with. My rare friends and colleagues say it is amazing and unbelievably "genius" but ..once again, I think I just don't let stupid "rules" to stop me from being imaginative and innovative, and my "pick the flaws"-personality helps me to reject unfitting ideas very fast.


I have always been 90% "perfect" student from the 1st year at school, as it seems my tendency to go against authorities is not favored by teachers (as expected). I pretty much got 95-100% perfect results from every single test that I had during my school years but never got the best evaluation, for there was always some good reason for the teachers to "punish" me for being a smart ass, negative, unco-operative and "unwilling to learn"..

I don't think myself as genius/very intelligent but I do hate generic sheep and "talking without thinking" -types of people, who just repeat what they have "learned" and think that makes them intelligent, interesting or useful.


In my life in general, I am more interested about growing as a whole person, so I watch 5 to 10 documents daily while having like 40 tabs open to "check the facts" etc. I always have 3-5 things going on at the same time and repetitive tasks or concentrating to some small detail is an agony for me.

A long post, sorry for that. Ask if you want, will gladly share here or via private messages. I have some other "abnormal" ways of thinking too, but I don't think most people will read this long post anyways, so I will tell or reply if anyone wants to ask about them or about what I already told.

Text Purple]

What do I think like? In comparison to what?
My emotions? Empathetic thus distant
What am I like socially? I tend to stick with a small, very varied group who will take hours to get me away from research, but once out, have fun in my own way...I tend to stick to myself & observe, I'm too private to socialize with just anyone
My ideologies in life? My main one is to help younger children realize their full abilities in life as I believe in 6 years, a teen, maybe a few others, will manage to change the world. For the better. She'll be special, maybe not a genius but something else, unique & smart.
Other idealisms I hold fairly private & tend to not let on of exactly how smart I am.
I think we all have an almost altruistic like tendency in one or more things.

LiquidationOfDiscrepancy
How do geniuses with IQ's Of 140 - 200 think? How do you geniuses feel emotionally, socially, and what are your ideologies in life?
I would like to hear from posters who have official test results, and other forms of IQ test.



[edit on 113131p://444 by LiquidationOfDiscrepancy]

At my last Mensa testing I scored 163.

I don't think I think any differently than anyone else. I do have a natural aptitude towards absorbing and comprehending numbers and relational patterns, which may explain my music abilities along with my career choices.

The biggest thing I have noticed that I have in me that most people don't is the ability to visualize deeper, an example of this would be tracing a technical problem to a conclusion in my mind.

Though this ability I have found does not apply socially... I am not able to predict the outcome of a social problem quite as well, and often struggle to be understood by people.

But other than that, I honestly appear to live my life just as anyone else does... though my family have always called me geeky...

Peace,

Korg.

No idea what my IQ is, probably about 15 on a good day, anyway my comment on this is that alot of you guys seem to have IQs higher than 160, which is higher than what (people think) Einstein's was. IQ tests are useful to a point, but are not the 'be all and end all' of quantifying 'intelligence', whatever that is. Once you know the rules achieving nice scores on Mensa like tests can be done by anyone. Apologies for not answering the OPs question btw!

doorhandle
No idea what my IQ is, probably about 15 on a good day, anyway my comment on this is that alot of you guys seem to have IQs higher than 160, which is higher than what (people think) Einstein's was. IQ tests are useful to a point, but are not the 'be all and end all' of quantifying 'intelligence', whatever that is. Once you know the rules achieving nice scores on Mensa like tests can be done by anyone. Apologies for not answering the OPs question btw!

What you have to consider when talking about Einstein is the period he was living through. If Einstein had been born today believe me when I say he would not have been so prolific.

One issue I thought to add here is, often I get frustrated with people... I know I do it but I can't help it. I find it hard to do small talk and have few friends because I'm always too deep... They are talking about football and i'm talking Quantum foam and transhumanism... it just doesn't work.

Often people think I go off on tangents because I can clearly see through a process or discussion point when they are still at the beginning of it. Sometimes I really feel like it is banging your head against a brick wall.

So having an above average IQ has its ups and downs.

Peace,

Korg.

I fall into the genius range and so do my children. I have been called a narcissist, a jerk, big headed, rude etc but honestly I struggle to figure out why. I try and try to make relationships but fail miserably. I have been married for many years but have had rocky patches due to my behavior. I think everyone is stupid, I don't believe in God at all. I am the smartest person at my jobs every time but get fired for being a jerk but I try so hard to be nice. I can't sleep ever. Thoughts race through my brain constantly. I over analyze everything to the point it makes me sick. I can't make decisions if there are too many choices. If apple comes out with 5 new computers and I only need one I buy them all just so I won't pick the wrong one. I hate being around people. I can see exactly what they are all about in the first 5 minutes of talking to them and I am always right. I always look for the problems in everything. I prep for disasters, I'm ready for nuclear fallout. I have a bug out bag. I have contingency plans for everything from disease, fire, flood to nuclear war. I get frustrated when people can't know what I know when I know it. My handwriting sucks, I can't read a book because I get bored in the first few chapters and while I read it I think of a million different things. I take benedryl to fall asleep every night to numb my brain and it works. If I don't I stay up until the sun comes up and fall asleep out of pure exhaustion. I feel like an alien on earth. I feel like I am a time traveler and today is 1250 BC and people are primal. I can't understand how people think the way they do, how they believe what they are told, it drives me crazy. I can find patterns in second. I am a software engineer, I'm self taught. I have a college degree but its not in my field. I did poorly in school. Every boss I have ever had has said I'm a genius but then has to let me go because all the other co-workers just plain hate me. I find all their errors in software constantly and point them out so that they get fixed and it causes issues. I don't do it to seem better it just drives me crazy that there are inefficient processess running everywhere. I can look at code or a database and see all the problems in minutes and they seem so easy to me and obvious which leads me down the path of thinking the other workers are idiots. I have had numerous jobs at most of the companies you have heard of and even was hired by the FBI but could not even make that work.

Things for me are either on or off. Its true or false. Nothing is gray. I do everything to the max or not at all. If I get a car it has to have every option available, same goes for computers, houses, etc. I have to upgrade every possible aspect of the item or I don't like it. If I have something it has to be perfect. Get a tiny scratch on my car? Selling it. I have every cellphone made every year. I hate them all. I find faults in everything then hate it. Phone A is not bright enough, Phone B is too slow, Phone C has the power button too high etc. I don't know how people get the slower computer and are happy, or the 16gb iphone. Mine MUST be 64gb, not because I need it but because its the fully upgraded model and if I get the 32gb I will be upset that I could have fit an extra 32gb of space in there.

Sometimes I wish I was dumb because so many dumb people I know are happy and have tons of friends and when I say dumb I mean average intelligence (there I go). That is how I see them because they are not dumb, they are great people but they believe in God and go to church and I know all about how the church works and know its a sham and I hate them for going and feel they are just stupid for have being tricked by it all. Religion has really allowed me to group everyone that believes as stupid and way beneath me. If you say you are a scientist I think you are probably smart but if you say you have church tomorrow then that is it, you are now stupid to me. So religion has caused me to classify a large portion of the population as stupid. I can only look at athiests and go from there for my friends now. In fact if you believe in God you are off my list immediately. I have gotten to the point where I get sick just being around them for a second.

I can't tolerate average intelligence people at all. I spend my whole time out of my house bitching about why that person parked that way or why that person is doing that or eating that or buying that. If they don't do what I do then I feel like they made the wrong decision and why would they do that. I try to make everyone I know buy what I buy. Buy the washing machine I bought, buy the phone I bought etc. Classified as stupid if they don't since I research everything for days before I make a purchase.

I take everything apart, brand new iphone, taken apart everything. Took my car completely apart one weekend and put it back together because I was curious how it worked. Have been taking things apart since I was a child, I'm in my 40s now and still do it.

I feel like I'm cursed constantly. I connect with Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. Einstein is my idol. I hate sports as I don't see the point, I can solve any puzzle way before anyone else. But in the end, I feel good about myself, I'm happy I'm smart, I'm not afraid to die but would never off myself and am usually very happy. I love my family and take pride in my life even though I can't keep a job but hey they must be stupid to keep firing such a smart dude.

I've had fairly consistent results as far as IQ tests on the web. I normally score between 130 and 140. I like taking them. Prolly done it 50 times or so. My top score is 142.

Well I do range myself as having an IQ between 140 and 200.
I am a problem solver. From the work perspective, I do think out of the box and have been able to resolve many problems that others can't. Being into technology line i meet situations where I have to take a look at it from a different perspective.

Emotionally I am very vulnerable, very dependent on how people interpret me. Honestly I believe that i have a serious issue of inferiority complex. I get interested into somehting and then lose interest in it also very fast.

I cannot take part in mundane conversations about politics and sports like the regular people. But i love to read articles about new technology and unknown phenomenons.

I do stay low profiled and believe that my work speaks for me rather than be upfront and chat up which can be bad at times.
I am very much affected by how much appreciation i get and how much I'm ignored. That tremendously alters my confidence at all times.

First off, 99.99% or all people claiming they got a 165+ IQ are full of bull#. Einstein was 160 and the only practical range is 140-155 since anything above is usually just some injury that causes grey matter in the brain to no longer carry out its original functions but to focus on one particular thing, hence the reason many exceptional genius' are anti social. second, most of these comments aren't from actual people who have legit scores and is just somebody trying to act philosophical. I am 14, male, and scored above the 99 percentile when testing at the university of John Hopkins. Third, im not going to go through extensive efforts to make my grammar look good to make an impression, it sucks, Im just too lazy to actually make it correct, if it conveys the same message then who cares. In regards to your questions about how it feels to be exceptionally smart, its really not fun.... its not like your impressing your parents on a constant basis because they already expect a # ton out of you and you cant just pull out easy As (i'll explain). Socially, it sucks, really, it does. Its not like people like me just flock together and then talk about the theory of relativity. Socially i manage to give off an impression of interest and try to give input but 99.9% of all conversations im in just bore me to death and are meaningless to me, i just act interested for the sake of looking social. To give you an idea of how it feels, imagine your playing a video game and you have to go through 15 minutes dialogue on a constant basis that all seems the same but in different context. About when i said you cant just pull out straight As, I mean that sitting in class is the most boring thing to ever exist, i have two options, both result badly, if i try to listen, i just get bored because it feels like its at a rate of 10 words a minute and im learning nothing. But what usual happens is i begin to think about something really deep for what feels like i could just sit there for hours and never get bored just thinking, its actually fun. For example, in math, i take an honors class thats already 2 years ahead of my grade, and even in that, we spend about 10 minutes learning a few formulas, and spend about an hour and 30 minutes applying it. I completely zone out, I even began writing my own theorems/concepts of math at one point, which i absolutely love creating and showing to people, a lot take a while to explain but heres one, take any number (lower is easier) and add up all the numbers before it, then multiply the sum of all those numbers by two and add the original number, its equal to the square! for example, if we take 6, and add up all the numbers before 6, which would be 5+4+3+2+1=15, then multiply 15 X 2 = 30 and add 6 its 36, whats 6 squared? 36, see! but doing something like this instead of your work doesn't get you As... i just sit with my head down and think about stuff like this or deep thoughts about certain things for hours. To be honest, being "gifted" is anything but a gift, a gift is given, intelligence is a job. Emotionally, i carry very little emotions (i think i might be a sociopath as i carry practically every single sign of one), im manipulative, a compulsive liar, and feel nothing about what i do to others, of course i fake emotions to look normal. Example, when we were dissecting pigs in biology everybody was scared and barely able to look or touch their pig, i decapitated mine with my hands and extracted its brain. Everyday after school i suffer from extreme headaches because i overwork myself because i cant control my thinking, i branch on and on and on until it literally drives me insane. Im very friendly with others but my free time is 90% alone because of my headaches or because i love the feeling of being isolated from everybody, the feeling that i can just sit there and think or enjoy free time without having to interact with others because i have to adapt to what is boring for me. So back to your question about how it feels... i guess you would have a lot of fun for one day experiencing everything from a different perspective, but when you have nobody to share that perspective with, you begin to wish that you could just enjoy things naturally. Where i got my genes from i assume to be my dads, he worked on wall street as senior vice president for a huge firm and now owns a company around $7 million, and as a successful and smart person he told me that the true secret to success is determination and a passion for what you do. No matter how high your IQ is, it has no meaning unless you use it.

This thread is sufficient enough to realize IQ does not measure wisdom.

Fools who think their selves geniuses. Go figure.

my son is 11 iq 140, he says he thinks about computer games, he is very single minded, but sometimes lacks common sense, a lovely boy

originally posted by: Dinkleberg
First off, 99.99% or all people claiming they got a 165+ IQ are full of bull#. Einstein was 160 and the only practical range is 140-155 since anything above is usually just some injury that causes grey matter in the brain to no longer carry out its original functions but to focus on one particular thing, hence the reason many exceptional genius' are anti social.

Actually IQ has no basis on how smart you are. There are people that are leaders in their field with low IQ. It's just a measurement of how quickly you learn things (and even that is questionable). With a higher IQ you have the potential to have a deep and broad knowledge base. With a lower IQ it tends to be a bit more focused.

second, most of these comments aren't from actual people who have legit scores and is just somebody trying to act philosophical. I am 14, male, and scored above the 99 percentile when testing at the university of John Hopkins.

I've got a high score, I listed it here before but I have no desire to prove it because it doesn't mean a thing. I've scored in the 99th percentile my entire life but really all that means is that I take tests better than others do. Particularly in the realm of IQ tests. I'm about 50/50 INTP/INTJ and that gives me a massive advantage in these types of tests because I think like the test designers think.

Third, im not going to go through extensive efforts to make my grammar look good to make an impression, it sucks, Im just too lazy to actually make it correct, if it conveys the same message then who cares.

It doesn't convey the same message. Communication isn't just about displaying information but also about presenting it. The presentation of a thought carries just as much weight as the thought itself.

About when i said you cant just pull out straight As, I mean that sitting in class is the most boring thing to ever exist, i have two options, both result badly, if i try to listen, i just get bored because it feels like its at a rate of 10 words a minute and im learning nothing.

What I would always do in high school (no clue if you can, I went to a private school where these things were encouraged) is to speak up and teach the class. I'm usually able to figure out the more advanced areas of a concept from quick run through the basics. So in school when the initial concept is introduced I pick it up rather quickly and have already grasped the next level before the initial explanation is finished. So when the instructors would ask for feedback or for someone to solve the problem I would do it, and then take it to the next level. Then while the teacher would finish the explanation for everyone else I would do the homework.

This thread is sufficient enough to realize IQ does not measure wisdom.

Fools who think their selves geniuses. Go figure.

Interesting way to phrase it. Others tend to think of me a genius, I tend to think of myself as a fool.

a reply to: deventon
You sound like such as @$$ hole that I have to believe you.

originally posted by: Dinkleberg
First off, 99.99% or all people claiming they got a 165+ IQ are full of bull#.

Although there is certainly the possibility that some may have over exaggerated their IQ test scores... to make such a sweeping statement without any hard data to base it upon is frankly just wrong.

What you meant to say was in your opinion....

I can assure you that I do indeed have a higher than average IQ.... and although some might say that is the reason for my successes, I can assure you it has also lead me to some quite prolific failures.

I am extraordinarily good at recognizing patterns and with math.... but ask me what my partner will do or how she will react under varying conditions and I'm completely lost..... but maybe this is the mystery of women that all men experience??

Socially I am inadequate.. yes I can fake it when involved in business but the truth is I am not able to relate to people at all well.... or rather they totally misunderstand my intentions and take me as being far too dry. I get totally frustrated with people when what seems to me to be something so clear, to them it's as muddy as it could possibly get....

Sometimes I look at those who seem to just naturally able to talk about well... nothing much at all... but they all seem to be getting along just fine... they can relate to each other, and feel a little envious of them. If I was to try and join in they just think i'm WAY too deep and to them it appears like I go off on a tangent but what I am talking about is connected to what they are speaking off... just they can't see it.

Your post seems to me to be quite angry and one can only deduce you wish you also had a higher than average IQ.... but trust me having depth of thought is as much a curse as it is a gift!

Peace,

Korg.