Does IQ vary with age?

Although IQ can change for an individual, across a population it is well established that IQ is stable across the lifespan. This does NOT mean that our abilities do not change as we age. But since IQ scores are age-normalized, your IQ score will remain relatively constant.

Does intelligence remain stable over time?

Few studies have examined the stability of intelligence differences from childhood or youth to older age using the same test. Their results suggest that around half of the individual differences in intelligence are stable across most of the human life course.

Do IQ scores change?

Yes, your IQ can change over time. But [IQ] tests give you the same answer to a very substantial extent, even over a period of year. The older you are, the more stable your test score will be. Also, the average IQ of people is changing over time.

Is IQ static throughout our lives?

This has led to the belief that IQ is static throughout our lives, but in reality, it is more an issue of population statistics and trends in education. As we experience the world and get “smarter”, so do most other people our age, resulting in similar IQ scores over time.

Is it true that IQ can change over time?

People confuse ability with knowledge. We all can study and improve our vocabulary. But I would argue that doesn’t make us any smarter. The best way to measure intelligence is to measure those abilities that underlie the acquisition of knowledge, separately from the knowledge we have. Yes, your IQ can change over time.

What is the true IQ of a person?

So, for example, if a person scores 126, then you can say with 95 percent confidence that the person’s true IQ is somewhere between 120 and 132; within our science we don’t get any more accurate than that. But as soon as you go to a different IQ test, then the range is even wider, because different IQ tests measure slightly different things.

Why is the average IQ of people so volatile?

The most volatility in IQ scores is in childhood, mostly in adolescence. Offhand I can’t think of a reason why it would be, it just seems to be the case. Also, the average IQ of people is changing over time. Basically, people are gaining in modern industrialized societies. IQs are increasing three points per decade.