What makes us “smart”?

We like to judge people on many different levels, and assessment is essential, but creating clear markers to evaluate these vague ideas of wording and terms that we use to describe humans' emotions, personality, and

Is there one quality or “thing” that defines someone as “smart,” or is intelligence a complex concept influenced by many factors? It’s an interesting question worth considering.

What is an IQ?

The term "IQ" is defined in Webster’s dictionary as follows: it represents a numerical value used to indicate a person’s relative intelligence. This can take several forms, such as:

a. A score derived from standardized intelligence tests, benchmarked against the average performance of peers within the same age group.

b. A ratio that compares mental age—calculated from standardized testing—to chronological age, multiplied by 100.

Additionally, IQ can colloquially also refer to one's proficiency or knowledge in a specific area, such as when someone might say, "nobody questioned his hockey IQ."  Have you ever wondered about the origins of IQ tests? If you had to design a method for measuring intelligence from scratch, where would you begin? What elements would you consider as constituting “intelligence”?

Thanks to Very Well for a great graphic to explain.

Understanding why intelligence is so highly valued in society is crucial. However, it’s important to note that a high IQ alone does not equate to being truly “smart.” In fact, after reading the Yale article on rational thinking, it's clear that this kind of logical reasoning is something we apply daily—whether we are choosing healthy foods, investing wisely, or managing challenging workplace interactions. Practical rational thinking is essential for navigating our increasingly complex world. Yet, psychologist Stanovich argues that traditional IQ tests, which remain the primary tools for assessing cognitive abilities, fail to capture this skill fully. While these tests do measure critical aspects of mental functioning and can provide a reasonable prediction of academic and job performance, they are by no means comprehensive. They do not encompass the entirety of skills that should fall under the umbrella of what constitutes “good thinking.” Ultimately, IQ is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.

IQ is only one part of the equation, and what we test for only lets us learn about a limited number of cognitive skills. Being intelligent in terms of personality isn't as straightforward as being labeled a genius in society. Many of the world's most intelligent people, who are often regarded as geniuses, struggle with social awkwardness and mental health issues, just like the rest of us – or even more so. A great question I was recently asked after finding out that someone had “Superior” cognitive skills was whether having such high intelligence might be considered “neurodivergent,” not unlike ADHD or Autism. While we do not have a rigid answer to that, my thought is - you could make that argument. If your brain works in a certain way that most other people’s doesn’t, it certainly makes that skill “outside of the normal range.” 

Isn't being smart or being intelligent just the possession of knowledge, and the rest is just terminology! What do you think?