At IQ Mindware if you are happy taking short fluid intelligence tests to track your IQ gains, you can opt to use the 0123 sigmas criteria to set benchmarks for high IQ training goals. Applying this rule helps you set up your expectations for brain training. (If IQ tests are not your thing no problem; what’s important is that you are motivated to train.)
0123 Sigmas
1 sigma is 1 standard deviation.
The sigma metric is a measure of the spread of the bell-shaped distribution of IQ scores in the general population where the average is 100. 1 sigma = 15 IQ points above average. 2 sigma = 30 IQ points above average and so on.
The 0123 sigmas criteria gives you 4 benchmarks you can work with to attain a higher IQ, each of which has an intuitive, easy to use interpretation in real life.
Above Average. 0 Sigma: The Top 50%
If you are higher than 0 sigma this puts you above 50% of the population – above average. This is a good initial benchmark.
High IQ. 1 Sigma: The Top 16%
If you are more than 1 sigma from the average in the population this puts you above 84% of the population in the top 16%.
If you have an IQ of 115 (1 sigma) or above you are capable of the cognitive demands of almost any profession, and can attain the highest levels of education and training. An IQ above 115 is considered to be a high IQ – a level up from ‘above average IQ’.
In other areas, if you are in the top 16% of earners, you have a ‘high income’. If you are in the top 16% of those in your sports league, you are a ‘good player’. This is the 1 sigma definition of being exceptional.
Rindermann’s Smart Fraction Theory tells us that national wealth is determined by the fraction of workers with an IQ equal to or greater than some minimum threshold. General intelligence (g) is a robust predictor of economic growth and productivity across a large sample of countries.
“IQ is relevant for technological progress, for innovation, for leading a nation, for leading organizations, as entrepreneurs, and so on…I think in the modern economy, human capital and cognitive ability are more important than economic freedom.” Rindermann
The cognitive ability of the smart fraction of any country makes by far the biggest contribution to the strength of that country’s economy, and predicts the quality of economic and political institutions. Others have argued for the impact of the smart fraction on media, music, literature, art, philosophy and world-views.
According to the data, a 1 sigma IQ level of 115 puts you in the smart fraction.
IQ Mindware brain training recommendation
If you have a pre-training IQ below 115, aiming for the 1 sigma level of 115 is an ideal target to train for.
Mensa Standard. 2 Sigma: The Top 2-3%
This is a benchmark for being truly exceptional.
This puts you in the state / regional level for any kind of performance-based skill.
For IQ this is a level of 130 plus. This is Mensa standard. To become a Mensan, you need to demonstrate you have an IQ in the top two per cent – the 98th percentile. There is no other criteria. This is like a 1 in 50 level of cognitive ability: if there are 50 students in a class, 1 of them may be at this top-of-the-class level.
IQ Mindware brain training recommendation
If you have a pre-training IQ of between 115 and 125, the 2 sigma level of 130 is an ideal target to train for.
Elite. 3 Sigma: Top 0.1%
This level of performance puts you at a national and international level of cognitive competitiveness.
This is an IQ of 145 or higher. In a high school of 1000 students, only 1 student may have IQs of this level.
This is the level of Ivy League cognitive elites. Based on SAT results for college students, back to 1930 you can see that the average IQ of all college graduates was 111. The average IQ of Ivy League colleges was 120. Fast forward to the present. While the average IQ of all college graduates in the country has barely changed from 111 to 113, the average IQ of Ivy League college graduates has increased from 120 to 142 – around the 3 sigma level. That’s an extraordinary gain and shows a general polarization effect with society’s cognitive capital.
IQ Mindware brain training recommendation
If you have a pre-training IQ of between 130-140, the 3 sigma level of 145 is an ideal target to train for.
0123 Sigmas Summary
In summary, the 0123 Sigmas gives you meaningful and measurable benchmarks for your IQ can be segmented into 0 sigma (above average), 1 sigma (high iq), 2 sigma (Mensa standard) and 3 sigma (elite) levels. These levels encompass the full range of excellence for intelligence.
At IQ Mindware we are not fixated on tests and self-quantification. What’s important is what you do with your precious cognitive resources. But thinking of 0123 Sigmas can help for setting motivating targets and providing useful feedback in the learning process.
After assessing your baseline IQ with IQ Mindware’s valid pre-training IQ tests, you can opt to use 0123 Sigmas to determine what your benchmark target for training. Alternatively, if your current capacity is just above one of these Sigma thresholds, you can train to ensure that it does not drop below it through chronic stress or other cause of cognitive decline.
References
(1) American Management Association. (2010). AMA 2010 Critical skills survey. Executive Summary.
(2) Schneider, W. (1993). Acquiring expertise: Determinants of exceptional performance. In K. A. Heller, F. J. Mönks, & A. H. Passow (Eds.), International handbook of research and development of giftedness and talent (pp. 311-324). Elmsford, NY, US: Pergamon Press.
(3) D. Boisvert, W. Stadler, J. Vaske, J.P. Wright, M. Nelson The interconnection between intellectual achievement and self-control. Crim. Justice Behav., 40 (2012), pp. 80-94.
(4) Beran, M. J., & Hopkins, W. D. (2018). Self-Control in Chimpanzees Relates to General Intelligence. Current Biology, 28(4), 574-579.
(5) Batey, Mark & Furnham, Adrian. (2006). Creativity, Intelligence, and Personality: A Critical Review of the Scattered Literature. Genetic, social, and general psychology monographs. 132. 355-429.