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Old 25-August-2006, 02:58 AM
folkhemmet folkhemmet is offline
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Default Can you increase your intelligence?

The concept of intelligence is still being debated by psychologists, but let's just say for this thread that intelligence is the ability to solve problems. I've heard that one's intelligence or problem solving ability depends, like most traits, on both genes and the environment. I've heard that reading and solving math problems are good ways. Are there any other methods which have been proven to increase one's intelligence?
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Old 25-August-2006, 04:01 AM
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make sure you get enough vitamin B12.
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Old 25-August-2006, 05:18 AM
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Turn off the TV.

Exercise regularly.
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Old 25-August-2006, 10:02 AM
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Just do stuff, I think. Almost anything you do actively is going to increase your intelligence in that area. If you want to become more intelligent at playing chess, play chess. If you want to become known as a brilliant baseball manager, go manage a baseball team. There are a lot of different types of problem out there, so there are a lot of types of intelligence.

There's some spillover, too. Being a better chess player probably helps your checkers skills. Better algebra skills increase your intelligence with respect to calculus.

Studying is good, but practice makes perfect, and all that. That's why I hate IQ tests. They never really challenge me (or anyone, probably) in a meaningful way. If you do one IQ test each day, your IQ will apparently increase a lot, because the problems are always similar. However, if you spend that time doing math competition problems instead, your IQ will not change (or maybe will drop, as you begin to see different types of patterns in the IQ test problems). Are the people who do the IQ tests really getting that much smarter? Only in the domain of IQ tests.

Oh, and a friend of mine recommends a variety of herbal supplements for boosting intelligence. There's a wonderful irony in that.
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Old 25-August-2006, 10:16 AM
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Read, debate on BAUT, read, do anything that include problemsolving whether it be tabletop roleplaying or bridge construction, avoid overlong exposure to GLP.
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Old 25-August-2006, 01:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snarkophilus View Post

Studying is good, but practice makes perfect, and all that. That's why I hate IQ tests. They never really challenge me (or anyone, probably) in a meaningful way. If you do one IQ test each day, your IQ will apparently increase a lot, because the problems are always similar. However, if you spend that time doing math competition problems instead, your IQ will not change (or maybe will drop, as you begin to see different types of patterns in the IQ test problems). Are the people who do the IQ tests really getting that much smarter? Only in the domain of IQ tests.
As a freshman in college I took seven IQ test back-to-back. My IQ improved 30 points from the first test to the seventh. By the seventh test, I knew how solve all the problems and really why I did so good.
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Old 25-August-2006, 01:58 PM
farmerjumperdon farmerjumperdon is offline
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I think there is a distinction to be made between exercizing what you have and actually gaining more intelligence. Taking several tests or playing lots of chess just improves the ability to tap into what you have, it does not increase what you have.

The stuff I've read says that it is very uncommon for a person's IQ to change by more than 5 points during their life.

As far as the fact that psychologists are still debating IQ; that is misleading. It is similar to creationists who pooh-pooh evolution because scientists are still having debates about it. The basic tenets are very established, despite all the noise about emotional IQ and all that faddish stuff.

IMO, emotional IQ is an oxymoron.
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Old 25-August-2006, 02:09 PM
JohnD JohnD is offline
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Keep that baseball cap peak turned to the front.

On anyone except welders and baseball pitchers, it reduces your IQ by 50%.
(Proven scientific fact!)

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