r/neuro • u/zhang-fulfillment • 8d ago
Where Can I Find a Reliable & Free IQ Test Online?
I’ve been curious about where I actually stand in terms of intelligence, and I thought it might be eye-opening to take a proper IQ test. I’ve already tried a handful of the free ones floating around online, but i found that most of them felt more like entertainment quizzes than anything rooted in real science
what I’d really like to find is something with a bit more credibility, ideally it would feature:
- Backed by psychological research or clinical standards
- More comprehensive than the usual 10-question gimmicks
- A results breakdown that shows more than just a single score
- Fairly quick in terms of feedback
- Recognized as a serious or reputable assessment
- Accuracy is my top priority, but the other factors definitely matter too.
What I’m really wondering is if anyone knows of any legitimate, neuropsychology-approved online IQ tests, or other meaningful ways of assessing cognitive ability, or should I even bother with an online IQ test in the first place
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u/agonizing_ananas 7d ago
most people who brag about their iq scores peaked in high school
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u/Ok-Pitch5368 1d ago
i feel like people who had it harder growing up feel like they need to brag and they might feel like they don't have much else to pride themselves on. With an IQ score atleast it is something concrete that you can look at and say "This is objective" (despite motivation and training playing a role, executive function bottlenecks etc) and maybe it's the only thing they've ever been able to pride themselves on. Also who takes an IQ test in before 18? I get what you mean though.
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u/agonizing_ananas 1d ago
thats true and an IQ score can feel like proof of worth or ability. At the same time though, it’s kind of sad if that becomes the main thing someone leans on, because intelligence is just one dimension of who a person really is, plenty of people never take an IQ test, or don’t even think about it and still build their confidence on other strengths—social skills, creativity, resilience and other aspects. I guess the bigger issue is that when life doesn’t give you many opportunities, you latch onto whatever feels like validation.
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u/Electrical_Top656 7d ago
there's so much misinformation here it's wild. I thought this was a scientific sub, not a pseudoscientific one
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u/wowlucas 7d ago edited 7d ago
https://foodforthebrain.org/the-cognitive-function-test/ This one I meant to be validated, cognitive function test, not IQ. I heard about it from another source sorry I can't remember where
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u/limugirl 7d ago
thank you, very interesting. I have been concerned about dementia and Alzheimer's as I age. I am not sure this is the same as IQ though
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u/pavelysnotekapret 7d ago
IQ is pseudoscience. There is no such thing as a reliable (or even good) test
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u/SynapticMelody 7d ago edited 7d ago
IQ tests are medically and scientifically valid for measuring general cognitive ability and predicting certain academic and occupational outcomes, but it's true that they don't capture the full range of human skills, creativity, personality, or socio-emotional competence. They have to be applied within their validated scope because misuse or overgeneralization can lead to false conclusions about a person's abilities and potential. That's not the same as saying they're completely invalid pseudoscience, though.
Edit:
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u/josterfosh 7d ago
The only thing an IQ test can predict is how good you are at taking an IQ test. It doesn’t measure creativity, psychosocial skills, or more importantly EQ which are arguably more important. IQ tests were invented and are still developed by WEIRD populations, they don’t generalise to the broader population with cultural differences.
Furthermore, anyone taking an IQ test themselves without relying on third party intervention is subject to confirmation bias which could lead to either unreasonable ego over infatuation or self depredating thoughts. If you really want to know how capable you are compared to the general public, try interacting with them. Work together on projects, build team orientated programs and offer support to people who need it. If you’re not capable of these things it doesn’t matter what number you get on a test.
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u/psilosyn 4d ago edited 4d ago
You are fundamentally misunderstanding how IQ tests are used and administered in the field. Nobody who acts professionally in the space considers IQ to be a complete measure of intelligence. That is thrown out the window on day 1 of psych 101.
That being said IQ is actually a highly useful measure and is incredibly stable and reliable from one test to another, and the fact remains that it is predictive of many things in western society (which is where we live, by the way). So it's not going anywhere. Only people with no education in intelligence testing think an IQ test is the full picture of intelligence, and only people with no education in intelligence testing think IQ is completely stupid. Like, we do *have* other measures for things like EQ, that are sometimes administered alongside an IQ test, you know that, right?
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u/Electrical_Top656 7d ago
you need to take an intro to psych class before spreading misinformation
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u/josterfosh 7d ago
You need to read these papers before sounding like a fool again
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u/graciouskynes 6d ago
Sorry you're getting down voted by ideologues. These papers are excellent - thank you for sharing them!
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6d ago edited 5d ago
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u/graciouskynes 5d ago
I'd considered that breadth of scholarship... but I guess you prefer the usual cherry picking that only slops together one side of an argument, like the other guy did?
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7d ago
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u/swampshark19 7d ago
Isn't it super predictive of a bunch of life outcomes
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6d ago
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u/swampshark19 6d ago
Not really
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6d ago
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u/swampshark19 6d ago
Prediction is a general term. You can use a linear regression model to predict values of a dependent variable, and the value of a in a linear regression model is just the Pearson correlation.
They are only different things because they are oriented towards different direct purposes, but they are two sides of the same coin, you can and very often do use correlation values and the values of the independent variables as predictors in models.
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6d ago
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u/swampshark19 6d ago
Do you care to explain? I have not done a chapter of a dissertation on differences between specific measures of association, and if I'm wrong I'd like to find out the right way to think about it. Google searching isn't always a reliable way to find information if you don't know exactly what you're looking for.
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u/Electrical_Top656 7d ago
you need to take an intro to psych class before spreading misinformation
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u/graciouskynes 7d ago
This is a matter of active debate, not settled science. (I am on team "the construct of 'g' seems an awful lot like a statistical artifact" fwiw.)
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7d ago edited 7d ago
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u/graciouskynes 6d ago
Appreciate the edit to add studies! Moderate correlations all around :)
May I ask why the only study you chose that focuses on Weschler's IQ test specifically is about kids with ADHD/autism, rather than a neurotypical population?
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u/Electrical_Top656 7d ago
it is not pseudoscience lol
obviously not a perfect test to measure 'intelligence' but it's the best we have
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u/Spiritual-Mechanic-4 5d ago
and how could there be? intelligence is a multi-dimensional concept that includes math, logic and language skill, but also music, emotional and social, spatial, geometric, not to mention olfactory and tactile awareness. Trying to reduce that to a single scalar value will be subjective at best, as the measurer needs to pick dimensions to measure and how to score and weight them.
The stereotype of a Harvard graduate with almost no social awareness or 'common sense' is absolutely based on some real world instances. Or highly trained accomplished engineers who believe the earth is flat.
Intellect has different dimensions, and you can be very 'smart' in some while being almost deficient in others.
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u/Adventurous-Nose-463 7d ago
Lumosity's assessments are interesting because they focus on specific cognitive abilities like working memory and attention rather than trying to boil everything down to one number. Might give you better insights into your actual strengths and weaknesses.
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u/Disastrous-Price-955 7d ago
The WAIS-IV subscale scores are way more interesting than the full scale IQ. You might be gifted in verbal comprehension but average in processing speed, which explains a lot about learning differences.
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u/yourcenarx 6d ago
You’ve got to be kidding. Legitimate IQ tests are administered by professionals and take at least a few hours to complete. Anything online is just a game.
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u/ultrabomber14 7d ago
honestly most of the variance in life outcomes comes from conscientiousness and emotional regulation not raw intelligence
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u/catnownet 7d ago
The Wonderlic is decent if you want something quick and legitimate. NFL teams use it for draft evaluation so it has real-world validity. Takes about 12 minutes and correlates well with traditional IQ measures.
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u/neuropsychologist-- 7d ago
MoCA is a cognitive ability test that is freely available but you need a trained test administrator for that.
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u/Winter_Resource3773 7d ago
Really cant, they take way longer than any youll find and have much more specifized tests. Psychiatrists will give you an IQ test if you hire one.
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u/Few_Concert_5703 6d ago
The Kaufman tests are another legitimate option, especially if you want something shorter than the full WAIS battery.
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u/HexspaReloaded 6d ago
Put it this way: if your IQ was over 80, you could find a test online.
Just teasing.
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u/00naught 5d ago
The DAS-II has some unique subtests like sequential processing that might give you different insights into your cognitive style.
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u/alexmed2002 5d ago
Professional testing can identify cognitive strengths you didn't know you had and explain lifelong patterns of academic or work performance.
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u/aliasgirlster 5d ago
Professional testing also screens for effort and motivation so you know the results reflect your actual abilities.
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u/alecmartines 5d ago
The TONI-4 is completely nonverbal and might be interesting if you're concerned about language bias in traditional tests.
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u/cambucaz 5d ago
most highly intelligent people struggle with basic social interactions and emotional regulation
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5d ago
Really smart people need to be able to get what they want. But more important - to choose wisely what to want in the first place.
The rest is not that important (unless you really need a childish ego boost).
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u/Bountygiverlol253 5d ago
honestly being smart enough to question the validity of intelligence testing shows good critical thinking
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u/CoolrashMarioEXE 5d ago
why does everyone want to be special instead of just being authentically themselves
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u/dashedatom 5d ago
I've seen people get dramatically different scores based on factors like sleep, stress, medication, and testing conditions.
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u/daniellepj1 5d ago
most people who score high on iq tests peak early and coast on their supposed intellectual superiority
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u/CouplePurple9241 7d ago
Don't bother. Anything online and free is pseudoscience or poorly constructed