Overuse of anagrams on IQ tests?

**Pyroninja42** · 01-27-2011, 02:07 PM

I have not taken an "official" IQ test, though on Mensa's website I took their free practice quiz and did well on it. I have a book of twenty five IQ tests, and after delving into it for a little bit it's come to my attention that IQ tests use an almost excessive amount of anagram and anagram-related problems. I can transform complex shapes in my head, I can find patterns in chaotic groupings of unrelated information, I can do math in my head, I can easily see how different words are connected and similar, but for the love of God I cannot unscramble words.

I'm completely inept at rearranging letters into words, seeing what letters arranged in a circle spell when viewed clockwise with or without blanks I need to fill, or seeing which group of five assorted letters out of ten total groups can be rearranged to spell the name of a type of bird. It's like when I try to approach these kinds of problems my normally-excellent-chaos management talents cease to function. Does anyone else suffer from this exact same problem on IQ tests? I was wondering that if this is relatively common, should there be IQ tests developed with a shift in focus?

**Adok** · 01-27-2011, 03:17 PM

IMHO IQ tests which require a certain level of language skills are not valid IQ tests. Valid IQ tests should measure something that is independent of education. Try RAPM or CFIT for example.

**SongofSeptember** · 01-28-2011, 12:03 AM

I can't unscramble words at all. My first instinct is always to put the letters in alphabetical or colour order.

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**zibber** · 01-28-2011, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by Pyroninja42
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I have not taken an "official" IQ test, though on Mensa's website I took their free practice quiz and did well on it. I have a book of twenty five IQ tests, and after delving into it for a little bit it's come to my attention that IQ tests use an almost excessive amount of anagram and anagram-related problems. I can transform complex shapes in my head, I can find patterns in chaotic groupings of unrelated information, I can do math in my head, I can easily see how different words are connected and similar, but for the love of God I cannot unscramble words.

I'm completely inept at rearranging letters into words, seeing what letters arranged in a circle spell when viewed clockwise with or without blanks I need to fill, or seeing which group of five assorted letters out of ten total groups can be rearranged to spell the name of a type of bird. It's like when I try to approach these kinds of problems my normally-excellent-chaos management talents cease to function. Does anyone else suffer from this exact same problem on IQ tests? I was wondering that if this is relatively common, should there be IQ tests developed with a shift in focus?

Seems like you've been training!

You do know that affects the results of any official test you might take, no?

**mormeguil** · 01-28-2011, 06:10 AM


	IQ tests which require a certain level of language skills are not valid IQ tests. Valid IQ tests should measure something that is independent of education

Actually IQ test have been developped in a large part to asses the capacity to do well in school. This explain partly why they are limited mostly to checking mathematical and langage skills.

Overall if there is a part of either of these skills you do not master then it seems logical they should affect your overall score in the same way as someone who can not "unfold" 3D shape.

**Anders** · 01-28-2011, 12:16 PM

Tests for language 'skills' do not belong in IQ tests; they test for knowledge, not intelligence. Although intelligence includes the ability to learn and to acquire knowledge, including language, a higher intelligence does not necessarily equal a greater vocabulary.

Anagrams, however, are a valid way to test the IQ, as long as the anagram isn't of a word you don't know.

**Amphorian** · 01-28-2011, 03:37 PM

	Originally Posted by SongofSeptember To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I can't unscramble words at all. My first instinct is always to put the letters in alphabetical or colour order. [HIDE="Relevant:"] To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. [/HIDE]

I can unscramble those: PENIS, HITLER, NIGGER, BUTTSEX. I think this image would be excellent for a lol image! Actually that's probably why this image was taken. I'm not so sure how relevant a lol image is for determining IQ. Just sayin.

On topic: IQ testing is a fairly limited testing anyways and obviously your brain even though lacking in some areas but has strength in others.

**discontinuous** · 01-28-2011, 03:59 PM

SO maybe I'm just saying this because I don't think the (free, internet) IQ scores I've obtained reflect my true reasoning capacity... but IQ tests are bullshit. It should be called an anagram time challenge with pictures.

Given a series of anagram type questions (or any type), one should expect to see an increase in their score the more they practice at this type of task. Technically, if you have a robot that can solve anagrams in under a millisecond, it may get an IQ over nine thousand.

**Haumea** · 01-28-2011, 04:16 PM

WAIS-IV has no anagrams. There's a Vocabulary subtest (which isn't particularly tough) but that just asks you to define a word.

I'm not even sure what kind of g loading anagram tests have. To the best of my knowledge, they've never been used in the most widely administered IQ tests.

**NoStoneUnturned** · 01-28-2011, 04:22 PM

I'm pretty sure real IQ tests understand and take into account that many geniuses can have very focused interests; some are amazing at math while others are great with wordplay and grammar.

To answer your question, I suck at anagrams. I've hated them since 3rd grade; everyone else could get them but I couldn't. I was always better than most in math and spacial related ideas. Also, you can rarely ever touch me in a topic of philosophy/ dealing with abstract concepts working together. Though I've never been considered a genius; perhaps just eccentric at times.

**TheoReticle** · 01-28-2011, 04:33 PM

I'm a card-carrying (and completely indefensible) member of Mensa, and I don't recall any anagram questions on their various subtests. However, whenever I come across anagrams, I run and hide. I, too, find them difficult. and simply somewhat "alien".

Supposedly, anagramming can assess a form of mental flexibility and the ability to deal well with imposing structure on unstructured problem sets. Apparently, INTJs gravitate towards structure, such as enjoying understanding systems.. IE: uncovering structure which is already there based on trends and patterns which emerge.

INTJs would theoretically be good at tasks which require one to extract the underlying order. There is no underlying order per se on anagram tasks; the letters are in no way related to one another in a way which speaks of a pattern.....
this is most likely the central problem regarding your introverted intuition and extraverted thinking becoming quite stymied.

**Haumea** · 01-28-2011, 04:44 PM


	However, whenever I come across anagrams, I run and hide. I, too, find them difficult. and simply somewhat "alien".

I have to admit I suck at them as well. I'm sure I could improve with practice, but I don't care enough to put in the time (I want to improve my spatial visualization skills instead.)


	INTJs would theoretically be good at tasks which require one to extract the underlying order.

Yeah, I scored 17 out of 19 on the WAIS-IV Matrix Reasoning subtest. That's above a 99.9 percentile.

**TheoReticle** · 01-28-2011, 05:38 PM

	Originally Posted by Haumea To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I have to admit I suck at them as well. I'm sure I could improve with practice, but I don't care enough to put in the time (I want to improve my spatial visualization skills instead.) Yeah, I scored 17 out of 19 on the WAIS-IV Matrix Reasoning subtest. That's above a 99.9 percentile.

haha! The WAIS-III was the only other "formal" IQ test I've taken and I received the exact same scaled score as that on the Matrix reasoning subtest. I recall scoring nearly as high, but not as highly, on the Similarities subtest; verbal test of abstract reasoning. I didn't do as well on the tests of concrete information processing, however.

**Haumea** · 01-28-2011, 09:58 PM


	I didn't do as well on the tests of concrete information processing, however.

It's ok, they're not very highly g loaded.
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**admittedheretic** · 01-29-2011, 06:56 PM

IQ tests need to have something besides matrix/spatial/mathematical questions or they would be extremely male biased. I've taken parts of several formal tests and I never had to unscramble any letters into words.

**Haumea** · 01-29-2011, 07:23 PM

Sure. WAIS has Similarities (verbal abstract reasoning) and Vocabulary - both with good g loading. Unfortunately there was a lot of nonsense a few years ago about cultural bias, so there was a tendency to administer more matrix reasoning tests.

**TheStranger** · 01-30-2011, 09:52 PM

I will be officially tested sometime in March, I am quite anxious to see the results. The test proctor claimed Anxiety can impair IQ (on any subtest), which I have a fair amount of, although I thought I read a correlation between Mental Disorders and Low IQ scores. Gulp. But to keep things relevant, yes I hate anagrams as well.

01-27-2011, 02:07 PM	#1
Pyroninja42 Member [03%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 133	I have not taken an "official" IQ test, though on Mensa's website I took their free practice quiz and did well on it. I have a book of twenty five IQ tests, and after delving into it for a little bit it's come to my attention that IQ tests use an almost excessive amount of anagram and anagram-related problems. I can transform complex shapes in my head, I can find patterns in chaotic groupings of unrelated information, I can do math in my head, I can easily see how different words are connected and similar, but for the love of God I cannot unscramble words. I'm completely inept at rearranging letters into words, seeing what letters arranged in a circle spell when viewed clockwise with or without blanks I need to fill, or seeing which group of five assorted letters out of ten total groups can be rearranged to spell the name of a type of bird. It's like when I try to approach these kinds of problems my normally-excellent-chaos management talents cease to function. Does anyone else suffer from this exact same problem on IQ tests? I was wondering that if this is relatively common, should there be IQ tests developed with a shift in focus?
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01-27-2011, 03:17 PM	#2
Adok New Member [01%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 48	IMHO IQ tests which require a certain level of language skills are not valid IQ tests. Valid IQ tests should measure something that is independent of education. Try RAPM or CFIT for example.
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01-28-2011, 12:03 AM	#3
SongofSeptember Member [14%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 571	I can't unscramble words at all. My first instinct is always to put the letters in alphabetical or colour order. [HIDE="Relevant:"] To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. [/HIDE]
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01-28-2011, 12:16 PM	#6
Anders New Member [01%] MBTI: IxTJ Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 22	Tests for language 'skills' do not belong in IQ tests; they test for knowledge, not intelligence. Although intelligence includes the ability to learn and to acquire knowledge, including language, a higher intelligence does not necessarily equal a greater vocabulary. Anagrams, however, are a valid way to test the IQ, as long as the anagram isn't of a word you don't know.
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01-28-2011, 03:59 PM	#8
discontinuous Member [39%] MBTI: INTx Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,572	SO maybe I'm just saying this because I don't think the (free, internet) IQ scores I've obtained reflect my true reasoning capacity... but IQ tests are bullshit. It should be called an anagram time challenge with pictures. Given a series of anagram type questions (or any type), one should expect to see an increase in their score the more they practice at this type of task. Technically, if you have a robot that can solve anagrams in under a millisecond, it may get an IQ over nine thousand. Last edited by discontinuous; 01-28-2011 at 04:16 PM.
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01-28-2011, 04:16 PM	#9
Haumea Veteran Member [85%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 3,414	WAIS-IV has no anagrams. There's a Vocabulary subtest (which isn't particularly tough) but that just asks you to define a word. I'm not even sure what kind of g loading anagram tests have. To the best of my knowledge, they've never been used in the most widely administered IQ tests.
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01-28-2011, 04:22 PM	#10
NoStoneUnturned Banned MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 1,917	I'm pretty sure real IQ tests understand and take into account that many geniuses can have very focused interests; some are amazing at math while others are great with wordplay and grammar. To answer your question, I suck at anagrams. I've hated them since 3rd grade; everyone else could get them but I couldn't. I was always better than most in math and spacial related ideas. Also, you can rarely ever touch me in a topic of philosophy/ dealing with abstract concepts working together. Though I've never been considered a genius; perhaps just eccentric at times. Last edited by NoStoneUnturned; 01-28-2011 at 04:52 PM.
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01-28-2011, 04:33 PM	#11
TheoReticle Member [06%] MBTI: XXXX Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 246	I'm a card-carrying (and completely indefensible) member of Mensa, and I don't recall any anagram questions on their various subtests. However, whenever I come across anagrams, I run and hide. I, too, find them difficult. and simply somewhat "alien". Supposedly, anagramming can assess a form of mental flexibility and the ability to deal well with imposing structure on unstructured problem sets. Apparently, INTJs gravitate towards structure, such as enjoying understanding systems.. IE: uncovering structure which is already there based on trends and patterns which emerge. INTJs would theoretically be good at tasks which require one to extract the underlying order. There is no underlying order per se on anagram tasks; the letters are in no way related to one another in a way which speaks of a pattern..... this is most likely the central problem regarding your introverted intuition and extraverted thinking becoming quite stymied.
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01-29-2011, 06:56 PM	#15
admittedheretic Veteran Member [69%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 2,794	IQ tests need to have something besides matrix/spatial/mathematical questions or they would be extremely male biased. I've taken parts of several formal tests and I never had to unscramble any letters into words.
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01-29-2011, 07:23 PM	#16
Haumea Veteran Member [85%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 3,414	Sure. WAIS has Similarities (verbal abstract reasoning) and Vocabulary - both with good g loading. Unfortunately there was a lot of nonsense a few years ago about cultural bias, so there was a tendency to administer more matrix reasoning tests.
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01-30-2011, 09:52 PM	#17
TheStranger Core Member [148%] MBTI: intp Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 5,940	I will be officially tested sometime in March, I am quite anxious to see the results. The test proctor claimed Anxiety can impair IQ (on any subtest), which I have a fair amount of, although I thought I read a correlation between Mental Disorders and Low IQ scores. Gulp. But to keep things relevant, yes I hate anagrams as well.
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