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Based on Catharine Morris Cox.
(1926) The early mental traits of three hundred geniuses.
Genetic Studies of Genius (Vol. II). Stanford University
Press.
20 Selected Geniuses...
[More]
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Name
|
Dates |
Years Lived |
Nationality
|
Eminence
|
Average Reliability Grade** |
Obtained Est. IQ* |
Corrected Est. IQ* |
|
Adams, John Quincy |
1767-1848 |
81 |
American |
statesman |
3.0 |
165 |
175 |
|
Balzac, Honoré de |
1799-1850 |
51 |
French |
writer |
3.5 |
145 |
155 |
|
Beethoven, Ludwig van |
1770-1827 |
57 |
German |
musician |
5.5 |
140 |
165 |
|
Copernicus, Nicolas |
1473-1543 |
70 |
Prussian*** |
scientist |
5.5 |
130 |
160 |
|
Da Vinci, Leonardo |
1452-1519 |
67 |
Italian |
artist |
6.0 |
150 |
180 |
|
Descartes, René |
1596-1650 |
54 |
French |
philosopher |
4.5 |
160 |
180 |
|
Emerson, Ralph Waldo |
1803-1882 |
79 |
American |
writer |
3.5 |
145 |
155 |
|
Franklin, Benjamin |
1706-1790 |
84 |
American |
statesman |
4.5 |
145 |
160 |
|
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von |
1749-1832 |
83 |
German |
writer |
3.0 |
200 |
210 |
|
Handel, George Frideric |
1685-1759 |
74 |
German |
musician |
4.5 |
155 |
170 |
|
Jefferson, Thomas |
1743-1826 |
83 |
American |
statesman |
4.0 |
150 |
160 |
|
Johnson, Samuel |
1709-1784 |
75 |
English |
writer |
4.0 |
155 |
165 |
|
Kant, Immanuel |
1724-1804 |
80 |
German |
philosopher |
5.5 |
145 |
175 |
|
Lincoln, Abraham |
1809-1865 |
56 |
American |
statesman |
4.0 |
140 |
150 |
|
Mill, John Stuart |
1806-1873 |
67 |
English |
philosopher |
3.0 |
170 |
180 |
|
Napoleon Bonaparte |
1769-1821 |
52 |
French |
soldier |
3.5 |
140 |
145 |
|
Newton, Isaac |
1642-1727 |
85 |
English |
scientist |
4.5 |
170 |
190 |
|
Pascal, Blaise |
1623-1662 |
39 |
French |
scientist |
3.5 |
180 |
195 |
|
Rembrandt van Rijn |
1606-1669 |
63 |
Dutch |
artist |
5.5 |
135 |
155 |
|
Spinoza, Baruch de |
1632-1677 |
45 |
Dutch |
philosopher |
5.5 |
145 |
175 |
|
Voltaire, Arouet de |
1694-1778 |
84 |
French |
writer |
3.5 |
180 |
190 |
|
* IQ scores are based on ratings of individual
case histories of the behavior and performance
of 301 eminent young men and women, between
17 and 26 years of age, born 1450 to 1850,
prepared from 1,500 biographical sources, reported
as estimated intelligence quotients based on
The Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon
Intelligence Scale, and corrected for regression
to the mean. (See Genius:
An Overview)
** These are the average grades assigned
by raters who rated the reliability of the data
of each of the cases on the following seven
point scale:
|
Grade 1. Rating
based on data equal to a Stanford-Binet test.
Grade 2. Rating based on data for which standardize
norms are available or which are closely correlated
with Stanford-Binet norms. (Example: Galton.)
Grade 3. Rating based on documentary evidence
combined with diagnostic descriptive material.
(Example: John Quincy Adams.)
Grade 4. Rating based on less satisfactory documentary
evidence and descriptive material, or on descriptive
material (definite statements as to school rank,
etc.) without documents. (Example: Melanchthon.)
Grade 5. Rating based on general descriptive
material. General statements of superiority
(or inferiority) or of school standing, intellectual
interests, etc. (Example: Fénelon.)
Grade 6. Rating based on slight evidence. Standing
of the family combined with a statement as to
school attendance. (Example: Bernadotte.)
Grade 7. Guess, based on no data. (Example:
Drake.) |
*** Cox listed
Copernicus' nationality as Prussian, a designation
that is not without controversy, since he is
regarded today as one of Poland's greatest geniuses.
His birthplace, Torun (Thorn), was in Royal
Prussia, now Poland, and was part of the Prussian
Confederation at the time of his birth. According
to
Wikipedia, his native language was German,
his working language was Latin, and there are
no extant letters written by Copernicus in Polish,
only German and Latin.
Sources: Wikipedia.com
Copernicus' Nationality and Answers.com
Royal Prussia
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Issues
The Flynn
Effect
Charles Graham and Jonathan Plucker
Indiana University
In his study
of IQ tests scores for different populations
over the past sixty years, James R. Flynn discovered
that IQ scores increased from one generation
to the next for all of the countries
for which data existed (Flynn, 1994). This interesting
phenomena has been called "the Flynn Effect."
Many of the questions about why this
effect occurs have not yet been answered by
researchers. This site attempts to explain the
issues involved in a way that will better help
you to understand the Flynn Effect. It also
provides references for further inquiry.
More on the Flynn Effect
Renorming
IQ tests due to Flynn effect may have unintended
consequences
Making IQ tests
harder has educational, financial, legal and
military recruiting implications
WASHINGTON -- The
steady rising of IQ scores over the last century
– known as the Flynn effect – causes IQ tests
norms to become obsolete over time. To counter
this effect, IQ tests are "renormed" (made harder)
every 15-20 years by resetting the mean score
to 100 to account for the previous gains in
IQ scores. But according to new research, such
renorming may have unintended consequences,
particularly in the area of special education
placements for children with borderline or mild
mental retardation. The findings are reported
on in the October issue of American Psychologist,
a journal of the American Psychological Association
(APA).
More on Renorming IQ Tests
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