IQ

IQ intelligence quotient.

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IQ

abbr.

intelligence quotient

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IQ

Abbreviation for Intelligence Quotient. Compares an individual's mental age to his/her true or chronological age and multiplies that ratio by 100.

Mentioned in: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Learning Disorders, Phenylketonuria

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IQ,

abbreviation for intelligence quotient.

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intelligence [in-tel´ĭ-jens]

the ability to comprehend or understand. It is basically a combination of reasoning, memory, imagination, and judgment; each of these faculties relies upon the others. Intelligence is not an entity within a person but a combination of cognitive skills and knowledge made evident by behaviors that are adaptive.

In speaking of general intelligence, authorities often distinguish between a number of different kinds of basic mental ability. One of these is verbal aptitude, the ability to understand the meaning of words and to use them effectively in writing or speaking. Another is skill with numbers, the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide and to use these skills in problems. The capacity to work with spatial relationships, that is, with visualizing how objects take up space, is still another (for example, how two triangles can fit together to make a square). Perception, memory, and reasoning may also be considered different basic abilities.

These abilities are the ones that are usually examined by intelligence tests. There are others, however, that may be as important or more important. Determination and perseverance make intelligence effective and useful. Artistic talent, such as proficiency in art or music, and creativity, the ability to use thought and imagination to produce original ideas, are difficult to measure but are certainly part of intelligence.

intelligence quotient (I.Q.) a numerical expression of intellectual capacity obtained by multiplying the mental age of the subject, ascertained by testing, by 100 and dividing by his or her chronologic age.

intelligence test a set of problems or tasks posed to assess an individual's innate ability to judge, comprehend, and reason.

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quotient [kwo´shent]

a number obtained by division.

achievement quotient the achievement age divided by the mental age, indicating progress in learning.

caloric quotient the heat evolved (in calories) divided by the oxygen consumed (in milligrams) in a metabolic process.

intelligence quotient IQ; a numerical expression of intellectual capacity obtained by multiplying the mental age of the subject, ascertained by testing, by 100 and dividing by the chronological age.

respiratory quotient RQ; the ratio of the volume of carbon dioxide given off by the body tissues to the volume of oxygen absorbed by them; usually equal to the corresponding volumes given off and taken up by the lungs. It varies with the fuel source used: for carbohydrates it is 1.0; for lipids 0.7; for proteins 0.8; and with overfeeding (lipogenesis) 1.0–1.3.

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IQ,

n See intelligence quotient.