By: Brian White
It depends on what you consider an assessment. If you think it means learning their IQ to within ± 1 point, then the answer is NO. If you think it means making a reasonable guess as to which of the following classes they belong to, then the answer is YES.
Most people can figure out whether someone is in Class I or Class V without much effort. Generally, people know which of these five categories apply to their peers. Below is an answer I gave to a question about how to determine if someone is very bright:
– A great indicator is a broad and credible knowledge of a very wide range of topics. When this is not something a person is trying to show off, but is simply their natural state of knowledge, then you have a bright person.
– Bright people will also understand rarely used words, but will have the good sense not to insert them into their speech when addressing someone they know is unfamiliar with the words.
– Bright people have high mental speed (and working memory capacity) and can respond faster than other people to things that require cognitive processing.
– High IQ is often accompanied by strong executive function, which allows people to stay focused. In a conversation, this means not getting sidetracked from the discussion.
Source: Herrnstein, R. J., & Murray, C. (1994). The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life. New York: Free Press.
