Any Mensans here?

[Nicos]

Hmmm..I passed the test a few years ago but did nothing about it. Sort of boosted my confidence a bit at the time though!

[Mrs Dobby]

Mr D took the test and was offered membership many years ago, he has a very high IQ, but is completely dyslexic, so academically isnt blessed with lots of exam results (but is definitely one of the most intelligent people I know!)

I've been tested on a variety of tests, with results from 136 to 158, and did pretty well at school, but I wouldnt say I was especially clever (tho am good at proble solving!)

As long as you enjoy life, then what IQ you have really doesnt impact onto your daily life. Groups like Mensa and other high IQ groups serve their purpose for those that wish to join them, but frankly, I'm too busy to start trying to do anything else in addition to all that I currently do, so tis not for me!

[Scottishnewbie]

Mrs Dobby, you are spot on. Tested a few years back and was pleased with the result but to be honest, I don't think it helps me grow my veg any better or be a better parent. Personally I think the world we live in right nowis going to change and EQ (emotional intelligence) will become far more important than IQ (though obviously if you have both that's good news!). My clients are far more interested in recruiting for EQ nowadays than IQ and staff employee surveys support their decisions with better managers in place.

[piskieinboots]

Mensa? menopausal club more like

[maytreefrannie]

I can see I'm going against the trend here, but if anyone knows where to check them up I'd like to do one of those tests.

I think I fit in the category as outlined by Two Sheds - I'm pretty much useless at following technical stuff, my planting is never in a straight line, but I can write all sorts, do crosswards and enjoy philosophy-type arguments.

[Crundy]

I was tested at 10 and came up with IQ of 150. I think my mensa test returned 148 or 138, one of the two, so therefore kids, yes, beer does kill braincells.

I think it's a good thing to be part of, but I have found that it makes your life easier to not tell people (IRL) that you are a member of mensa, as you tend to get aggro. Took it off my CV a while back.

May: You can order a home test here:
Practice Mensa Test - British Mensa
If you complete it and get a good enough score then you get invited to do the full test, which gives you an invite to join.

One thing to note is that in the supervised test you get very time per section to complete the questions, so as it isn't negatively marked, when they ask you to stop, just randomly fill in the remaining answers for that section

[StephenH]

What exactly is Emotional Intelligence, as mentioned above? Emoting embarrassingly all over the shop, and coming out with half-arsed, cliched bollocks about how it's bad to bottle up your emotions? Wouldn't be surprised. Me, I'm a great believer in bottling up the emotions. Emotions are like ketchup - best kept in a bottle, and released in small, controlled doses. If you let the lot out in one go, you just get a horrible mess which is no use to anyone, whether you're talking about emotions or ketchup. I call it the ketchup theory of emotional health - and a lot of psychologists would agree with me, I think. This "Let it all out" crap is folk-psychology, not the real thing.

[Hilary B]

A few years back I did the BBC IQ test (I think it was the first televised one).
It being a no-work-next-day evening, I had enjoyed some wine with my supper, and slightly lost track of just how much (no, I don't do that at all often, just occasionally when distracted and the wine is especially nice tasting).
To the annoyance and frustration of OH and (adult) kids my score worked out to IQ 169.
Am I particularly clever? I don't think so, just good at IQ tests<g>

[Crundy]

I thought the BBC one only tested up to 135?

[Rocketron]

My, then, wife and I took the test about 25 years ago:both scoring 181 despite giving different answers. We went to one meeting where the 6 other people had an in depth conversation about T.E.Lawrence's "Seven Pillars Of Wisdom".
Oops, that should read 161, not 181.

[rogesse]

The modern test doesn't go above 167 - but it is all objective. According to the test I did at the time I would have qualified but OH beats me hands down despite not passing many O levels (his best was a C in R E), but he's dead clever!

Emotional intelligence - not at a certain time of the month - my son's into an EMO period - intelligent? No just a big great clumsly lumox who's too big for his skin!

[Hilary B]

I thought the BBC one only tested up to 135?

Not sure how many QUESTIONS there were, but the score had to be entered into a calculation (age was also a factor) and the answer came out as IQ. It may not have been the same for every time the BBC did one. It's been done a few times now.....

[FionaH]

What exactly is Emotional Intelligence, as mentioned above? Emoting embarrassingly all over the shop, and coming out with half-arsed, cliched bollocks about how it's bad to bottle up your emotions? Wouldn't be surprised. Me, I'm a great believer in bottling up the emotions. Emotions are like ketchup - best kept in a bottle, and released in small, controlled doses. If you let the lot out in one go, you just get a horrible mess which is no use to anyone, whether you're talking about emotions or ketchup. I call it the ketchup theory of emotional health - and a lot of psychologists would agree with me, I think. This "Let it all out" crap is folk-psychology, not the real thing.

Emotional Intelligence (EI), often measured as an Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), is a term that describes the ability, capacity, skill or (in the case of the trait EI model) a self-perceived ability, to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of one's self, of others, and of groups - Wiki

Apparently very useful in managing teams etc and is fascinating to study. Well I think so anyway However Mr H agrees with your theory completely!

[maytreefrannie]

I think it's a good thing to be part of, but I have found that it makes your life easier to not tell people (IRL) that you are a member of mensa, as you tend to get aggro. Took it off my CV a while back.

Do you mean that you live in Ireland (IRL?) and people give you aggro if they know you're a member of Mensa? Is begrudgery alive and well, as Brendan Behan once said?

Thanks for the link.

What exactly is Emotional Intelligence, as mentioned above? Emoting embarrassingly all over the shop, and coming out with half-arsed, cliched bollocks about how it's bad to bottle up your emotions? Wouldn't be surprised. Me, I'm a great believer in bottling up the emotions. Emotions are like ketchup - best kept in a bottle, and released in small, controlled doses. If you let the lot out in one go, you just get a horrible mess which is no use to anyone, whether you're talking about emotions or ketchup. I call it the ketchup theory of emotional health - and a lot of psychologists would agree with me, I think. This "Let it all out" crap is folk-psychology, not the real thing.

I enjoyed your analysis and I'm guessing that many people who 'spilled their guts' on some TV programmes would agree with you.

[Scottishnewbie]

loved the 'tomato sauce' explanation for emotional intelligence - many thanks, it made me LOL!

for me it's about being more aware of the world we live in and picking up on what ISN'T said, rather than what is.... something like seeing through the cr@p and noticing what's really going on. I think people who are in touch with nature and natural things are better at it....and kids of course....they are experts....ask any parent!