Are we as smart as we think we are? A new study published in Personality and Individual Differences suggests maybe not. Most participants rated their intelligence as above average, with this effect particularly pronounced among men. Further, there was no association between self-estimated intelligence and scores on the International Cognitive Ability Resource 16-Item Sample Test.
Study authors Furkan Atmaca and Mustafa Baloğlu write there is a need for reliable and valid cognitive assessment measures in the Turkish language. The purpose of this work was to translate and validate the International Cognitive Ability Resource 16-Item Sample Test (ICAR-16), a brief and cost-effective test of cognitive ability which can be administered online. This measure has not been tested in a Turkish sample previously.
A total of 278 Turkish adults were recruited from social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Participants reported their demographic information (e.g., sex, education), self-estimated intelligence compared to their peers (on a scale of 0 to 10), and completed the ICAR-16 Turkish form, which includes subtests of matrix and verbal reasoning, letter-number series, and 3-dimensional rotation. Participants were not given a time limit to complete the ICAR-16.
The researchers found evidence for the validity and reliability of the ICAR-16 Turkish form, with the internal consistency and factor structure largely matching that of the original form. One difference was that this sample found two of the verbal reasoning items to be particularly easy compared to that of the original form. This may require review and revision in future iterations of the Turkish form.
Approximately 80% of the population reported having greater intelligence than their peers, with men providing higher ratings of self-estimated intelligence compared to women. Interestingly, there was no association between self-estimated intelligence and ICAR-16 scores.
The researchers speculate two possible explanations, “either our actual cognitive ability is different from what we perceive, or what we consider as intelligence may differ from what cognitive ability tests measure.”
A limitation to this work is that self-estimated intelligence was measured with a single item, which could limit the comprehensiveness of the metric. As well, given the sample was confined to Turkish-speaking adults who were recruited via convenience sampling, the results of this work may be limited in generalizability.
The authors conclude, “These findings have significant implications for educational and psychological research, as well as for individuals who require precise assessments of their cognitive abilities for academic or occupational purposes.”
The study, “Are we as intelligent as we think? Adaptation study of ICAR-16 into Turkish”, was authored by Furkan Atmaca and Mustafa Baloğlu.
