I need some statistics that evaluate the relationship between IQ and
success in school and IQ and financial success.  Statistics in this
field should always be doubted, so I need them from credible sources,
ie. journals of science with the name/year of source where this is
published.

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Request for Question Clarification by knowledge_seeker-ga on 03 Dec 2003 06:08 PST

Hi mitts,

Your question is an interesting one and bound to trigger controversy
between the proponents and the critics of the validity of standardized
intelligence tests. Putting that aside, I?ve done a bit of searching
and have found a few things of interest, however I?m not sure they are
what you are after. Correct me if I?m wrong.

Everything I have found so far addresses LOW IQ. For example, many
studies have shown that extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and very low
birth weight (VLBW) can be correlated with low IQ.

Studies also show that children born in those birth weight categories,
even after adjusting for such things as socioeconomics and parental
education levels, have much greater difficulty in school, have a
higher incidence of learning disabilities (which, by the way, is not
correlated with low IQ) and are more often enrolled in remedial
classes. At least one large longitudinal study shows that, as adults,
these individuals show significant differences in academic
achievement, professional attainment, and income.

As you would expect, at the extreme low end of the IQ scale, where a
person is considered to be mentally retarded, there is a clear
correlation between score and education and income. In fact, one study
showed that no subjects with an IQ of less than 50 had ever been
employed.
 
Most studies address the effects of IQ on otherwise impaired
individuals, such as those with Autism, brain injury, or congenital
cognitive defects.

But this is only one end of the scale. I?ve found nothing that
globally addresses IQ scores at the high range and its relationship to
income or academic achievement. I did find one study that showed that
the results of intelligence tests taken by pre-med students were not a
predictor of subsequent medical careers, but this is a rather narrow
study.

I?ve also found a few studies that address giftedness and academic
performance, but giftedness is not the same as IQ. A child with low IQ
may be gifted in a particular area.

Let me know if what I?ve found will be suitable for an answer. If you
are looking for something different, please clarify and I?ll let you
know if I can help you.

Thanks ? K~

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Clarification of Question by mitts-ga on 06 Dec 2003 14:36 PST

I would be interested in the large longitudinal study that shows the
difference in academic achievement and income.  I'm not interested in
the studies regarding impaired individuals but prefer any research
done regarding higher intelligence and financial success.  The study
regarding the medical student would be helpful even though it was a
narrow study.  I need the specific scientic reference source and year
published.

I'm not a researcher, but I'd wager my ten bucks that there isn't any.
 I'm basing that on more than thirty years' active participation in a
high-IQ society, with ample opportunity to observe the breadth of
variance in its membership on all dimensions but the defining one.

Apteryx