IQ SCORES have long been regarded with suspicion, and now there turns out to be another reason to be sceptical about them. Among the attributes that IQ tests fail to capture is our capacity for rational decision-making (see 鈥淚t鈥檚 how you use it that counts鈥�).
This should set alarm bells ringing in the many organisations that still rely on IQ as a measure of someone鈥檚 potential. It should also catch the attention of educators. A person鈥檚 IQ scores are hard to change, but rational decision-making skills, or 鈥淩Q鈥� 鈥� such as the ability to interpret financial risks 鈥� can be improved.
It is time schools started to teach rational thinking. While this would be of greatest benefit to children with unremarkable IQ scores, it would pay dividends across the board. Being smart is no guarantee of having a high RQ.
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