Why is insulting someone’s intelligence such a potent put down? It’s more than saying someone lacks knowledge or book learning. It’s a statement of a person’s worth – of their potential to be successful. And for that, we can thank the IQ test. In this podcast episode, we explore how the IQ test was created and continues to shape our collective understanding of intelligence and disability. We hear from a mother struggling with the pros and cons of having her daughter with Down Syndrome routinely IQ tested at school. A school psychologist tackles common misconceptions about the nature of IQ testing. And we consider how the IQ test’s narrow definition of “intelligence” affects people with dyslexia and autism, which have historically been conflated with intellectual disability.

Guests:

Pepper Stetler, professor of art history, Miami University, author of “A Measure of Intelligence: One Woman’s Reckoning with the IQ Test” (https://www.pepperstetler.com/)

Terisa Gabrielsen, professor of school psychology at Brigham Young University (https://education.byu.edu/directory/view/terisa-gabrielsen)

Quincy Hansen, neurodiversity and autism advocate, author of “Shake It Up: How to be Young, Autistic, and Make an Impact” (https://speakingofautismcom.wordpress.com/)

Tim Odegard,  Editor in Chief of the Annals of Dyslexia, professor of psychology at Middle Tennessee State University (https://dyslexia.mtsu.edu/staff/)