Have you ever wondered who invented the IQ test? The story is fascinating.
The concept of measuring intelligence started in France, not in a lab.
1904: The Beginning in Paris
The French government asked psychologist Alfred Binet to find a way to identify children who needed extra help at school. With his colleague Théodore Simon, Binet created the first intelligence test in 1905. It was called the Binet-Simon Scale. Its goal was not to label children as smart or dumb, but to help them.
1916: The IQ Score is Born in America
Psychologist Lewis Terman at Stanford University adapted Binet's test for America. He created the Stanford-Binet test and introduced the famous formula: IQ = (Mental Age / Chronological Age) x 100. This is where the term "Intelligence Quotient" or IQ was first used.
WWI: The Army Test
During World War I, the US Army needed to test 1.7 million recruits quickly. Psychologist Robert Yerkes created the Army Alpha and Beta tests. This was the first time IQ testing was used on a massive scale.
Today: Modern Tests
Modern tests like the WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) no longer use the old formula. They compare your score to the average of other people your age. The average is set to 100.
So, your IQ score today comes from over 100 years of history, from a small classroom in Paris to a test taken by millions online like on IQThinker.