Academic smartness does not equate life-smartness, according to a new research expressed in the journal ”Thinking Skills and Creativity” examines the utility of IQ in navigating existence, and how another mental ability may put it in the shade.
Despite the importance of academic achievement, researchers say that “critical thinking” – which enables logical and objective assessment – is a separate ability. As part of a research experiment to assess the connection between IQ and critical thinking, Heather Butler of California State University and her colleagues asked 244 participants comprising students and adults recruited online to complete tests, of their IQ and critical thinking skills.
The intelligence test was designed to assess visual processing and quantitative reasoning. The critical thinking assessment involved participants being asked to evaluate various actions in hypothetical scenarios and included contextual information that could influence eventual decisions.
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The researchers wanted to establish the relationship between individuals with high IQ’s who performed well in academics, and the ability of the individuals to make real life common sense decisions. It is commonly known that not all academic intelligent individuals demonstrate this intelligence in practical life situations. Examples included an assessment of individuals tendency to make foolish decisions that may result in fines; like handing in a video rental late and getting fined for it, or acquiring a sexually transmitted disease. Individuals who made sensible decisions were concluded to be wise in effective decision making, and the findings indicated higher IQ individuals did do better.
Accordingly, the research concluded it is possible to have a modest IQ and navigate life wisely, or to have a high IQ and make clangers that leave your peers shaking their heads. It’s a question of critical thinking.
The benefits of formal education on critical thinking have been questioned by other researchers, but good quality education does improve the capability of critical thinking for most individuals. Many top academics who have graduated from good universities are capable of critical thinking academically, since many essays and final year dissertations would inevitably have called for that strength. However, when strong academics make foolish decisions in life, it sometimes makes people question whether academic success has anything to do with intelligence. In many cases of academic success, intelligence combined with hard work and persistence results in excellent performance.
Intelligent people who excelled academically are therefore generally expected to apply good critical thinking to life’s important decisions, but critical thinking in life often requires added skills to intelligence. Many high academics fall short when it comes to applying the skills of critical thinking in real life situations, but most of those who are critical thinkers in life are usually intelligent individuals who excelled at some stage of their academic life.