Re:Human Intelligence Has Declined Since Victorian Era, Rese...
by skywhopper on Monday September 01, 2014 @03:01PM
(#8254238)
About 10 years ago I was diagnosed with ADHD, and as part of the testing I was given an IQ test. I don't recall now which test it was, but the scores were given in four categories, and while in three of the categories my scores were very closely comparable with each other, the "visual intelligence" score--which included a computerized reaction time test--was significantly lower.
As I understood their explanation at the time, this sort of discrepancy between category scores was common among ADHD sufferers, though they could only speculate as to why.
(My own explanation of this that feels right for me based on my own experience with ADHD is that some parts of my brain are operating at different speeds than others, but total appropriate coordination of action requires all the elements to be in sync. And when these elements are out of sync, they result in the symptoms that together are recognized as ADHD.)
Point being that I'd be curious to see if the drop-off in reaction times correlates in any useful way to the rise in ADHD. Perhaps there's a connection there (even if the reaction time test is pointless and ADHD is just a mass-delusional means to excuse epidemic amphetamine abuse).
As I understood their explanation at the time, this sort of discrepancy between category scores was common among ADHD sufferers, though they could only speculate as to why.
(My own explanation of this that feels right for me based on my own experience with ADHD is that some parts of my brain are operating at different speeds than others, but total appropriate coordination of action requires all the elements to be in sync. And when these elements are out of sync, they result in the symptoms that together are recognized as ADHD.)
Point being that I'd be curious to see if the drop-off in reaction times correlates in any useful way to the rise in ADHD. Perhaps there's a connection there (even if the reaction time test is pointless and ADHD is just a mass-delusional means to excuse epidemic amphetamine abuse).