Statistics of the top scorers

Introduction

This report contains information on the very highest test scores having occurred in the period from 1995 to present. The threshold for inclusion is I.Q. 170, which corresponds to protonorm 618 according to the current norms. The I.Q. range 170-179 is tentatively called "pervasive intelligence". Considered are only scores on tests containing at least two different item types, when items are classified by their appearance as either verbal, numerical, spatial, or logical. Such heterogeneous tests have proven to be more robust, valid, and reliable than are homogeneous tests (with only one item type).

The scores

There are 91 scores in this range, following above criteria. Their exact distribution, the norming of tests in this range, and the question whether higher scores within this range also mean greater ability, are not topics of this report. Those matters are dealt with, when possible, in the statistical reports for the tests in question, and in the report on the norming of protonorms to norms. When norms change, the number of scores that fall at or above I.Q. 170 may naturally change.

Number of scores per candidate

The 91 scores have been obtained by 40 candidates:

For information, I.Q. 170 is reached or exceeded by about 3.4 % of high-range scores according to the most recent norming of protonorms to proportions outscored. On the level of candidates, only about 1.6 % of candidates is responsible for these scores.

Sex

On the level of candidates, it is now possible to estimate the male/female ratio at or above I.Q. 170 as 35, assuming that a small number of the male scores are fraudulent or otherwise unfairly inflated (if so, this will be rectified when possible). While 2 female scores may seem too little for significance, the fact that it took 30 years for these scores to occur while nothing was keeping females from taking the tests greatly adds to the statistical power of this number. For comparison, here are the male/female ratios that have been observed at certain thresholds over the decades:

Scores per country of origin

Scores by age when test was taken

Scores by birth year

Scores per test

Notice that there is some overlap regarding the Test For Genius - Revision 2016 and The Marathon Test; the "Numerical and spatial sections" of those tests overlap with the full versions, which accounts for 7 of the 91 scores.

Scores per year occurred

So, there has been an explosive outbreak of scores at or above I.Q. 170 since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then again an increase in 2024 that is mainly due to the advent of a small number of high-scoring new candidates. Possibly there are some fraudulent or otherwise inflated scores among those achieved in the past few years, and those will be removed if sufficient proof becomes available (or disappear when such a test is renormed).

Scores by educational level

This is consistent with what has been observed in the statistical report on educational level: that, upwards of a few years secondary school, there is almost no correlation between educational level and high-range test scores. This is a positive thing; it suggests that the tests are as good as culture-free, and that selecting by high-range test scores results in a very different group compared to selecting by educational degrees. It also confirms that high-range tests are better at detecting high intelligence than are mainstream tests, which do correlate with education (implicit here is the assumption that many intelligent people will share the anecdotal observation that academic degrees do not particularly guarantee a high level of intelligence in the holder).

Disorders and disordered behaviour

A total of 31 out of the 91 scores are from candidates who report having a psychiatric disorder. 2 of those 31 scores belong to someone who has committed suicide. 9 of those 31 scores are from candidates who have been observed displaying disordered behaviour.

The majority of scores therefore are from candidates with no reported disorders, and with no observed disordered behaviour.

Other observed behaviour

Remarkable in a majority of these candidates is the absence of negativity and rudeness, and the, on the whole, positive, polite, constructive attitude.

[More statistical reports]