Physics and Astronomy majors have highest average IQs while Social Work majors have the lowest. Any thoughts?

Question

IlyaTheImpaler · Accepted Answer

Well firstly I can tell you right now that there was no IQ test when you apply to any university in the US (anyone who applied to a university should know this). The ranking comes from a website called Educational Testing Services (ETS) and all they have is your SAT scores, so they literally estimated your IQ based on the percentile of your SAT score lol

Secondly, the formula they used is X’IQ = (0.095 * SAT-M) + (-0.003 * SAT-V) + 50.241, it's dominated by SAT math score. So what you're saying is basically physics and astronomy majors have higher SAT math score than social work majors (lol). This is a classic case of selection bias... kids who spend 6 months in prep school for SAT math are more likely to major in physics and math than in social work? you don't say...

Thirdly, the more popular a major is, the more likely its score converges towards average due to higher population. This is simply the law of large numbers. So it makes sense that physics & astronomy has higher score than mathematical sciences or physical sciences, because it's one specific major vs a range of majors. People who choose something like astronomy or theoretical physics usually are committed to academia and want to do a PhD and research. In terms of job outlook, very few people want to stay in academia, so that means there are fewer astrophysics students, thus their average SAT is high. If you look at mathematical sciences, it includes statistics and data science, the juiciest career in the last decade, that means more students are enrolled and the average SAT should be much lower.

Fourthly, I hope this doesn't offend someone, but I don't think this ranking applies to top universities, virtually anyone I know including myself has perfect SAT math score 800/800. It's a trivial test... I was shocked when I first learned that SAT prep class is actually a thing that parents pay for in America. I understand that it's tough for American students but that's just the reality for top schools, if you want a scholarship you have to compete with kids from South East Asia, India, China, Korea, Russia or CIS region who can literally breeze through SAT. So how do you rank when almost everyone has the same score lol, you'd have to go to lower tier schools.

by the way after this Covid thing, it's probably easier for American students to get scholarships. I think people are less likely to study abroad now.

Regmorus · Accepted Answer

Hah-hah, I am going to make some fun out of it. It means that the IQ tests examine exactly the cognitive abilities that have to do the most with doing astronomy or physics and the least with doing social works.

So it illustrates well the biased perception (and maybe even definition, if there is one agreed upon) of intelligence as intelligence per se if one assumes IQ tests being regarded as an indicator directly linked to overall intelligence.

Intelligence is defined in accordance to primary needs of to-date society and economy or what the society and economy believe them to be or have made them to be.

The current state prioritizes the need of focused broadly interdisciplinary thinking with some fixed direction towards a certain to-solve-problem. Physicists and astronomers are the ones who develope the best skills of this kind. The social works majors obviously develope the least since it's the opposite of what they are doing or more precisely of how it is done by them.

Whatthefluff · Accepted Answer

Not surprising considering my curriculum consists primarily of social work

A_Bell · Accepted Answer

My majors were astronomy and economics.

SuccessfulHornDog · Answer

Thanks, that made me feel good about myself.

I think those that go into social work are more emotional and less logical than those who go into science and engineering. I think that this explains the IQ differences shown in your table. This isn't a slam on anyone, its just highlights how people are different and how those differences can impact their choice of college major and eventual career choice.

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

One explanation would be that almost all or at least the most commonly used IQ tests only measure the math-logical and sometimes also the linguistic side of intelligence.

So any social skills or emotional inteligence and empathy aren't covered in these tests at all.

You can't draw the conclusion that people are dumb who study anything social.

pigoat · Answer

I always here people complain about social workers I don't know if this statement is anti social worker but i guess things make more sense now

YHL6965 · Answer

I think it's because social stuff requires more EQ than IQ while EQ is useless for physics so it makes sense to me.

ChiTown33 · Answer

Good thing i never pursued astronomy as a profession.

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

I stay away from all them , had bad luck with that

codyccc · Answer

I dont think they actually smart persay there brains are just better at attacking the complexed problems used in iq tests

Anonymous · Answer

IQ is over rated, it doesn't really help you that much if your mind is closed.

Physics and Astronomy majors have highest average IQs while Social Work majors have the lowest. Any thoughts?

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