Do IQ tests measure your fixed intellect, or is there more to the equation? Despite their dark history, Michael Regilio bears good news on Skeptical Sunday!Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by skeptic, comedian, and podcaster Michael Regilio!Jordan's must reads (including books from this episode): AcceleratEdFull show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1159On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:In 1927, the US Supreme Court supported forced sterilization of "feeble-minded" people based on IQ scores. Over 7,000 were sterilized in North Carolina alone. Nazi war criminals later cited American eugenics programs as inspiration.Early IQ tests asked about Edgar Allan Poe and bowling terminology. These measured cultural knowledge, not intelligence, disadvantaging anyone without specific educational or social backgrounds. This could mean the difference between becoming an officer or cannon fodder in WWI.Researcher James Robert Flynn determined that IQ scores have risen three points per decade throughout the 20th century. But contrary to claims made in the 1994 book The Bell Curve, this "Flynn effect" isn't due to evolution or genetics, but factors like better nutrition, cleaner water, smaller families, and more cognitively demanding environments.ChatGPT scores 99.9th percentile verbally but fails simple logic puzzles humans solve instantly. This demonstrates how intelligence isn't a single number — it's more like a jazz ensemble where mathematical reasoning, emotional intelligence, creativity, and street smarts all play different instruments. Trying to capture that symphony with one test is like describing a rainbow using only numbers.IQ tests aren't worthless — they're just misunderstood. Use them as diagnostic tools, not destiny predictors. Low pattern recognition score? Practice puzzles. Weak verbal reasoning? Read more complex texts. Identify specific cognitive areas to strengthen rather than accepting a single number as your limit. Your IQ isn't your written-in-stone fate — it's your starting coordinates on an infinitely expandable map of human potential.Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at [email protected] and let him know!Connect with Michael Regilio at Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and make sure to check out the Michael Regilio Plagues Well With Others podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts!And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors:FlyKitt: 15% off: flykitt.com, code JORDANCaldera Lab: 20% off: calderalab.com/jordan, code JORDANHiya: 50% off first order: hiyahealth.com/jordanSimpliSafe: 50% off + 1st month free: simplisafe.com/jordanProgressive: Free online quote: progressive.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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This episode is sponsored in part by What Was That Like podcast. Have you ever wondered how it feels to watch your house burn down, be attacked by an alligator, or learn that your spouse hired someone to kill you? What Was That Like is the podcast for you, if you're that person. Not the person who got hired to be killed, but the person who wondered, more thankfully.
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wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Skeptical Sunday. I'm your host, Jordan Harbinger. Today I'm here with Skeptical Sunday co-host Michael Regilio. On the Jordan Harbinger Show, we decode the stories, secrets, and skills of the world's most fascinating people and turn their wisdom into practical advice that you can use to impact your own life and those around you.
Our mission is to help you become a better informed, more critical thinker. And during the week, We have long-form conversations with a variety of amazing folks from spies to CEOs, athletes, authors, thinkers, and performers.
On Sundays, though, it's Skeptical Sunday, where a rotating guest co-host and I break down a topic you may have never thought about and debunk common misconceptions about that topic. Topics such as why tipping makes no sense, sovereign citizens, diet supplements, the lottery, ear candling, self-help cults, and more.
And if you're new to the show or you want to tell your friends about the show, I suggest our episode starter packs. These are collections of our favorite episodes on persuasion and negotiation, psychology, disinformation, crime and cults, and more. It'll help new listeners get a taste of everything we do here on the show.
Just visit jordanharbinger.com slash start or search for us in your Spotify app to get started. For decades, IQ tests have been used to judge people's intelligence. These scores were often used when considering job applicants or determining educational placement. And to this day, many of us still assume that somebody with a high IQ is smart and likely to succeed in life.
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