An IQ of 85 is considered to be in the low average or below average range, falling one standard deviation below the mean (100), within the typical 85-115 average band, and often categorized as borderline intellectual functioning (70-85), indicating functional but below-average cognitive ability that may require support for complex tasks but isn't considered intellectual disability.
70 to 84: Borderline mental disability. 85 to 114: Average intelligence. 115 to 129: Above average or bright. 130 to 144: Moderately gifted. 145 to 159: Highly gifted.
Lady Gaga's IQ is widely rumored to be around 166, placing her in the "exceptionally gifted" or genius category, though this is an estimation often cited in celebrity lists, not a officially verified number from a public test. This high estimate is supported by her early academic achievements, like attending a summer program for the top 1% of students, and her demonstrated creative and musical genius as a composer and performer, notes Us Weekly and Brainmanager.io.
Borderline intellectual functioning, previously called borderline mental retardation (in the ICD-8), is a categorization of intelligence wherein a person has below average cognitive ability (generally an IQ of 70–85), but the deficit is not as severe as intellectual disability (below 70).
80-90: Below Average IQ. 70 to 80: Borderline. Below 70: May indicate intellectual deficiency or mental retardation.
Applicants who are receiving benefits based solely on an intellectual disorder must have an impairment that occurred before age 22 and a full-scale IQ score of 70 or below, or a full-scale IQ score of 71 to 75 with a verbal or performance score of 70 or less.
83 stands at a low average but don't lose hope. You're young and you have a lot ahead of you, believe it or not. The cognitive skills you're lacking, you can make up for by working hard.
Lower childhood IQ was associated with increased risk of developing schizophrenia spectrum disorder, adult depression, and adult anxiety.
Defining Mild Intellectual Disability
Mild intellectual disability, also known as borderline intellectual functioning, is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Individuals with mild intellectual disability typically have an IQ score ranging from 50 to 70.
Her songwriting & business smarts suggest above-average intelligence, but real IQ needs a pro test. Taylor Swift's IQ is often cited online as 160, which would place her in the top 0.01% of the population, higher than 99.99% of people.
Nicole Kidman, whose shyness and stutter made her early years difficult, nevertheless showed an impressive aptitude for ballet and acting at a young age (and at one point had a reported IQ of 132).
IQ tests are not perfect, not should they be used to create a class-ist society ruled by high testers. Paris Hilton has a 129 IQ and Andy Warhol's was 86. But who contributed more to society?
Borderline intellectual functioning is when someone has an IQ score between 71 and 84. People with borderline intellectual functioning are at higher risk of mental health problems than those with average IQs. Individuals with this condition may need help accessing resources and learning daily life skills.
Recent research out of Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Pennsylvania suggests that while raw IQ may not increase dramatically, certain cognitive skills that contribute to performance on IQ tests can be improved through targeted training.
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Individuals may take a test or test battery once every eight weeks. If you've taken all available tests or test batteries and have not met the requirement to join, we encourage you to submit evidence of prior testing.
Even with an IQ of 159.8, John F. Kennedy had a reputation in childhood of being a poor student, preferring games and sports. He came around, though, and graduated from Harvard in 1940.
Approximate IQ range of 50 to 69 (in adults, mental age from 9 to under 12 years). Likely to result in some learning difficulties in school. As adults individuals will be able to work and maintain good social relationships and contribute to society.
Human research backs this up: a large longitudinal study tracking over 12,000 young people found a strong link between a mother's IQ and her child's cognitive performance. But while genetics play a big role, environment matters too.
Schizophrenia and related disorders, psychotic disorders, adjustment disorders, personality disorders, and alcohol and substance-use-related disorders are significantly associated with low IQ scores.
People with lower IQs often rely on basic, repetitive words like “good,” “bad,” “okay” without variation. Conversations feel shallow and lack nuance. A U.S. NAEP survey showed that daily reading among 13-year-olds dropped from 35% in 1984 to just 21% in 2023.
Careers in the medical field, computer programing, university research positions, and engineering are among the ones with the highest requirements to be smart and have a high IQ.
In general, scores of between 80 and 120 on an IQ test are considered average in the United States. Scores of 70 or 75 are sometimes given as the cutoff for determining possible intellectual disability.
It can be associated with a genetic syndrome, such as Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome. It may develop following an illness such as meningitis, whooping cough or measles; may result from head trauma during childhood; or may result from exposure to toxins such as lead or mercury.