Increase Vocabulary to Boost Your IQ
While the general public has been led to believe that your intelligence, or IQ, is something that you cannot change, there is clear consensus in the research community that intelligence can be increased, particularly through vocabulary games and other activities that increase language awareness.
Research has found that there are two components to intelligence: crystallized and fluid intelligence.1,2 Crystallized intelligence can be defined as general knowledge, such as your ability to recall facts, generalizations and principals, and to apply processes, such as multiplication. Fluid intelligence is represented by abstract reasoning ability, working memory capacity, and working memory efficiency.3
While fluid intelligence, which is considered innate, plays an important role in acquiring crystallized intelligence, it is just one factor. Students of any age can increase their crystallized intelligence, or general knowledge, through education. Numerous studies have demonstrated that crystallized intelligence is more important for academic ability than fluid intelligence.4,5,6
So, the good news is that it is possible to increase your intelligence. This leads us to the question: “What is the best way to increase your IQ?”
An increased vocabulary is one of the best general indicators of intelligence.7 The vocabulary difference between low- and high-achieving students is estimated to be approximately 5000 words.8 This difference typically has more to do with the student.s regular exposure to new words than their innate, or fluid, intelligence. Therefore, building your language knowledge with vocabulary activities can lead to increased intelligence, and a higher IQ score, as well as improved academic success.
1 Cattel, R.B. (1987). Intelligence: Its structure, growth, and action (Rev. ed.). Amsterdam: North Holland Press.
2 Ackerman, P.L (1996). A theory of adult intellectual development: Process, personality, interests, and knowledge. Intelligence, 22, 227–257.
3 Marzano, J. (2003) Closing the Achievement Gap: A Vision for Changing Beliefs and Practices edited by Belinda Williams, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, Va., pp. 48–66.
4 Rolfhus, E. L., & Ackerman, P. L. (1999). Assessing individual differences in knowledge: Knowledge, intelligence, and related traits. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(3), 511–526.
5 Madaus, G.F., Kellaghan, T., Rakow, E.A., King, D. (1979). The sensitivity of measures of school effectiveness. Harvard Educational Review, 49(2), 207–230.
6 Dochy, F., Segers, M., & Buehl, M.M. (1999). The relationship between assessment practices and outcomes of studies: The case of research on prior knowledge. Review of Educational Research, 69(2), 145–186.
7 Chall, J.S. (1987). Two vocabularies for reading: Recognition and meaning. In M.G. McKeown & M.E. Curtis (Eds.), The nature of vocabulary acquisition (pp. 7–17). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
8 Nagy, W., & Herman, P. A. (1984). Limitations of vocabulary instruction (No. 326).
