Is an IQ under 100, 86 to be exact, a dumb person?

Question

My boyfriend scroed 86 in an IQ test and I'm a little worried. The average is 100. Is 86 too low?

Answer 1

well let me tell you, when my oldest son was on school he was very bright had and I.Q of 136 or 138 cant remember which. . I was speaking to the principal about the excelerated classes for him and the principal told me you can have him in those classes or not , it doesnt much matter an I.Q. test is just a baseline . if you dont have good study skills it doesnt matter what your I.Q is. then on the other hand my youngest son has always been in special education classes. his I Q was 93 i think . and he is extremely intelligent . he can take anything apart  and put it back together ( and it works) he has a lot of common sense and is very well spoken, so it doesnt really matter what your I Q is  ( in my opinion) just study hard and be good at what you are good at . thats what matters.

Answer 2

Shouldn't you be asking yourself if it's too low for you, to stay with him? That's what it sounds like to me.

Ask him to retest.

Good luck

Answer 3

86 is considered low average.

Answer 4

no he was having a slow day during the testing.

Answer 5

it's more important if he works successfully with what he has - does he seem like the type that will be able to learn a trade or career that will support him and a family in the future ?

Answer 6

He is 15 pts below the standard bell-curve deviation.

Answer 7

Apparently thats Britney Spears IQ.

You do the math.

Answer 8

Well, the obvious response is, too low for what?  If that really is his IQ and not just the result of a botched test, then I wouldn't recommend that he take up a career in nuclear physics or medicine.  On the other hand, he might make a fine carpenter or construction worker.  35% of all people have IQs between 85 and 100, and about 12% of all people have IQs between 70 and 85.  85 would be considered by most experts to be "low normal".  You have to be below 70 to be considered "retarded" or "deficient".

The real question would be, is he too slow for you?  If you have an IQ of 120, you'll probably be so frustrated with him that the relationship won't last.  But if your IQ is closer to his, you have a lot in common, and the two of you get along well, then you'll be fine.

Answer 9

Online? Probably meaningless.  Who cares about IQ scores anyway?  Some of the brightest people can't take care of their families.  In my opinion, gifted people don't make good mates.  So cheer up.  He is probably normal and will work hard and not be moody or temperamental.

Answer 10

Ummm...well....yeah....just a bit though...hes not a moron or anything...but 86!....(Mines 132 by the way)

Answer 11

IQ only measures a narrow set of skills.

Character traits such as honesty, sincerity, empathy for others and a healthy work ethic are FAR more important than a number on a test (which was probably not performed under the appropriate conditions)

I am more concerned about you. If a persons IQ is an important measure of their value to you, then you need to seriously re evaluate your shallow attitude.

Answer 12

No, of course not.  IQ tests simply test how well someone does on IQ tests!  They're specific questions designed for a particular type of intelligence.  Some brilliant people do very badly on IQ tests because their intelligence is of a different sort (eg artistic or musical).  Some because they can't think in three dimensions, or are bad at word problems, etc.   That doesn't make them dumb, just different from IQ test makers.

Answer 13

It is below average.

He will not be a rocket scientist.

However, he may be a very fine and decent person who will do very well and be successful in some other career that does not require as much book learning.

So in any case, you must consider the whole package.  A good person who is a little slow is better than an evil genius!

Answer 14

86* is low, but I wouldn't write him off...yet! Ask him to have a retest, then average the two! I think you will be surprised!

Answer 15

Don't get all hung up on a test.

Part of the test is how well you do in these tests in general.

Was it his first test ever?  Does he get nervous and does that stop him from thinking?  

Yeah, it's pretty low, but you know him better.  So is he dumb or not?

Answer 16

A few points lower and he will be biting the heads off of chickens at the local fair.

Answer 17

no

Answer 18

Every person is unique, and he could simply be a late bloomer, each and every person has their own God given talents, and given the opportunity can be the best at whatever that talent may be.

Not everyone is to be an academic scholar, he may be great with hands on learning, or work.

The answers that assume he will not have a very bright future, are not only very presumptuous, but also way of base.

Do not place much value on tests that set an "average" norm; this is an individual you are talking about not someone who needs to measure up to a standard someone else thinks everyone needs to meet, or come close too.

With encouragement, unconditional love, and a vote of  you can do it, anyone can bloom into the flower they are mend to be.

Answer 19

IQ isn't 100% accurate. However 86 is considered to be below average. But he should get a re-test maybe he was haviing a tough day....

Answer 20

It means he might have troubles comprehending things.  He be slow when answering question and completing tasks.  

100 isn't really average.  90-110 is average, meaning 50% of the popluation has an IQ that falls inbetween those numbers.

70-89 is low average

69 is mental retardation.

On the flip side 110-130 is high average

130 and above is genius.  

I've taken grad courses on this.

Answer 21

hes a guy what did you expect

Answer 22

yes 86 is very low but that doesn't make him a bad person, just not a very intelligent one.

Answer 23

Not dumb, but "slow".

Answer 24

I am eleven I scored 90......

Strange.

Answer 25

First of all the IQ test is not really 100 % accurate.  Nore is it 100% indicitive of a persons intellegence.  any test can only test what you know and how you can use what you know.  

I would say that a person of a particularly high IQ would hardly score that low but a person of average or slightly above could get a bad score on a bad day.

A better test is how he relates daily to your intellegence.  If he is absolutally amazed at how smart you are then you may not make a good match for much beyond flattering your ego.

Answer 26

Yes...it is low...but on the bright side that's where most CEO's score too.

Answer 27

It is low, as it makes him like Forrest Gump.

Get a retest

Answer 28

If you  dont know already if he is dumb, what is the problem?

Answer 29

Average is considered 85-115. Therefore that would put a person on the low side of average. 84 would be borderline. "dumb" might be less than 20!!

Answer 30

a real dumb guy will be around 60, but don't look for a bright future with this guy!!