Have you seen Limitless or Lucy, or any of those movies where the main character suddenly becomes a genius? Many people wonder if there are real ways to improve cognitive function & IQ and become mentally sharper in everyday life. We have too — and it made us curious whether science offers practical ways to boost intelligence.

As it turns out, there might be some exercises you could do which would help you to boost that IQ and become smarter…. Move over Einstein!

According to research, there are several strategies to improve some of the most important talents associated with human intelligence.

We'll look at some of the activities that might help you improve your IQ in this blog article. 

What Is An IQ?

The intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a measure of a person's intellectual intelligence and potential. ^[1] Alfred Binet, a French psychologist, introduced this measurement in the early 1900s.

Standardised testing, performed by professional psychologists and, in certain situations, people with graduate level mental health expertise, is used to determine IQ. The following are examples of standardised IQ tests:

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V)
• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults (WAIS)
• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale

Despite their popularity, online IQ tests and applications can't evaluate your IQ as precisely as a psychologist-administered IQ exam can.

While IQ scores are one way to assess intellect, they are not the only factor to consider. IQ testing, on the other hand, can be used as a first step in detecting various mental illnesses and learning difficulties.

How do I get smarter and boost my IQ?

The science here is interesting, as sometimes it’s compelling, and sometimes it’s less so, but on the whole the idea is so appealing, why not try and boost your IQ? ^[2]

Human intellect is divided into two types: fluid intelligence and crystallised intelligence. Fluid intelligence ^[3] is linked to abstract reasoning, whereas crystallised intelligence is linked to the development of intellectual skills. 

These forms of intelligence, according to the National Library of Medicine, can be impacted by a range of genetic ^[4] and environmental variables, including:

• parental IQ
• genes
• parenting style
• home life
• nutrition
• education
• lifestyle

This means that right now, you can’t change the top three on the list, but you can alter the latter end of the list for your brain’s benefit!! 

Here are some tasks to help you strengthen various aspects of your intelligence, such as thinking and planning, as well as problem-solving and other skills.

Memory Games

Memory exercises can help you enhance your thinking and language abilities as well as your memory. Memory games have also been employed in scientific investigations to see how memory links to language and object knowledge.

Because reasoning and language are both used to assess intelligence, memory tasks can help to further increase intelligence. 

The many different memory activities include:

• jigsaw puzzles
• crossword puzzles
• concentration card game, or card matching
• Sudoku

Control Activities 

The capacity to govern complicated cognitive activity is known as executive control. It's part of the executive function, which also comprises executive management and regulation. According to research ^[5], one facet of human intelligence, fluid thinking, is highly linked to executive function.

There are many different types of activities that involve executive control activities such as:

• Scrabble
• Pictionary
• red light, green light
• Brainteasers

Visuospatial Reasoning Activities

The mental processes associated with physical representations are referred to as visuospatial reasoning.

Researchers discovered that enhancing visuospatial thinking improved IQ test scores in one study. Memory and executive control tasks were utilised in part to assist individuals enhance their visuospatial thinking in that study.

Some of these activities that utilise visual and spatial training are:

• mazes
• point-of-view activities
• 3D models
• unfolded prisms

Relational Skills

Through relational linkages, Relational Frame Theory connects to the evolution of human intellect and language. According to research published in 2011 ^[6] [7] Adopting Relational Frame Theory as an intervention can considerably increase children's IQ scores.

This intervention was also proven to increase IQ, verbal thinking, and quantitative reasoning in a more recent trial.

Relational training is used in the following activities:

• language learning books 
• object comparisons 
• amount comparisons 

Learn A New Language 

Would it surprise you to learn that more than half of the world's population speaks more than one language? It should come as no surprise that learning many languages is good for the brain – and the younger you start, the better.

A new study looked into the link between early language acquisition and intelligence. The findings revealed that language learning through speaking and engagement between the ages of 18 and 24 months had the greatest impact on cognitive outcomes later in life. ^[8]

Play A Musical Instrument 

You don't have to be the next big thing in music to get the benefits of studying an instrument. Musicians had greater working memory than non-musicians, according to one research.

Given the importance of memory in intelligence, picking up that musical instrument you've always wanted to learn might help your IQ.

Daily Reading

There's no doubt that books are advantageous to human cognitive growth. ^[9] In fact, when books are used as part of parental bonding activities, the advantages of development are considerably greater.

Researchers revealed in a recent study that when parents read aloud to their children, the child's language and cognitive development abilities improved. ^[10]

Continued Learning

Education is essential for the growth of human intelligence in whatever form. Over 600,000 people were analysed in a review of studies on IQ and education to see how education affected IQ scores. ^[11] Participants gained one to five IQ points for each extra year of formal schooling, according to the study.

Reflection

Although science is divided on whether or not you can increase your IQ, evidence suggests that specific brain-training activities can help you improve your intellect.

Memory, executive control, and visuospatial thinking training can all help you improve your intellect. Engaging in thinking activities and games, learning new abilities, and keeping your brain busy are the greatest ways to train these sections of your brain.

References:

[1] What Is the Average IQ?

[2] Improving Intelligence

[3] Multi-modal fitness and cognitive training to enhance fluid intelligence

[4] Is intelligence determined by genetics?

[5] Executive Functions

[6] A Relational Frame Training Intervention to Raise Intelligence Quotients: A Pilot Study 

[7] A relational frame skills training intervention to increase general intelligence and scholastic aptitude

[8] Bilingualism: Consequences for Mind and Brain

[9] Benefits of Reading Books: How It Can Positively Affect Your Life

[10] Reading Aloud and Child Development: A Cluster-Randomized Trial in Brazil

[11] How Much Does Education Improve Intelligence? A Meta-Analysis