Certainly, there are many things that increase or decrease IQ and this would relate to the question whether intelligence is fixed or malleable. Though intelligence isn’t IQ, one could draw some inferences about intelligence from the latter.
Ever thought of this? Anything that changes make IQ change. So what? IQ isn’t fixed. Consider things like temperature, stress, knowledge, human mobility, diet, homeostasis, somatic cell, gene mutation, and technology; how they change, IQ tends to change with them.
1. Temperature
A study showed that regions with cooler temperature have inhabitants with higher IQ scores than those living in the hot temperate region. Temperature does change, so does IQ. In lieu of this, answer to the question ‘is intelligence fixed or malleable?’ Definitely, intelligence isn’t stable, as with temperature.
2. Stress
Taken at face value, it doesn’t make sense to take an IQ test under stress condition. Depending on the stressor, IQ test might provoke an intellectual exertion of test takers so that they might experience even more physical and mental strain.
3. Knowledge
Information being processed in our brain depend on how much data we are exposed to and how much of this exposure we actually retain in our memory. Knowledge differs across domains of expertise. Much knowledge or intellectual endeavors in domains like logic, maths, and language tend towards IQ boost.
4. Human mobility
Movement of a person from one place to another is a crucial factor that does impact on IQ. The question is: with whom do I associated in environment A differently from environment B? What food did I eat there? ..and how technologically advanced is environment A compared to B? If answers to these questions are positive, no doubt you’ve probably gained IQ boost, otherwise, your IQ is on a decline.
5. Diet
How many times have you been advised to eat seafood? How many times have you been told to maintain a balanced diet and dump junks? Now, these pieces of advice aren’t bad. Want to boost your IQ from low to high as 200 now? Dumping junk food (processed food: biscuit, sugary things, pasta etc.) is the first step, to begin with.
6. Homeostasis
Metabolic reactions (anabolism and catabolism) are what’s going on inside your body right now. So your brain functions are anabolic (synthesizing and building up cells from nutrients in the foods you intake) and catabolic (breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones, such as the release into the blood, of unprocessed or unused waste materials that might be toxic to the body, thus eliminated from the body).
But what if few toxic substances (like alcohol and marijuana) find their way into the brain and their effects are not eliminated or tend to cause long-term damage? Watch your body functions and maximize the proper functioning of your internal environment, of course with quality foods.
Though homeostasis isn’t all limited to diet, consider temperature, hormone, and the diet itself, there is a good correlation among them all. Isn’t it?
7.Somatic cells
Cells in the body to change, so do brain cells. The idea that neurons change their structural connections and functions is called neuroplasticity in neuroscience and psychology. Body cells and brain cells can experience dramatic change if exposed to toxic environments like carbon monoxide, harsh weather etc.
8. Gene mutation
Again genetic changes can cause massive increase or decrease in IQ. The idea that gene is fixed is nothing but cliché and long gone. Scientists have repeatedly confirmed that mere exposure to ionizing radiation can become carcinogenic.
9. Technology
How advanced in technology is your country? Are you citizen living in Niger Republic? This is no national ridicule but the fact. Are you exposed to education and computer? You already know this stuff.
