Social Interaction of Those with Genius IQs - Essay Example

Social Integration of those with Genius IQs Introduction A person would be awed to talk about popular geniuses who made marks for changing history because of their gifts. Friends and families would feast reaping the fruits of their popularity. They would be in magazines and newspaper front pages, they will be talk of the town and on television; they are celebrities and public figures because of their achievements. Behind all the smiles and the flash of cameras, the life of the genius has been a long struggle for social acceptance and normalcy. This paper discusses the different factors that affect the integration of geniuses into the society. The discussion flows with the discussion of the major concepts, genius, intelligence, IQ and giftedness and tackles the different concerns on the social integration aspect providing personal insights to the issues. Genius In the course of the research, varying and opposing definitions of genius were arrived at. The term genius was at first referred to as a "man endowed with superior faculties" referring to some popular figures as the famous author and lexicographer Dr. Samuel Johnson, Albert Einstein, Immanuel Kant, Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci and many others. It was also referred to as a quality, "that everyone possessed, an animating spirit that represented one's character and interests as much as one's ability". Through time, there were changes in the understanding of the term and was then associated with "one's natural ability or talent, and eventually with the special ability of a few". (Benet, 2005) In some other references as in the article of David Every, he insinuated to link genius to insanity, and gave a definition "an abnormal IQ, to the point where the person is 1.5 times as "logical" as the average person, or basically testing beyond the 98th percentile (3rd or 4th deviation)". (2006) Genius was also linked to psychoticism as some form of madness, "associated with an above-average level of psychological disturbance, though in combination with high general intelligence". (Brand, n.d.) However, in the more recent century, when the interests shifted to psychometric methods of assessment, the term genius became associated with the quantitative concept "Intelligence Quotient or IQ". Intelligence Quotient Intelligence Quotient or IQ is "the ratio of an individual's estimated mental age and chronological age multiplied by 100". Alfred Binet, a French psychologist developed the Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale in 1905 that measured the intelligence quotient. The initial IQ classification geared a scale of, IQ -140 and over as genius or near genius, 120-140 as very superior intelligence, 110-120 as superior intelligence, 90-110 as normal or average intelligence, 80-90 as dullness, 70-80 as borderline deficiency, 50-69 as moron, 20-49 as imbecile and below 20 as idiot. The classification changed in 1997 by the David Welcher - the Adult Intelligence Scale, which classified IQ -130 and above as very superior, 120-129 as superior, 110-119 as high average, 90-109 as average, 80-89 as low average, 70-79 as borderline and 69 and below as extremely low. Welcher's terminologies used were noticeably more considerate and humane and avoided type casting. The term genius was not used anymore. (Benet, Classification n.d.) Intelligence and Genius The conflicting issue is that studies did not show clear relationship with IQ and the popular meaning of genius. It was noted that IQs of popular personalities were approximated in the above 130 or genius level. But the concept used is that of popularity. The word genius was derived from the Latin word, "gignere" which meant to beget or to produce. The reference to genius is one's ability to create something, which, the IQ tests did not measure. Albert Einstein was, according to sources, not an achiever as a child. The development of his speech was delayed and he dropped out of his early school years. He was also report to have failed in the college admission test in Zurich. But Einstein was recognized for his mathematical genius because of his works and the formula E=MC2. Same is true with many other popular artists like Picasso and da Vinci, or composers, dancers, performers and even computer genius Bill Gates. They were considered for their creation but not necessarily for their intelligence. (Benet, 2005) Giftedness In the researcher's efforts to find scientific basis for discussing the IQ genius' social integration, the review of sources was led to the concept of "giftedness" and given the meaning, "evidence of high performance capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity or in specific academic fields". A gifted or talented student means "a child or youth who performs or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience or environment." (Johnsen, Susan as cited in Wikipedia, n.d.) How giftedness is measured is varied and for children, it is through school work, classroom observations, achievement measures and the intelligence scores with the use of IQ tests. In this research, the concept of giftedness or gifted will be used as basis for discussing social implications and at some sense and will be used interchangeably with the word "genius". Social Integration Popular geniuses social maladies For every genius listed in the known 301 genius from the 1500 to 1900, there seemed to be corresponding maladies in their chosen lifestyles. The great Samuel Johnson was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome, characterized with multiple tics, twitches and involuntary vocal grunts and obscene speech. Like Johnson, Wolfgang Mozart, a known composer had Tourette's syndrome too and aside from that, he had some fetishes on buttocks and defecation. He also exhibited some forms of madness, miaowing like a cat, somersaulting in the air for no reason. Howard Hughes, a business genius suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder and died hibernating in a remote hotel. (Brand, n.d.) Some known genius exhibited weird personalities particularly in love and sexual preferences. Composer Verdi had special sexual interests in his maids, cooks and servants who worked for him. Brahms, a known genius composer, had a lifelong weakness for prostitutes and feared monogamous relationships. Alfred Sisley, an impressionist painter, showed his gallantry towards women and flirting, and as they said "he could never resist a petticoat". Martin Luther King was idolized by many for his courage and character but also known for his promiscuity. (Brand, n.d.) These were milder experiences of known geniuses, and following are more alarming cases, like that of the over-sexed inventor of Inspector Margaret, Georges Simen, who claimed to have slept with 10,000 women in his lifetime. Eric Gill, a genius British artist and craftsman in 1920 enjoyed incestuous relationships for a long time with his sisters and two elder daughters, even if he was a lay brother of the order of St. Dominic. (Brand, n.d.) Greta Garbo, a famous actress and considered genius in motion picture acting, exhibited abnormal behavior. She would feast on the cameras, pose and give her beautiful smiles that catch the attention of the world, but she would not let other people see how she really feels. Behind the gallantry is the sad and very aloof person who would sneak out of parties to avoid people. Picasso was the classic male chauvinistic pig and treated women abominably. Rudolf Nureyev was an insatiable homosexual and was known to pick boys every night and bring them to his hotel room. Even the disease syphilis was associated with geniuses because it was at those times, associated with notable writers and artists who ended their lives with syphilis. (Brand, n.d.) Social problems experienced by known geniuses were exhibited in varied forms and degrees. But because of the vagueness of the concept of genius, and the description being phased out in the classification of IQs, there are very limited studies that can be sourced to explain the occurrence of social problems among them. On the other hand, gifted children have experienced milder social problems and studies presented some patterns of social behavior. Isolation. "In this culture, there appears to be a great pressure for people to be normal with a considerable stigma associated with giftedness." (Plucker, 2004). The child, growing more rapidly than the others, has difficulty blending with his peers. He may make extra effort to use simpler language when with peers, and another language when with outsiders and then his normal intellectual language with people in his confidence and when with his family. The child tends to isolate himself from the others, aside from his communication difficulty, the notion of being different, or "abnormal". In order to hide this seeming abnormality and to win the approval of others, the child will hide his abilities. And because this is too much effort, he resorts to isolation, a simpler solution to his impending social problem. Indeed, for a gifted child, it is too much effort to be normal. We may assume then, that there were many instances in that childhood, that a genius wished he did not have the special gift, and wished instead to be just normal. Modern approaches to education recognized the difficulties of gifted children, and thus special programs for gifted children were created to give focus on methodologies and counseling programs tailor fitting giftedness. Organizing peer groups with common interests and abilities is one strategy that will combat and prevent isolation. Perfectionism. Perfectionism refers to having high standards, a desire to achieve, conscientiousness or high levels of responsibility. Although this is not clearly social concern, it is a significant issue that giftedness is facing, the desire to achieve. Identified behaviors associated with perfectionism are depression, a nagging "I should" feeling, shame and guilt, face-saving behavior, shyness and procrastination and self-deprecation. Although many geniuses ride on their abilities to achieve perfection, there are other aspects of their life that cannot cope with their own standards, because they are trapped in young bodies and advance thinking, bodies that cannot get older as quickly as they want. (Reis, 2004) Underachievement Many gifted children, particularly students, are able to cope with achievement or reasoning tests, but will not be able to produce evidences of these, such as assignments or attendance to class. This underachievement will be seen in school grades and gifted children may have tendencies to get bored in class, not participate in activities because their mental abilities are way advance the others, peer pressure for conformity, social isolation and family problems. This is one main reason for the creation of the special education methodology, programmed to answer the needs of gifted children, and other special children with disabilities and difficulties, special curriculum will provide activities suiting the needs and capabilities of the students, particularly gifted children. Depression "With the exception of creatively gifted adolescents who are talented in writing or the visual arts, studies do not conform that gifted individuals manifest significantly higher or lower rates of severity of depression that those for the general population" (Reis, 2004) The gifted child may have to fact some social and emotional problems and experience, but their advance abilities in terms of advanced social skills, moral reasoning and satisfaction in achieving, will help them counter the effects brought about by these social and emotional problems. They may overcome the tendencies to be depressed. The special educational programs for the gifted, and the group counseling therapies recommended for gifted children will absorb the shock of being "not normal". The groupings will allow them the consolation that they are not alone and will be able to empathize with the other gifted children with similar abilities and personalities. Extra care and attention has to be given to these children, to prevent the occurrence of anxiety and depression. Conclusion Well known geniuses have exhibited poor social adaptations. Many of whom have ended with social illnesses and other psychological abnormalities such as neurosis, psychosis, mania or depression. Many of whom were branded insane, or mad because of their weird actuations. Many too have chosen total isolation to be able to relax from the pressures of adapting to normalcy. The humanized terms used in classifying Intelligence Quotients or IQ with the removal of the word genius, dumb, moron or idiot to the more subtle terms as superior, above average and below average, have given justice to both extremes, the extreme high intelligence and the extreme low intelligence. No wonder the word genius to include the words dumb, moron, idiot have found themselves lost in the vocabulary of intelligence measurement. It is a relief that the IQ tests have stopped the branding of people. More so, the creation of specialized education strategies focusing on gifted children and other differently-abled children will allow the children's difficulties on adapting to their peers, family and the community to be rechannelled into their advantage. The geniuses are not insane, nor are they abnormal. They are given a special gift either in terms of intelligence, creativity or artistry, and this gift should contribute to improve their own life. It would never be a shock again to find out how their lives ended. Howard Hughes, Einstein, Mozart and even Archimedes became public figures because they are genius in their own special field. They could have lived happier lives had they been reared with special care as children, and given special attention as adults. The society holds the responsibility to give the gifted a life of normalcy. The family, the community and the government have each their share of responsibility. There are just few geniuses, their gifts can be made very valuable to the improvement of the society. Bill Gates brought computers to every home. His genius has changed the life of practically all the people in the world. He deserves a happy life. Howard Hughes has brought billions of dollars to the aircraft and motion picture business. He did not deserve to end up living and dying in misery. The geniuses, the gifted deserve a better life. The society should pave the way to the attainment of that better life. 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