Jan. 12, 2004 -- Kids complain about schoolwork; adults balk at
Jan. 12, 2004 -- Kids complain about schoolwork; adults balk at night classes. But is a BA, an MBA, or a PhD really a bunch of BS? Can one succeed without the sheepskin? What are the secrets of success?
A new study looks at the issue of intelligence tests and the role they play in one's future success in the real world.
"The kind of intelligence that leads to success in school is also related to success in the working world," lead researcher Nathan R. Kuncel, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, tells WebMD.
"You can call it being clever, smart, or whatever, but it is broadly important to success," he adds.
In their examination, Kuncel and his co-authors analyzed 127 studies involving some 20,000 people -- studies that looked at college admissions test scores, job performance test scores, and faculty ratings on internship performance.
All sorts of personal characteristics emerge from such tests: creativity, ability to perform complex tasks, and career potential, he explains.
Who succeeded? Those people who did well in school, whether they got advanced degrees or not.
"People who do well in school tend to be more focused, more conscientious," Kuncel tells WebMD. "Success in school reflects an ability to learn complex processes. It involves acquiring job-specific knowledge."
Actually, most bright people feel compelled to get advanced degrees simply because they enjoy it, he adds. Nevertheless, "having a degree isn't necessarily the key, but it tends to be related," says Kuncel. "There definitely are lots of very bright, clever people who do very well in life who don't get PhDs or MBAs."
Indeed, clever people exist outside of academia -- their success fueled by forces not measured on standardized tests. For them, the secrets to success lie in their savvy, people skills, and other personal qualities.
Noted psychologist and researcher Robert J. Sternberg, PhD, of Yale University, has conducted his own studies of success, focusing on practical intelligence, emotional intelligence, creativity, and personality.
What he defines as practical intelligence -- common sense -- is one of the crucial secrets of success, he tells WebMD. "Some people can have very high IQ scores, but they're not so successful in their relationships with other people or in running their own lives. They make a mess of their lives, so they don't achieve the success they want."
Other people are very strong in communication or creativity, even though they don't have the highest IQ scores, he adds.
"Motivation, conscientiousness, and openness to experience are all qualities that create success," says Sternberg. "People who believe that their abilities can be increased do better work than those who believe that intelligence is fixed."
Being born with intelligence -- that's no secret to success, Kuncel adds. "There's no guarantee you will succeed. Wonderful teachers, parents, and a nurturing environment are very important, there's no doubt about it."
