A Book Review: Younger Brains, Sharper Brains by Eric R. Braverman, M.D.
by Maggie Dail, M.A., Learning Specialist
Chapter 6 – Identifying IQ Types
Originally, the intelligent quotient (IQ) compared a person’s mental age to his chronological age. With the first IQ (Alfred Binet, French psychologist in 1904) the mental age was divided by the chronological age and multiplied by 100 making 100 the average IQ. Today, with the “deviation IQ” ‘test takers are compared with other people their own age.” With this formula, the average remains 100, “but deviations are assigned a number, which corresponds to a percentile rank.” P. 78
Over the years there have arisen many theories about IQ. In the past, some have considered IQ as fixed, but more and more people see the reality of “neuroplasticity.” Braverman obviously knows this.
He recognizes four main categories of intelligence, “and each one corresponds to one particular brain chemical family.” P. 79
Abstract or traditional IQ – schoolwork / ability to synthesize facts, recognize patterns, create new paradigms/ dopamine
Creative IQ – ability to incorporate new ideas into establish ways, leading to a change in viewpoint, empathetic/ acetylcholine
Emotional IQ –ability to be sensitive to others , sustain long-term relations / GABA
Common Sense or Perceptive IQ – ability to understand reality, thrill seekers who keep a low profile, mellow, jump into action when needed / serotonin p. 79, 80
Typical Traits of High IQ
Better vocabulary than friends or colleagues
Ability to recall information quickly
“Reading too much into a story or movie” (perceptive / creative)
Like to figure out how things work
Interested in discussing opinions (politics, religion)
Thinking you are always right
Thinking you know more than others
Figure out on your own
Being a perfectionist
Creativity
Expressing your opinion often
Comfortable conversationalist
Skeptical of government or ‘experts’
Sensitive to beauty
Self-Critical
Original ideas and solutions
Like to solve puzzles
Normally energetic
Witty
Good sense of humor p. 81, 82
Having a balanced brain can improve all domains of intelligence. P. 82
Ways to Increase Memory (brain’s bandwidth):
Reading and learning a variety of subjects
Learn another language
Balancing the Brain
Follow me in learning about “The Braverman Protocol” which is covered in Part II of the book.