The Human Intelligence Podcast

n this episode of the RIOT IQ Podcast, we talk with Dr. James J. Lee about why IQ is still widely misunderstood and how intelligence researchers actually think about it. The conversation breaks down what IQ measures, what it does not, and why many public discussions around IQ miss the mark. James explains how researchers interpret IQ data, how prediction works in intelligence research, and where simplified narratives break down when applied to real-world outcomes. We also discuss how modern research approaches are improving the way intelligence is studied, how scientists think about general intelligence, and why understanding the limits of IQ is just as important as understanding its strengths. Topics covered in this episode: – What IQ actually measures – Common misconceptions about IQ – What IQ can and cannot explain – How intelligence researchers think about prediction – The limits of oversimplified IQ narratives – How modern research is refining our understanding of intelligence This is part of the RIOT IQ Podcast, where we explore intelligence, cognition, and human potential through science, data, and serious conversation. If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing for future episodes and sharing it with someone interested in intelligence, psychology, or human behavior. Resources discussed in this episode: https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214251339449 🧪 Curious about your own IQ? If you want to explore your own ability profile, you can take a free sample of the RIOT IQ test at https://www.riotiq.com. 🧠 Human Intelligence Podcast We go deeper into intelligence, psychology, and human ability on the podcast. Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-human-intelligence-podcast/id1838505248 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/7rlGMBgISCAxVwJMAXor3M

This is part of the RIOT IQ Podcast, where we explore human intelligence through science, data, and serious conversation. If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing for future conversations like this and share it with someone interested in intelligence, neuroscience, or human behavior. 🧪 Curious about your own IQ? If you want to explore your own ability profile, you can take a free sample of the RIOT IQ test at https://www.riotiq.com. 🧠 Human Intelligence Podcast We go deeper into intelligence, psychology, and human ability on the podcast. Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-human-intelligence-podcast/id1838505248 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/7rlGMBgISCAxVwJMAXor3M 🔔 Subscribe for more videos on intelligence, psychology, and cognitive science. All our links → https://linktr.ee/riottest Follow us on X → https://x.com/RiotIQ

In this episode, we sit down with neuroscientist Dr. Richard Haier to unpack what intelligence and IQ actually look like inside the brain. We talk about what decades of brain imaging research reveal about IQ, why higher intelligence is linked to more efficient brain activity, and what PET scans, genetics, and network models tell us about how intelligence works at a biological level.
We also explore common misconceptions about IQ, the limits of what training and environment can change, and what current science does and does not support when it comes to increasing intelligence.
This conversation focuses on evidence, not ideology, and draws from over 50 years of research in neuroscience and intelligence science.
Topics covered in this episode: – How IQ relates to brain efficiency – What PET scans reveal about intelligence – The Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (PFIT) – Genetics, environment, and cognitive ability – Can IQ change over time? – What intelligence research actually shows
This is part of the RIOT IQ Podcast, where we explore human intelligence through science, data, and serious conversation. If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing for future conversations like this and share it with someone interested in intelligence, neuroscience, or human behavior.
Dr. Richard Haier is also the founder of the HIrE Foundation, an initiative focused on supporting rigorous, open scientific research on intelligence and human cognition.
Learn more about the foundation here: https://www.hirefoundation.org/
🧪 Curious about your own IQ? If you want to explore your own ability profile, you can take a free sample of the RIOT IQ test at https://www.riotiq.com.

If you want to explore your own ability profile, you can take a free sample of the RIOT IQ test at https://www.riotiq.com.
In this episode, Russell talks with Damien Morris about free will, genetics, and responsibility. They explore why genetic explanations for behavior are often misunderstood, what people get wrong about determinism, and how philosophical assumptions shape research in behavioral genetics, psychology, and social science.
Damien explains the idea of “free will by subtraction,” why ignorance cannot be the basis of freedom, and how different views of free will lead to very different conclusions about responsibility, inequality, and criminal justice. They also discuss why genetics does not erase agency and why philosophy still matters for understanding human behavior.
Read the article discussed in this episode: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-human-genetics/article/behavioral-genetics-and-human-agency-how-selectively-deterministic-theories-of-free-will-drive-unwarranted-opposition-to-behavioral-genetic-research-and-undermine-our-moral-and-legal-conventions-part-i/EF9614F273F0F07150C5DBB29F1DF1D8
If you want to watch the full video version of this episode, visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RiotIQTest
Learn more about the RIOT IQ test at https://www.riotiq.com.

If you want to explore your own ability profile, you can take a free sample of the RIOT IQ test at https://www.riotiq.com.
In this episode, Dr. Russell T. Warne speaks with Dr. Jonathan Anomaly about embryo selection, polygenic scores, and what modern genetics can predict about traits like IQ, health risks, and longevity. They talk through how polygenic scores are built, what kind of IQ gains are realistic when selecting embryos, why parents rarely choose the highest IQ embryo, and how people balance disease risks against cognitive traits.
They also discuss validation studies, ethical concerns, CRISPR and gene editing, long term social effects, and what embryo selection might mean over several generations.
If you want to watch the full video version, visit our YouTube channel at @RiotIQTest.
Learn more about the RIOT IQ test at https://www.riotiq.com.