From: gisle@ifi.uio.no (Gisle Hannemyr)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Scientology and intelligence
Date: 5 Nov 92 09:27:16 GMT
	<Bx7KJ0.7x9@csn.org> <1992Nov5.050313.13510@lds-az.loral.com>
Organization: gisle@ifi.uio.no
Originator: gisle@gyda.ifi.uio.no

In article <1992Nov5.050313.13510@lds-az.loral.com> jerry@lds-az.loral.com (J Barbera) writes:
> Additionally, as it should be understood that Scn tech increases an
> individual's intelligence, [...]

Increased intelligence is one of the more interesting claims of
Scientology, and pops up from time to time in this newsgroup.
Based upon past discussions, I've prepared the following FAQ:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FAQ: Can Scientology and/or Dianetics help me increase my intelligence?

First, you need to define "intelligence".  There seems to be little
concensus about how to recognice this elusive quality, but some folks
seems to believe that intelligence is the stuff that IQ-tests are made
of.

Scientologist John Holifield certainly believes that, and posted in
April 1992 the following article to this very newsgroup:

> One gain that I would like to mention for the benefit of those of you
> who want something more measurable:  My IQ has increased by at least
> 46 points and I attribute the change entirely to Dianetics.  In the
> summer of 88 I took an IQ test in the psychology department at my school
> and scored 110.  I also took a IQ test a few months later at the mall
> and scored 108.  Both of these tests were made before I had ever heard
> of Dianetics or Scientology.
>
> The most recent IQ test that I took (Jan. 1992) measured IQs up
> to 156.  I scored 156.  This test was made after I had been involved
> with Dianetics and Scientology for only 1 1/2 years.  Dianetics
> increased my IQ by at least 46 points.  I don't say this just to show
> how smart I am, rather to show how workable Dianetics is when it is
> used.
                 [article <1992Apr12.124649.1974@memstvx1.memst.edu> by
                  isds22013010@memstvx1.memst.edu (John Holifield)]

One interesting thing to note is that John doesn't say who admini-
stered the later tests which showed the amazing increase in IQ, or how
the testing was conducted.  Subsequent discussions did however clear
that up.  I asked him if, by any chance, all the tests that showed an
increase in IQ were given, analyzed and scored by the Church of
Scientology, and John Holifield responded:

> You guessed it right.  I thought I had made that pretty clear in
> earlier posts.
>
> Unless you are suggesting that the test moderator changed the answers,
> or gave a different test [each time] (which I assure you he didn't) I
> just don't see your point.  Do you have one?

                 [article <1992May2.153240.2032@memstvx1.memst.edu> by
                  isds22013010@memstvx1.memst.edu (John Holifield)]

And to answer John's rethorical questions about my point, yes I have
two -- corresponding to the following two observations:

  1) _All_ the tests that showed an increase in IQ was given, analyzed
     and scored by the Church of Scientology.
  2) The Scientologists gave John exactly the same test over and over
     again to measure his steady progress over the 1 1/2 year.

1) is a blatant violation of standard scientific procedure -- that a
moderator with a vested interest in the outcome should be allowed full
control of the testing.

2) is a blatant violation of one of the most basic rules for admini-
strating IQ tests.  It is well known that it is easy to improve one's
IQ score -- just by doing a lot of IQ-tests.  This drill improves the
special reasoning and problem solving skills tested by IQ tests (but
doesn't do an iota for one's real life reasoning powers and problem
solving skills -- which is one of the reason it has been argued that
IQ tests doesn't measure intelligence).  Getting exactly the same test
over and over again optimizes this learning process for the particular
test and makes the result meaningless.

Is the CoS practice of giving the same test over and over to the same
subject just incompetence, or is its something more sinister?  It is
difficult to say, but given the non-trivial amounts of money the
Church charges for its intelligence-enhancing courses I certainly
wouldn't rule out concious deception in this case.
--
Meta-disclaimer: A society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.
 
- gisle hannemyr  (Norsk Regnesentral)
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