An analysis of 100,000+ users reveals a sharp decrease in engagement among those with IQs above 115, suggesting that higher intelligence may be associated with lower follow-through and commitment to personal growth.
MyIQ, a digital platform for cognitive and emotional insight, has released new internal data that challenges conventional assumptions about intelligence and personal development. Based on a review of over 100,000 test sessions, MyIQ has identified a consistent behavioural pattern: users with IQ scores above 115 were 63% less likely to continue with additional modules than those scoring in the average range (IQ 85-115).
Only 17.6% of high-IQ users proceeded to complete any of the platform’s skill-building, emotional insight, or personality-based learning modules. By contrast, 42.5% of average-IQ users completed at least one follow-up activity, with 28.1% returning for two or more sessions.
The divergence appears immediately after the result delivery. Users with above-average scores showed a sharp but brief spike in activity, frequently revisiting their test reports and viewing comparative ranking data, but the majority failed to act on suggested development steps. Within seven days of receiving their IQ result, over 78% of high scorers had disengaged entirely from the platform.
These patterns were not replicated among lower or average scores. Users in the IQ 85–115 range remained active for an average of 45.3 days, while high scorers averaged just 4.2 days of post-assessment engagement.
The findings suggest that higher intelligence may correlate with decreased willingness to engage in structured self-development, particularly when success is already implied. MyIQ’s team notes that this form of disengagement is not consistent with digital fatigue or lack of interest, but instead aligns with well-documented psychological dynamics such as perfectionism, status preservation, and fear of diminished performance.
The phenomenon, referred to as the intelligence plateau, reflects a tendency among high-performing users to treat cognitive testing as a conclusive result rather than an entry point for growth. The behaviour is not driven by capacity but by caution.
Users scoring above 115 are often validating an identity they already believe they hold. That validation appears to reduce the motivation to explore additional information, particularly if that exploration might challenge or complicate the self-image they are trying to reinforce.
The company’s findings underscore the importance of re-evaluating intelligence not as an endpoint, but as a baseline. Raw ability does not appear to guarantee adaptability, self-awareness, or openness to feedback, factors increasingly recognised as essential in both personal and professional growth.
MyIQ was launched in 2024 and is used by over a million individuals worldwide. It is a digital self-knowledge platform that offers more than an IQ score, with over 9 million completed tests across the various test categories, cognitive, personality, and relationships, all with personalised, actionable insights. The platform offers over 25 brain games, more than 150 intelligence puzzles, over 20 hours of expert video content, and 300+ available lessons on emotional intelligence, problem-solving, innovation, confidence-building, and decision-making. Through its IQ test, full-spectrum personality assessment, and relationship insight quiz, MyIQ delivers structured, personalized feedback that helps individuals better understand their inner world and behaviour.
Contact Information:
MyIQ.com
pr@myiq.com
Sophie de Villiers
PR manager
MyIQ, a digital platform for cognitive and emotional insight, has released new internal data that challenges conventional assumptions about intelligence and personal development. Based on a review of over 100,000 test sessions, MyIQ has identified a consistent behavioural pattern: users with IQ scores above 115 were 63% less likely to continue with additional modules than those scoring in the average range (IQ 85-115).
Only 17.6% of high-IQ users proceeded to complete any of the platform’s skill-building, emotional insight, or personality-based learning modules. By contrast, 42.5% of average-IQ users completed at least one follow-up activity, with 28.1% returning for two or more sessions.
The divergence appears immediately after the result delivery. Users with above-average scores showed a sharp but brief spike in activity, frequently revisiting their test reports and viewing comparative ranking data, but the majority failed to act on suggested development steps. Within seven days of receiving their IQ result, over 78% of high scorers had disengaged entirely from the platform.
These patterns were not replicated among lower or average scores. Users in the IQ 85–115 range remained active for an average of 45.3 days, while high scorers averaged just 4.2 days of post-assessment engagement.
The findings suggest that higher intelligence may correlate with decreased willingness to engage in structured self-development, particularly when success is already implied. MyIQ’s team notes that this form of disengagement is not consistent with digital fatigue or lack of interest, but instead aligns with well-documented psychological dynamics such as perfectionism, status preservation, and fear of diminished performance.
The phenomenon, referred to as the intelligence plateau, reflects a tendency among high-performing users to treat cognitive testing as a conclusive result rather than an entry point for growth. The behaviour is not driven by capacity but by caution.
Users scoring above 115 are often validating an identity they already believe they hold. That validation appears to reduce the motivation to explore additional information, particularly if that exploration might challenge or complicate the self-image they are trying to reinforce.
The company’s findings underscore the importance of re-evaluating intelligence not as an endpoint, but as a baseline. Raw ability does not appear to guarantee adaptability, self-awareness, or openness to feedback, factors increasingly recognised as essential in both personal and professional growth.
MyIQ was launched in 2024 and is used by over a million individuals worldwide. It is a digital self-knowledge platform that offers more than an IQ score, with over 9 million completed tests across the various test categories, cognitive, personality, and relationships, all with personalised, actionable insights. The platform offers over 25 brain games, more than 150 intelligence puzzles, over 20 hours of expert video content, and 300+ available lessons on emotional intelligence, problem-solving, innovation, confidence-building, and decision-making. Through its IQ test, full-spectrum personality assessment, and relationship insight quiz, MyIQ delivers structured, personalized feedback that helps individuals better understand their inner world and behaviour.
Contact Information:
MyIQ.com
pr@myiq.com
Sophie de Villiers
PR manager