New MyIQ survey data points to a cultural shift away from narrow measures of ability, as integrated intelligence moves from theory into daily decision-making.
The language of intelligence is changing. Where cognitive performance once dominated definitions of capability, 2026 is emerging as the year of the ‘whole self’, marked by a growing expectation that thinking, emotion, and behaviour must be understood together. According to a new MyIQ survey of 5,284 adults across the US and UK, 71% say that cognitive skill alone no longer reflects how capable a person is in work, leadership, or relationships.
This recalibration mirrors a clear trend in 2025 wellness and leadership literature, which has increasingly centred on the idea of “integrated intelligence”. Rather than treating IQ, emotional awareness, and relational ability as separate competencies, recent discourse frames them as interdependent forces shaping judgment, resilience, and performance. MyIQ’s findings suggest that this perspective has moved beyond theory and into everyday self-assessment.
In the MyIQ survey, 64% of respondents said they now associate intelligence as much with emotional regulation and behavioural awareness as with analytical reasoning. Among respondents aged 25-39, the figure rose to 69%, indicating that younger professionals are accelerating the shift toward more holistic definitions of capability. The data points to a growing unease with one-dimensional measures in environments where collaboration, adaptability, and interpersonal judgment increasingly influence outcomes.
The implications are particularly visible in leadership and professional contexts. 58% of surveyed professionals reported that they had observed technically skilled individuals struggle due to limited emotional or relational awareness. At the same time, 61% said that long-term performance depends on the alignment of cognitive strength with emotional insight and behavioural consistency. Rather than rejecting intellect, respondents described a re-framing of its role, placing reasoning ability within a wider human context.
MyIQ’s multi-dimensional assessment approach reflects this emerging consensus. By combining cognitive testing with personality and relationship insight, the platform aligns with how respondents say they want to understand themselves. In the survey, 67% of participants said they preferred self-assessments that reflect how they think, feel, and interact with others, rather than isolated performance metrics. This preference remained consistent across education levels and employment sectors, suggesting a broad cultural shift rather than a niche preference.
Sarah Meyer, Managing Director at MyIQ, sees the findings as part of a longer evolution in how intelligence is defined. She notes that the data does not suggest a lowering of standards, but a refinement of them. According to Meyer, cognitive ability remains essential, but on its own it no longer explains how people function under pressure, navigate relationships, or sustain performance over time. Integrated insight, she argues, offers a more accurate reflection of real-world capability.
The survey also indicates that individuals are increasingly applying this integrated lens inward. 73% of respondents said they are more interested in understanding their emotional and behavioural responses under stress than in ranking their cognitive ability against others. This suggests a move away from comparative intelligence toward contextual understanding, where insight is valued for its explanatory power rather than its status.
As we head into 2026, the idea of the ‘whole self’ is becoming less abstract and more operational. MyIQ’s data suggests that integrated intelligence is no longer a conceptual ideal promoted only in leadership theory, but a practical framework shaping how individuals evaluate competence, growth, and self-understanding.
About MyIQ:
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.
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.