Does IQ Predict Creativity?

The Myth: High IQ people are automatically more creative. IQ and creativity are the same thing.

The Reality: IQ and creativity are partially independent. Above an IQ of about 120, additional IQ points don't predict additional creativity. Many highly creative people have average IQs.

What the Science Says

The relationship between IQ and creativity follows what researchers call the 'threshold theory.' Below an IQ of about 120, IQ and creativity correlate moderately — you need sufficient cognitive ability to be creative. But above 120, the correlation largely disappears. This means a person with a 130 IQ is not more creative than one with 120 — other factors (openness to experience, divergent thinking, domain expertise, risk tolerance) become dominant. Studies using divergent thinking tests (generating multiple solutions to open-ended problems) find these are only weakly correlated with IQ. Many of history's most creative people — artists, musicians, entrepreneurs — had average or modestly above-average IQs. Creativity requires the ability to make novel connections, which is a different cognitive process from the convergent reasoning that IQ tests measure.

Learn more about what IQ actually measures and what different scores mean.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does high IQ mean more creativity?

Only up to a point. Below IQ 120, there's a moderate correlation. Above 120, additional IQ doesn't predict additional creativity. Creativity depends more on personality traits like openness and on divergent thinking ability.

Can someone be creative with an average IQ?

Absolutely. Many of history's most creative people had average or modestly above-average IQs. Creativity requires novel connection-making and divergent thinking — cognitive processes that are partially independent of IQ.

What's the difference between IQ and creativity?

IQ measures convergent thinking (finding the one correct answer). Creativity involves divergent thinking (generating many possible answers). These are different cognitive processes that draw on overlapping but distinct brain networks.

More IQ Myths Debunked

Do Video Games Make You Smarter?Does Listening to Mozart Make You Smarter?Are First-Born Children Smarter?Does IQ Determine Success?Are Men Smarter Than Women?Does Brain Size Determine IQ?Does Reading Make You Smarter?Is IQ Fixed at Birth?Do Bilingual People Have Higher IQs?Are Only Children Smarter?Does IQ Decrease with Age?Does Alcohol Kill Brain Cells?Is IQ the Same as Intelligence?Does Marijuana Lower IQ?Are Left-Handed People Smarter?Does Coffee Make You Smarter?Do Taller People Have Higher IQs?Does Watching TV Lower IQ?Is IQ Determined by Race?Does Sleep Affect IQ?Does Meditation Increase IQ?Is There a Link Between IQ and Mental Health?Can You Increase IQ with Supplements?Does Class Size Affect Student IQ?Does Exercise Increase IQ?Can You Have Multiple Types of Intelligence?Does Breastfeeding Increase IQ?Does Poverty Lower IQ?Is There an IQ Gene?Does Sugar Make Kids Hyperactive?Does Music Training Increase IQ?Do IQ Tests Have Cultural Bias?Does Internet Use Lower IQ?Can Trauma Lower IQ?Does Cold Weather Make You Smarter?Is There an Ideal IQ?Does Dyslexia Affect IQ?Does Wealth Equal Intelligence?Does Your IQ Change Throughout the Day?Are Introverts Smarter Than Extroverts?Does Screen Time Lower Children's IQ?Do Twins Have the Same IQ?Does Fasting Improve Cognitive Function?Does Being Rich Make You Smarter?Do Vegans Have Higher IQs?Does Handwriting Affect Intelligence?Does Speaking Multiple Languages Increase IQ?Is IQ Testing Outdated?Does Chess Make You Smarter?Are Night Owls Smarter?Does Listening to Podcasts Increase IQ?Does Having a Big Vocabulary Mean High IQ?Do Animals Have IQ?

Take our free IQ test to see where you stand, or explore science-backed ways to improve your IQ.