"I'd argue that the IQ distribution amongst programmers is no different than that of the general population - there are just more people who mistakenly believe that they're smarter because they can throw together spaghetti code in a text editor."
That would imply that the average IQ of programmers is 100. Seems unlikely, I do think it attracts people smarter than average (at least in times when programming is not "popular" because big $$$ are promised). I do agree that some programmers have an overinflated sense of intelligence and/or self-importance, though. But there are probably job types where this is much worse...
Why would it be unlikely? Is it just because programmers have more college degrees than average? Isn't that more a measure of opportunity and background than it is of ability? In fact, don't you need to come from a relatively affluent background (read: can afford computers and resources needed for development) to even be exposed to programming?
I'm not trying to incite anything, but having worked in a couple of very different roles in my short career thus far, development being one of them, the proportion of mediocre programmers seems empirically equal to the proportion of medicore marketers, sales people, and so forth.
Programmers can do special things, but the mere act of programming itself doesn't make us special, better than average, or superior to anybody else. Programmer bigotry goes both ways.
"Programmers can do special things, but the mere act of programming itself doesn't make us special, better than average, or superior to anybody else."
I'm not arguing that it does, but the original statement was that the IQ distribution among programmers is no different from the general population, and I doubt that. I have of course zero proof of this, but since when has that stopped anybody? ;-)
It's just a hunch really. I associate programming with "figuring out difficult things", which is more of a pastime that (on average) more intelligent people seem to be attracted to. I am not claiming that this makes anybody "better", nor am I comparing the quality of people in different jobs, or on different educational levels. I'm solely looking at IQ (problematic as that measurement may be... but that is a different story).
To put it another way: if programmers had the same IQ distribution as the general population, then half of all programmers would have an IQ < 100. I find that VERY hard to believe. In this profession we like to joke about copy & paste programmers, or maybe PHP/Java/whatever programmers (insert favorite target here), but come on.
Because programming requires a baseline of logical reasoning ability. Certainly you don't have to be a genius, but I wouldn't expect to find many with IQs below 95 or so.
the proportion of mediocre programmers seems empirically equal to the proportion of medicore marketers, sales people, and so forth.
That's true by definition. Half of all theoretical physicists are "below average", but I'd expect their average IQ to be well over 100.
Depends on what you're measuring and the distribution of it through your population. For example, most people have greater than the average number of feet.
It requires the ability to write, spell, and sit for a few minutes in front of a computer screen that's not showing tweets, lolcatz, or breasts.
It also requires access to a computer, which severely underprivileged are unlikely to have.
Look at how many arts students fail the compulsorily "Intro to programming" courses that a few unis spring on them. I bet that's because (in part) they lack the logic-problem-solving (i.e. IQ) skills to cope with it.
I'd say that programmers in general have a higher general intelligence, and a much higher IQ, than the population in general.
That would imply that the average IQ of programmers is 100. Seems unlikely, I do think it attracts people smarter than average (at least in times when programming is not "popular" because big $$$ are promised). I do agree that some programmers have an overinflated sense of intelligence and/or self-importance, though. But there are probably job types where this is much worse...