I've been looking at power curves for cyclists and it's interesting [to me anyway] how the difference in terms of power output per bodymass between a beginner and a "fit" person (class 4 racer) and a "fit" person and a "pro" is about the same. In math, beginner/fit = fit/pro.
In computing, I once read that superstar programmers can be 100 times as productive as average programmers. Creativity has a wide scale.
I recently took up chess again (I bought Chessmaster 9000 for $8 used which is a really cheap way to have one's ego crushed on a regular basis) and there it is also clear that the apparent range is huge and that it has very little to do with age.
IQ is iffy because it's not an absolute measure but a relative one. I've seen some attempts to associate IQ with speed (bits/second) and memory capacity which would allow a range to be computed.
Intellect is even harder to compute a range for.
So what's interesting is studies that has looked into such ranges for human capability of various abilities. Physical abilities seem to span two orders of magnitude whereas mental abilities seem to span more.
Any sources?
The distribution of human capacity and capability
Tools. (?)
Perhaps the increased brainpower proved more important evolutionarily than potential increased physical ability because we could create tools to overcome our physical limitations.
http://youtu.be/-KxjVlaLBmk
Also, our mental abilities evolved (flourished) more recently than our physical abilities. Would the more recent evolution leave within us a wider variety of possible outcomes?
Edit: I'll leave it up... but as I reread what I wrote I realized it doesn't really explain why any one set of parents could have two kids with a greater difference in mental abilities than physical.
Perhaps the increased brainpower proved more important evolutionarily than potential increased physical ability because we could create tools to overcome our physical limitations.
http://youtu.be/-KxjVlaLBmk
Also, our mental abilities evolved (flourished) more recently than our physical abilities. Would the more recent evolution leave within us a wider variety of possible outcomes?
Edit: I'll leave it up... but as I reread what I wrote I realized it doesn't really explain why any one set of parents could have two kids with a greater difference in mental abilities than physical.
I'm not sure that this is responsive, but calculating differences that make up "g" in Spearman's language seems relevant:
http://www.statmodel.com/download/spearmanlaw.pdf
Appendix A shows the differences in the low ability classes and high ability classes.
http://www.statmodel.com/download/spearmanlaw.pdf
Appendix A shows the differences in the low ability classes and high ability classes.
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George the original one
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> In computing, I once read that superstar
> programmers can be 100 times as productive
> as average programmers.
Right idea, but slightly exagerated number. Yourdon measured 10x between the excellent and the crappy, provided the crappy could even solve the problem. The average programmer was something like 2x more productive than the crappy.
Still, it makes one wonder why the superstar programmers are not paid 5x the average programmer...
> programmers can be 100 times as productive
> as average programmers.
Right idea, but slightly exagerated number. Yourdon measured 10x between the excellent and the crappy, provided the crappy could even solve the problem. The average programmer was something like 2x more productive than the crappy.
Still, it makes one wonder why the superstar programmers are not paid 5x the average programmer...
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George the original one
- Posts: 5406
- Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:28 am
- Location: Wettest corner of Orygun
Automobile racing is an example where there is a huge range of talent, yet the difference is rather small (10%-20%, top to bottom). The real difference shows up in the equipment: a top driver will perform above average even in a crappy car, but a poor driver still won't stand a chance even in a great car.