Obtaining IQ test database

[Chriss]

Hello,

I need an intelligence test database that was performed on subjects for a hypothesis I have.

What should I do ?

[Strange]

You could try emailing some researchers who look like they might have the data you need, with details of the analysis that you want to do to see if they have the relevant information in their data sets. They may be reluctant to make the data available (for privacy reasons - depending what is in the database) but may be able to extract the relevant subset for you or do some analysis (if they think your hypothesis is interesting enough).

[Chriss]

Would they give me data without revealing my hypothesis ?

[Strange]

Would they give me data without revealing my hypothesis ?

 

Well, you could ask, but I doubt it.

 

But why wouldn't you reveal it, anyway?

[Sensei]

 

But why wouldn't you reveal it, anyway?

 

Maybe it's IQ per race, or IQ per sex.. etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence

But first he has to get database, to analyze it, and verify whether hypothesis is confirmed or overthrow.

It would be unprofessional to reveal hypothesis, without even analyze any data, don't you think?

Edited March 16, 2016 by Sensei

[Strange]

It would be unprofessional to reveal hypothesis, without even analyze any data, don't you think?

I'm not sure why. It could be phrased as, "I want to study the relationship, if any, between scores on standardised tests and factors such as ..." which doesn't seem too contentious.

[Chriss]

I am afraid to be tricked, because if they don't even know me they could simply take it as their own. Can this happen ?

[Strange]

I am afraid to be tricked, because if they don't even know me they could simply take it as their own. Can this happen ?

 

I have never heard of such a thing.

From the crackpot index

"10 points for mailing your theory to someone you don't know personally and asking them not to tell anyone else about it, for fear that your ideas will be stolen."

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/crackpot.html

[Sensei]

I have never heard of such a thing.

f.e.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_drop_experiment

"This remains controversial since papers found after Fletcher's death describe events in which Millikan coerced Fletcher into relinquishing authorship as a condition for receiving his PhD.[3][4] In return, Millikan used his influence in support of Fletcher's career at Bell Labs."

If such things happens between knowing each other teacher and student, you can imagine situation between famous professor versus "nobody"..

 

How about Newton vs Hooke? They were claiming each other stole their ideas.

 

In older times when the only way of communication was paper mail, XVI-XIX century, one scientist were sending two mails, to his opponent and second copy to himself (and never open), proving that ideas were really sent to person at certain time. Just in case..

 

Chriss, I doubt you hypothesis have any meaningful value, worth keeping in secret. It's not design of f.e. engine, that you could patent and make money on it..

[Strange]

Two examples in 400 years?

[Chriss]

I've read or seen a in a documentary that Darwin plagiarized from Alfred Wallace work. It is another example.

And also Edward Jenner with smallpox vaccine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_vaccine "It is thought that Jenner's idea to use cowpox came from Benjamin Jetsy, who inoculated his wife and two sons 22 years before Jenner began his experiments in 1776."

Edited March 16, 2016 by Chriss

[Strange]

I've read or seen a in a documentary that Darwin plagiarized from Alfred Wallace. It is another example.

 

Absolutely not true. They both came up with the idea at the same time (as often happens). Darwin gave Wallace full credit when he presented his paper to the Royal Society (I think Wallace was still off in the Far East).

[Chriss]

 

Absolutely not true. They both came up with the idea at the same time (as often happens). Darwin gave Wallace full credit when he presented his paper to the Royal Society (I think Wallace was still off in the Far East).

I know that Wallace send his work to Darwin as a confident and Darwin took the titles of his chapters from there. But it is possible that I am wrong.

[StringJunky]

I noted, at the time of reading about his proof of Fermat's Last Theorem, that Andrew Wiles is a secretive little squirrel.

[John Cuthber]

You could try emailing some researchers who look like they might have the data you need, with details of the analysis that you want to do to see if they have the relevant information in their data sets. They may be reluctant to make the data available (for privacy reasons - depending what is in the database) but may be able to extract the relevant subset for you or do some analysis (if they think your hypothesis is interesting enough).

If it's a computer readable database and in the UK then, unless those people whose data are in there gave written permission in advance, the database owners are forbidden from providing that data to you under the Data Protection Act.

I imagine that similar legislation exists elsewhere.

[CharonY]

 

Maybe it's IQ per race, or IQ per sex.. etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence

But first he has to get database, to analyze it, and verify whether hypothesis is confirmed or overthrow.

It would be unprofessional to reveal hypothesis, without even analyze any data, don't you think?

 

Normally you start with a hypothesis and then build a study design around it.

[Chriss]

I've emailed them but they ask me what the hypothesis is. And one who wants to do a collaboration. I don't know what to do.

Chriss, I doubt you hypothesis have any meaningful value, worth keeping in secret. It's not design of f.e. engine, that you could patent and make money on it..

You say that it wouldn't be stolen even if it is something unexpected ?

[Strange]

I've emailed them but they ask me what the hypothesis is. And one who wants to do a collaboration. I don't know what to do.

You say that it wouldn't be stolen even if it is something unexpected ?

 

If you have someone offering to collaborate you should jump at the chance. Why would you let the risk of something that isn't going to happen (and wouldn't matter anyway) stop you.

I know that Wallace send his work to Darwin as a confident and Darwin took the titles of his chapters from there. But it is possible that I am wrong.

 

Wallace's essay was only published because of Darwin. Wallace had sent it to him as a private letter and Darwin arranged for it to be published without Wallace's knowledge (because he was still in the Far East). The essay was presented at the Royal Society, along with some of Darwin's work (so that people would know he had come up with basically the same idea).

[Chriss]

I asked for data and he told me he don't have and to tell my hypothesis in order for him to write a good enough grant proposal explaining why the hypothesis is important for the funding agency...

[John Cuthber]

It's pretty unlikely that you have come up with an hypothesis about IQ that hasn't already been

researched,

published and

argued about at great length on the web.

 

But, if you have, and you post it here on a site which will time and date stamp it, you will always be able to prove that you thought of it first.

Edited April 12, 2016 by John Cuthber

[Chriss]

But, if you have, and you post it here on a site which will time and date stamp it, you will always be able to prove that you thought of it first.

I've emailed it to my mother and to a cousin. Would that be a proof ? I am thinking if to put it on the web.

[John Cuthber]

No offence intended, but your mother and cousin are not independent witnesses.

We are.

[Chriss]

No offence intended, but your mother and cousin are not independent witnesses.

We are.

I know but there is the email with the date.

Are you saying that it won't be stolen even if it is extraordinary and remarkable like x-rays for example ?

[timo]

I think it is safe to say that in the history of this forum there has not been a single incident of an extraordinary idea like the discovery of x-rays posted here having been stolen.

Edited April 13, 2016 by timo

[Strange]

I asked for data and he told me he don't have and to tell my hypothesis in order for him to write a good enough grant proposal explaining why the hypothesis is important for the funding agency...

 

He is either genuinely interested or is trying to put you off by making you realise how much bureaucracy is involved in funding research.

I've emailed it to my mother and to a cousin. Would that be a proof ? I am thinking if to put it on the web.

 

It would be proof that you emailed it to them. (Actually, not even good proof of that.)

 

But why does it matter? What is this obsession that "armchair scientists" have with their ideas being stolen? No real scientists worry about that - science is a collaborative enterprise.