Who developed the first IQ test?

Alfred Binet is recognized for developing the first practical intelligence test, known as the Binet-Simon scale, in the early 20th century. In collaboration with his colleague Theodore Simon, Binet aimed to create a tool to identify school children who required special educational support. The Binet-Simon scale focused on various cognitive abilities and established the foundation for future intelligence testing, emphasizing mental age as a key metric for assessing intellectual capability.

Binet's approach differed from those of other figures in the field, as he was primarily concerned with measuring a child's ability to learn, rather than creating a fixed measurement of intelligence. This perspective on intelligence as a malleable trait influenced many later theories and testing methodologies, ultimately shaping how educators and psychologists assess cognitive abilities.