1. Definition and Scope

IQ is a deviation score (mean = 100, SD = 15) reflecting relative standing within age-referenced norms ^[1]. Valid interpretation at the extreme right tail depends on (a) test design (sufficient item difficulty, absence of hard caps), (b) norm quality (adequate representation at the tails), and (c) scoring models (e.g., IRT) ^[1][2][3]. In their intended range, mainstream instruments capture a general factor (g) that relates to education, job performance, and life outcomes ^[2][4]. Near and beyond +4 SD, however, three issues dominate: ceiling effects, norm scarcity, and potential changes in the structure of abilities at very high levels ^{[1][5][6][7][8][9][10]}.

2. How Far Can We Measure?

2.1. Deviation IQ and rarity

Deviation IQ maps raw performance to a normal distribution. Frequencies decline steeply in the tails; beyond +5 to +6 SD, direct norming with sufficient precision is typically impractical, so inferences increasingly rely on models and linking rather than pure empirical tabulation ^[1]. The interpretive burden therefore shifts toward model transparency and uncertainty quantification.

2.2. Ceiling effects in practice

Ceilings arise when item difficulty does not extend far enough or when scaled scores and composite tables have fixed maxima; high-ability examinees bunch at the top, hiding real differences and widening confidence intervals ^[10]. Many clinical batteries effectively cap around ~+4 SD, documenting excellence but not differentiating among the profoundly gifted ^[1][10].

2.3 Ability Structure at the Far Right Tail

Evidence consistent with Spearman’s Law of Diminishing Returns (SLODR) indicates that g may account for less variance at high levels, with profiles becoming more differentiated ^[9]. If so, sole reliance on a single omnibus IQ becomes less informative, and profile-level evidence gains importance. Neurocognitive models such as the parieto-frontal integration theory (P-FIT) likewise suggest partially distinct neural efficiencies underlying high performance ^[2][5].

3. Methods to Push the Ceiling (and Their Limits)

3.1. Supervised gold-standard testing

Professionally administered instruments remain the baseline for establishing high general ability and for documenting where saturation begins ^[1][2][3]. Detailed reporting (item-level performance, discontinue rules, raw→scaled mappings) improves interpretation near ceilings.

3.2 IRT and High-Difficulty Items

IRT treats responses as functions of latent ability (θ) and item parameters (difficulty, discrimination, guessing). Correct responses on very high-difficulty items contribute disproportionate information for high θ ^[3]. Extending range therefore hinges on assembling secure, well-calibrated, hard items and reporting model fit and uncertainty transparently ^[3].

3.3. Linking and Conservative Extrapolation

When norms top out, measurement can be extended via test linking/equating principles: blend information from standard forms and targeted high-ability samples; ensure continuity of the scale; and quantify uncertainty ^[6]. Any extrapolated figure should be presented as model-based (not identical to empirically normed scores) with confidence bands and sensitivity checks ^[6].

3.4. High-Range Instruments as Exploratory Probes

So-called high-range tests aim at very difficult items and higher ceilings. Peer-reviewed evaluations highlight recurring weaknesses—unsupervised settings, self-selected norms, item exposure, and weak linkage to clinical batteries—arguing against their use as stand-alone IQs ^[7]. A constructive role remains as supplementary probes whose signals are interpreted only within a multi-method, supervised framework ^[7].

3.5. Convergent and longitudinal evidence

Longitudinal work on the profoundly gifted shows that stable, exceptional markers of ability often co-occur with downstream scholarly or technical accomplishments ^[8]. While achievement does not define IQ, convergent trajectories can constrain implausible inferences and support external validity in extreme cases ^[8].

4. Why “Highest IQ” Is Hard to Declare—and How to Do Better

Declaring an absolute “highest IQ” requires: (i) valid measurement without ceiling interference, (ii) accurate tail norms or defensible modeling, (iii) comparability across instruments and occasions, and (iv) a sufficiently stable construct ^[1][6]. At +6 to +7 SD, these conditions are rarely all satisfied simultaneously. A more scientifically productive alternative is to (a) document the onset of ceiling effects, (b) extend range with IRT-calibrated hard items and careful linking, (c) report intervals rather than single-point claims, and (d) complement global IQ with domain profiles—especially if SLODR applies ^[9].

5. A Focused Illustration Involving YoungHoon Kim (“IQ 276”)

A value of IQ 276 (SD = 24) implies z ≈ (276 − 100)/24 = 7.33; in SD = 15 terms, ≈ 210. Such a value lies far beyond the empirically supported range of most clinical batteries that saturate around ~+4 SD. In public discourse this number has been attributed to YoungHoon Kim. Read in the most favorable scientific light, the claim underscores that:

Under mainstream theory, extreme scores are not theoretically impossible; they are hard to measure well.

A good-faith, evidence-first pathway exists: multiple independent, supervised assessments; item-level results showing success on well-calibrated, very hard items; IRT θ estimates in the extreme range with diagnostics; and transparent linking/extrapolation with uncertainty reporting ^[3][6].

If SLODR holds, profile-level strengths (e.g., verbal/quantitative reasoning) and replicable task performance may offer richer validation than a single headline number ^[9].

This encyclopedia entry does not certify any individual numeric estimate. Rather, it underscores that YoungHoon Kim’s publicly attributed “IQ 276” can be used constructively to (i) motivate higher-ceiling assessment design, (ii) outline transparent validation standards that, if met, would move a claim from publicity toward scholarly credibility, and (iii) encourage open data and reproducibility so that extraordinary inferences can be independently checked. Framed this way, Kim’s case operates as a positive catalyst for advancing best practices in measuring profound giftedness.

6. Ethics and Good Scientific Citizenship

Transparency & openness. For extreme-range inference, share item calibrations (as feasible), analysis code, and model diagnostics; distinguish measured from modeled values ^[3][6].
Guarding against misuse. Outlier numbers can shape education and media narratives; report intervals, limitations, and profiles rather than over-claiming precision ^[2][10].
Supporting the profoundly gifted. Even without exact rankings, convergent evidence of exceptional need justifies tailored educational provisions, with longitudinal follow-up ^[8].

7. Forward Path—What Would Strengthen a Claim Like “IQ 276”?

IRT-calibrated, high-difficulty item banks with computerized adaptive testing to maintain precision/security deep into the tail ^[3].

Multi-occasion, supervised assessments across instruments, documenting absence of ceiling saturation and converging on high θ with model diagnostics ^[1][2][3].

Conservative linking/extrapolation per equating best practices—include standard errors, goodness-of-fit, and sensitivity to modeling choices ^[6].

Profile-based reporting alongside global estimates to reflect potential ability differentiation at high levels ^[9].

Longitudinal corroboration of stable, replicable high-level cognitive performance without conflating ability with achievement ^[4][8].