The news that has been making headlines across the web over the last couple of days – that users of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer web browser have a lower than average IQ – could in fact be an elaborate hoax or marketing stunt, CBR can reveal.
The study, by psychometric consulting company AptiQuant, claimed that users of IE have a lower IQ than users of Chrome, Firefox and Safari, while users of Camino and Opera have the highest.
Many pages on AptiQuant’s website are remarkably similar to those of another psychometric testing site, Central Test. In particular the Our Team pages on both sites feature the same pictures and job descriptions for many people – only the names have been changed.
The About Us page on Central Test’s website reads: "Central Test was established in 2002 by psychologist and business graduate, Patrick Leguide, who remains the company’s president and CEO. Over the past few years, Central Test has become a world leader in the field of online psychometric testing. The company designs, scientifically validates, and publishes a comprehensive range of psychometric tests for the recruitment, career guidance, career management, and staff development markets."
Contrast that with AptiQuant’s: "AptiQuant was established in 2006 by psychologist and business graduate, Leonard Howard, who remains the company’s president and CEO. Over the past few years, AptiQuant has become a world leader in the field of online psychometric testing. The company designs, scientifically validates, and publishes a comprehensive range of psychometric tests for the recruitment, career guidance, career management, and staff development markets."
However, while they have changed the names of staff on their About Us page, elsewhere they seem to have simply ‘adopted’ Central Test staff. For instance in one news story, they quote a Roland De Saint Etienne, professor at EPP and AptiQuant coach and consultant. Could this be the very same consultant who works for Central Test, described in their own news story as Roland De Saint Etienne, professor at EPP and Central Test coach and consultant?
A Google search for Patrick Leguide reveals a wealth of information connecting him to Central Test. A similar search for Leonard Howard reveals very little beyond the recent news stories. A Google News search for AptiQuant reveals nothing before July 28 2011, when the results of the study were announced.
In a statement released to CBR, Central Test said: "I can confirm that there is no formal link between the Central Test and [the] company called AptiQuant." The company added that it will be releasing an announcement later today to disclaim any relationship between the two.
AptiQuant’s report has been questioned on the blogosphere and on comment boards, including CBR‘s. "Junk science at its worst," said one commenter.
"As a Chrome user, I’d like this study to be true; but it sounds like marketing to me. What better way to give IE bad press and make people move to another browser than by saying ‘hey you are stupid if you use IE’. This article & others like it will go viral and IE’s market share will plummet," was another comment.
AptiQuant had not returned our request for comment at the time of going to press.
