Mensa

Mensa is an international society for people who score at or above the 98th percentile on an approved, supervised intelligence test. It was founded in England in 1946 by Roland Berrill, a barrister, and Dr. Lance Ware, a scientist and lawyer. Their idea was to create a society whose only membership qualification was high measured intelligence, without regard to nationality, religion, politics, or social status. The name comes from the Latin word mensa, meaning “table,” expressing the founders’ image of a round table where members meet as equals. Membership is not based on a single universal Mensa examination. National organizations administer or accept tests that have been properly standardized and supervised; applicants generally qualify by demonstrating a score in the top two percent of the population on a recognized test. This rule is important to Mensa’s identity: it defines a narrow, testable entry requirement while leaving members’ professions, beliefs, and personalities entirely open. Because intelligence tests differ by country and language, local Mensa groups publish their own accepted-test and admission procedures. From its English beginning, Mensa developed into a federation of national groups rather than a single club with one local program. Mensa International coordinates the worldwide association, while national Mensa bodies run testing, publications, events, and member services in their own jurisdictions. The organization reports members in many countries and territories, and its public presence is especially visible through groups such as American Mensa, British Mensa, Mensa Canada, and Mensa Australia. Local chapters provide the practical setting for meetings, discussions, lectures, games, and social activities. Those activities are not incidental to Mensa’s purpose. The society’s constitution describes aims including identifying and fostering human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, encouraging research into intelligence, and providing a stimulating intellectual and social environment for members. In practice, that broad remit has allowed very different projects: a local group may organize a puzzle competition or a talk by a specialist, while members elsewhere collaborate through special-interest groups devoted to subjects ranging from science and computing to literature, music, and history. Mensa does not prescribe one theory of intelligence or one political program. American Mensa, for example, offers qualifying tests through supervised sessions and publishes Mensa Bulletin. The Mensa Foundation, established in the United States in 1971, supports research, scholarships, and educational programs. Mensa groups also organize talks, games, and social events, but attending one does not qualify anyone for Mensa membership itself.