When this happens, how much does it change what you do next: A few comments make you treat the whole PR like an intelligence test instead of a code check.

It does not change my next move

SCRIPT CHECK · 60 SECONDS

“Every review comment is an IQ score”

See what this thought is changing.

Five quick questions show how often it appears, how believable it feels, and what it makes you avoid. You’ll get one private next step.

5 questions · about 1 minute · no account needed

What this self-check measures

This is not a diagnosis and there is no pass or fail. It measures the current frequency, credibility, and behavioral cost of “Every review comment is an IQ score”, including the private rule underneath it: If the review sounds sharp, it means the reviewer has measured me and found me lacking. Each comment becomes evidence of where I stand, so I need to protect myself by reading less, delaying more, and treating silence as safety.

See all result bands

QUIET

Quiet signal

“Every review comment is an IQ score” appears, but it rarely gets the final say. Keep this line available for higher-pressure moments: “This comment is about the code, not my score.”

PRESENT

Present in the background

“Every review comment is an IQ score” wins some small decisions before you catch it. Your useful interruption is: “I can answer the note without grading myself.”

ACTIVE

Active pattern

“Every review comment is an IQ score” is shaping action often enough to deserve a deliberate counterexample. Start privately and concretely: In under ten minutes, copy three review comments into a scratch note and rewrite each one as a neutral task label, such as “add test,” “clarify name,” or “check edge case.” Do not send anything; just cross off the rewritten items.

DOMINANT

Getting the final word

Right now, “Every review comment is an IQ score” is steering many of the moments you measured. That is a pattern reading, not a diagnosis or character verdict. Begin with one reversible receipt: In under ten minutes, copy three review comments into a scratch note and rewrite each one as a neutral task label, such as “add test,” “clarify name,” or “check edge case.” Do not send anything; just cross off the rewritten items.