The Flynn Effect

1984

James R. Flynn (b. 1934)

Is the world getting smarter? In 1984, Jim Flynn, a professor of political science in New Zealand, claimed that his research showed that scores on intelligence tests were rising around the world. Many scientists were quite skeptical when Flynn first made his claim, but further research and many follow-up studies have confirmed it. The rate of gain in intelligence quotient (IQ) scores has been about three points per decade, and it has been found in many different countries, from relatively undeveloped countries to very affluent ones.

If this is true, it cannot be explained as a change in the genome; evolution simply does not work at such a fast rate. So while genes definitely contribute to intelligence, they cannot explain the so-called Flynn effect. Although there is no general consensus on why the Flynn effect occurs, one possible explanation is that people worldwide are now more familiar with school curricula and test taking. However, it is most likely that the changing environment has been the major contributor to rising IQ scores. For example, in many parts of the world there have been major advances in nutrition and health care. This would help account for improved scores in those parts of the world where such gains have been made—but what about developed and affluent countries, where the same IQ increase has occurred? One possible explanation is that with every generation, children are growing up in an increasingly information-rich environment. Our cultures are more sophisticated and complex than ever, and we are exposed to multiple perspectives on any one topic throughout our lives.

Of course, the Flynn effect has been controversial. Ongoing research has found mixed results, with some British results indicating a decline in IQ scores among adolescents since the 1990s, even while the scores of children below the age of ten have increased. Thus while the Flynn effect has been demonstrated, much remains to investigate about the relation between intelligence and changing cultural and demographic norms.

SEE ALSO Psychological Tests (1890), Binet-Simon Test of Mental Levels (1905), Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale (1939), Behavior Genetics (1942), Head Start (1965)

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius reads to a group of four-year-old Head Start students at the Judy Hoyer Early Learning Center at Cool Springs Elementary School in Adelphi, Maryland, 2011. The reason for the rise in intelligence test scores is fiercely debated, although the implementation of such programs as Head Start has certainly contributed.