Flynn Effect

Synonyms

Generational IQ gains; IQ gains over time; Secular IQ gains

Definition

The Flynn effect refers to the fact that for every developed nation for which data exist (almost 30), there have been massive IQ gains from one generation to the next during the twentieth century. These gains have averaged, with variation by nation and kind of test, about 9 points per generation culminating in a huge gain over 100 years.

Historical Background

There is a correspondence between IQ gains and the beginning of modernity. Data by birth date show that British gains in whatever IQ tests measure began no later than the last decades of the nineteenth century at a time when, paradoxically, IQ tests did not exist. There are now data for most of continental Europe, virtually all English-speaking nations, three nations of predominately European culture (Israel, Brazil, and Argentina), and three Asian nations that have adopted European technology (Japan, China, and Korea). In 1985, Sweden may have become...