Flynn effect
IQ scores moved for decades
The Flynn effect is one of the strangest IQ facts: test scores rose across many populations over time.
Quick answer
The short version
The Flynn effect describes broad increases in IQ test performance observed across many countries during the twentieth century. Researchers debate the mix of education, nutrition, complexity, and test familiarity behind it.
How to use it
1
Treat historical IQ comparisons carefully.
2
Remember that tests are periodically re-normed.
3
Separate score trends from simple claims about brains.
4
Use modern norms when interpreting a score.
What this trains
IQ context
Data interpretation
Critical thinking
Historical reasoning
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