Book of the week: Are We Getting Smarter? Rising IQ in the Twenty-First Century by James R. Flynn

A political scientist working in the field of IQ testing examines some of the implications of the global intelligence boom.

(Cambridge, $22)

You might not be the brightest bulb on your block, but at least you’re more intelligent than your ancestors. So argues James R. Flynn, a political scientist who for decades has been “one of the most original thinkers” working in the field of IQ testing, said Bruce Bower in Science News. In his provocative new book, Flynn examines some of the implications of what he describes as a global intelligence boom. Twenty-five years ago, Flynn’s meticulous research identified a phenomenon now known as the “Flynn Effect,” a rise in IQ scores since 1930 that has pushed many nations’ results up by about three points per decade. We’re so much better at analytical thinking and classification, says Flynn, that in some countries, an average performer on an IQ test would be classified as a near genius if sent back in time 30 years. How’s that for food for thought?

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