Why are IQ scores rising? Industrialization rewired our minds. | David Epstein | Big Think | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

IQ scores have been consistently increasing over the 20th century, particularly in abstract thinking skills, which can be attributed to the impact of modernity.

Key Insights

• 💯 IQ scores globally have been consistently increasing by three points per decade.
• 🤔 Abstract thinking skills, measured by tests like Raven's Progressive Matrices, show the fastest rise in scores.
• 🤔 Exposure to modernity and complex tasks can lead to the development of abstract thinking and classification abilities.
• 😑 The Ebbinghaus illusion demonstrates how pre-modern and modern individuals perceive and process visual information differently.
• 💦 Modern work requires constant abstraction and application of knowledge to unfamiliar situations.
• 🤔 The Flynn effect highlights the adaptability and malleability of human thinking in response to different conditions.
• 🤔 Neither pre-modern nor modern thinking is superior; they are adapted to different contexts.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the Flynn effect and why is it significant?

The Flynn effect refers to the consistent increase in IQ scores globally over time. It is significant because it shows that human intelligence is not fixed and can be influenced by various factors.

Q: What is Raven's Progressive Matrices, and why is it important in the context of the Flynn effect?

Raven's Progressive Matrices is an abstract thinking test that measures one's ability to identify patterns and fill in missing elements. It is important in the context of the Flynn effect because it has shown the fastest rise in scores, indicating the growth of abstract thinking skills.

Q: How did Alexander Luria's study contribute to our understanding of the impact of modernity on thinking?

Luria's study involved comparing pre-modern villagers with those exposed to modernity. It revealed that exposure to modern work, education, and complex tasks resulted in a shift towards abstract thinking and the ability to classify objects.

Q: How does the Ebbinghaus illusion demonstrate the differences in perception between pre-modern and modern individuals?

The Ebbinghaus illusion involves perceiving two circles of the same size differently due to their surrounding context. Pre-modern individuals focus on individual circles and accurately perceive their size, while modern individuals are more drawn to the holistic context and perceive the central circle as larger.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• IQ scores have been rising by about three points per decade, specifically on abstract thinking tests like Raven's Progressive Matrices.

• Soviet psychologist Alexander Luria conducted a natural experiment during the industrialization of remote villages, finding that exposure to modernity significantly changed the way people think.

• Pre-modern villagers relied on concrete experiences, while those exposed to modernity developed abstract thinking skills and classification abilities.