Why our IQ levels are higher than our grandparents' | James Flynn

Summary

This script explores the dramatic cognitive evolution of the 20th century, highlighting significant shifts in mental habits due to technological and societal changes. It discusses the substantial increase in IQ scores over generations, the development of new mental skills such as abstraction and hypothetical reasoning, and the impact of these changes on education, employment, and moral debates. The speaker also notes a concerning trend of historical ignorance that hinders effective political engagement.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The cognitive abilities of humans have dramatically evolved over the 20th century, adapting to a more complex world and developing new mental habits.
• 🛣️ Just as the evolution of cars and roads has been driven by technological advancements, our minds have also adapted to better understand and navigate the world.
• 📈 Significant I.Q. gains over time suggest that modern generations are far more adept at problem-solving and abstract thinking compared to a century ago.
• 🧠 The rise in average I.Q. scores from 70 to 130 reflects a broader cognitive shift rather than a simple increase in intelligence.
• 👽 The hypothetical scenario of a Martian archaeologist illustrates the impact of technological advancements on performance, analogous to the cognitive tools we've acquired.
• 🔬 Luria's studies highlight the resistance of pre-scientific individuals to abstract thinking and the hypothetical, showing a stark contrast to modern cognitive habits.
• 🏫 The evolution of education reflects a shift towards teaching abstraction, logic, and the hypothetical, preparing students for a complex world.
• 🔬📚 The increase in cognitively demanding professions and the upgrading of existing ones require individuals to be more flexible and adept in abstract thinking.
• 🌐 The development of cognitive habits has also influenced moral debates, enabling deeper and more universal discussions on ethics and values.
• 📊 Despite overall cognitive progress, there's a noted decline in historical and political knowledge, which is crucial for informed decision-making in a democratic society.
• 🌟 The 20th century has revealed the vast cognitive potential of ordinary people, debunking the aristocratic belief that common individuals were incapable of complex thought.

Q & A

How did the speaker describe the cognitive shift in the 20th century?

The speaker described the cognitive shift in the 20th century as a dramatic change from people who analyzed the world in terms of personal benefit to those who confront a complex world, developing new mental habits such as classification, logical consistency, and considering hypotheticals.

What evidence did the speaker provide for the cognitive changes in people over the century?

The speaker provided evidence of cognitive changes through massive I.Q. gains over time, suggesting that each succeeding generation scored significantly higher on I.Q. tests than the previous ones, indicating a significant cognitive development.

What is the average I.Q. score that people from a century ago would have according to modern norms, as mentioned in the script?

According to the script, if people from a century ago were scored against modern norms, they would have an average I.Q. of 70.

Why did the speaker use the example of a Martian archaeologist to illustrate cognitive changes?

The speaker used the Martian archaeologist example to illustrate how the cognitive abilities of humans have evolved over time, similar to how the technology used by soldiers has advanced from muskets to machine guns, indicating that the 'equipment' of the mind has improved rather than just physical abilities.

What did Luria's studies on people before the scientific age reveal about their cognitive habits?

Luria's studies revealed that people before the scientific age were resistant to classifying the concrete world, deducing hypotheticals, and dealing with abstractions or using logic on those abstractions.

How did the speaker illustrate the resistance to abstractions and hypotheticals in Luria's interviews?

The speaker illustrated this resistance by recounting Luria's interviews where subjects could not see commonalities between crows and fish beyond their immediate uses, could not logically deduce the absence of camels in Germany, and refused to speculate on the color of bears at the North Pole based on given premises.

What changes in education does the speaker attribute to the cognitive development of the 20th century?

The speaker attributes the increase in years of formal education, the rise of scientific education, and the shift in examination content from concrete information to abstractions as evidence of cognitive development in education.

How has the nature of employment changed in terms of cognitive demands according to the script?

The script states that the nature of employment has changed with 35 percent of Americans now practicing cognitively demanding professions, and even traditional professions like doctor and banker have seen an upgrade in cognitive demands due to advancements in their respective fields.

What impact have the cognitive habits developed in the 20th century had on moral debates, as discussed in the script?

The cognitive habits developed in the 20th century, such as taking the hypothetical seriously and using logic on universals, have escalated moral debates by allowing for more abstract and logical considerations in moral arguments, as opposed to being fixed on concrete mores and attitudes.

What concern does the speaker express about the current generation's engagement with history and politics?

The speaker expresses concern that young Americans are becoming ahistorical, reading less history and literature about foreign lands, which hampers their ability to engage effectively in politics despite having developed cognitive abilities.

How does the speaker conclude the discussion on cognitive history and the potential of ordinary people?

The speaker concludes on an optimistic note, highlighting the cognitive reserves in ordinary people that have been realized over the 20th century, challenging the aristocratic belief that the average person could not share their mindset or cognitive abilities.