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theDreamer · Dec 3, 2007, 10:13 AM

Do you think the average IQ of a person is increasing or decreasing, and this is in the world population not just each country?

Edit: Great, in the poll I make myself look like an idiot. Guess that is what I get for not proof reading.

MacosNerd · 10:56 AM

What do you mean IQ which is a measurement of one's intelligence, or do you mean their education, knowledge and wisdom.

For instance, here in the states we could have an increasing population of higher IQ individuals but w/o an adequate education system we'll not be teaching and instructing them to their fullest potential.

Conversely there could be a European nation that may have a lower IQ population but a superior education system so their population is "smarter" even if they have a lower IQ

Doofy · Dec 3, 2007, 10:54 AM

No.

Every day I see many fine examples of gross stupidity.

Kevin · Dec 3, 2007, 10:55 AM

Depends. If you are an elitist you'll always believe people are getting dumber/are dumber than you are.

MacosNerd · Dec 3, 2007, 11:08 AM

Well I just polished off a small bag of smart food popcorn so I'm feeling pretty intelligent right now.

osiris · Dec 3, 2007, 11:21 AM

No. Though I think that many believe they are getting smarter, but I fear that the masses are rapidly digressing to a state of barely conscious sheepdom. How else to explain to current state of world affairs.

MacosNerd · Dec 3, 2007, 11:35 AM

One issue with our education system - at least in the states is that it appears to be dumbing down to the lowest common denominator. This is then heralded as the new better way to to instruct our children,

additionally the school hours are increased, recess is eliminated and the kids have 8 hours of homework. We're at a point where they're working almost 10 to 12 hours to get their school work done.

Kevin · Dec 3, 2007, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by osiris

No. Though I think that many believe they are getting smarter, but I fear that the masses are rapidly digressing to a state of barely conscious sheepdom. How else to explain to current state of world affairs.

People have been saying this for about every decade for as long as I can remember.

zipperzap · Dec 3, 2007, 11:58 AM

On this forum?

osiris · Dec 3, 2007, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

People have been saying this for about every decade for as long as I can remember.

That, and going to Mars.

Kevin · Dec 3, 2007, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by zipperzap

On this forum?

Well of course not. But I fail to see how that is even relevant.

RAILhead · Dec 3, 2007, 12:27 PM

Well, since you asked if I "think thte [sic] average IQ of a person is increasing," I would have to ask who you are referring to, specifically.

So far, I'd vote NO.

Eug · Dec 3, 2007, 12:52 PM

Yeah, it's cuz of all that radiation we're exposed to these days.

Oisín · Dec 3, 2007, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

Well of course not. But I fail to see how that is even relevant.

I think his comment was in reply to the OP, not your post.

No, I don’t believe we, as a species, are getting smarter. We continually acquire new knowledge, but we also continually lose valuable old knowledge.

turtle777 · Dec 3, 2007, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

People have been saying this for about every decade for as long as I can remember.

So what are you saying ? That it has been true for decades ?

-t

Chuckit · Dec 3, 2007, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Oisín

No, I don’t believe we, as a species, are getting smarter. We continually acquire new knowledge, but we also continually lose valuable old knowledge.

I don't doubt that sometimes useful things are forgotten, but it seems to me that we're more likely to gain knowledge than to lose valuable old knowledge. If the knowledge is actually valuable and isn't kept totally secret, natural selection should help to keep it around.

Oisín · Dec 3, 2007, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I don't doubt that sometimes useful things are forgotten, but it seems to me that we're more likely to gain knowledge than to lose valuable old knowledge. If the knowledge is actually valuable and isn't kept totally secret, natural selection should help to keep it around.

I worded that badly. What I meant was that we continually acquire new information that is or is becoming important/valuable for our current life style, while we continually lose information that was important/valuable in earlier life styles.

And I’m talking about ‘us’ on quite a large scale here, of course. There are still people who know how to build a kayak from a tree trunk using nothing but a piece of string and a banana, but it’s not ubiquitous common knowledge anymore, even among Native American tribes.

(Yes, I do know how to build a kayak from a tree trunk using nothing but a piece of string and a banana. No, I’m not telling you, you’ll have to figure it out for yourself.)

Kevin · Dec 3, 2007, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Oisín

I think his comment was in reply to the OP, not your post.

In that case, it yet again shows the value in the quoting system.

olePigeon · Dec 3, 2007, 02:44 PM

I think people are and can be more capable, but it seems like people are just caring less and less.

My IQ went down 20 points just by reading YouTube comments. How do people that stupid operate a computer? Damn you Apple!

BRussell · Dec 3, 2007, 03:00 PM

Yes - it's a very well-established phenomenon, called the Flynn Effect. You have to do much better on an IQ test today than 50-70 years ago to receive the same score, because the norms are so much higher. IMO, some of that is probably artificial (i.e., we're just superficially more familiar with standardized testing), but I think we're also genuinely more intelligent by any legitimate definition of that term.

Oisín · Dec 3, 2007, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by BRussell

Yes - it's a very well-established phenomenon, called the Flynn Effect. You have to do much better on an IQ test today than 50-70 years ago to receive the same score, because the norms are so much higher. IMO, some of that is probably artificial (i.e., we're just superficially more familiar with standardized testing), but I think we're also genuinely more intelligent by any legitimate definition of that term.

Oddly, though, you have to get 20 per cent fewer correct answers in a high school maths test to get an A now than twenty years ago (at least here), which would seem like the opposite effect.

BRussell · Dec 3, 2007, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Oisín

Oddly, though, you have to get 20 per cent fewer correct answers in a high school maths test to get an A now than twenty years ago (at least here), which would seem like the opposite effect.

Yeah, it is funny that grade inflation has occurred at the same time as IQ increases. And here's one consequence of that: it used to be that high school GPA was a better predictor of college GPA than standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. That is no longer the case. It's pretty pathetic that a test taken in an hour or two predicts the future better than the years of work that are supposed to be measured by GPA.

Laminar · Dec 3, 2007, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by BRussell

Yeah, it is funny that grade inflation has occurred at the same time as IQ increases. And here's one consequence of that: it used to be that high school GPA was a better predictor of college GPA than standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. That is no longer the case. It's pretty pathetic that a test taken in an hour or two predicts the future better than the years of work that are supposed to be measured by GPA.

Ha...I WISH my ACT score predicted anything about my college GPA.