Is the average IQ 100?

[touchring]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iq_and_...lth_of_nations

IQ and the Wealth of Nations is a controversial 2002 book by Dr. Richard Lynn, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and Dr. Tatu Vanhanen, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.[1] The book argues that differences in national income (in the form of per capita gross domestic product) correlate with differences in the average national intelligence quotient (IQ). The authors interpret this correlation as showing that IQ is one important factor contributing to differences in national wealth and rates of economic growth, but that it is not the only determinant of these differences. The data, methodology, and conclusions have been criticized.[2] The 2006 book IQ and Global Inequality is a follow-up to IQ and the Wealth of Nations.

The authors believe that average IQ differences between nations are due to both genetic and economic factors. They also believe that low GDP can cause low IQ, just as low IQ can cause low GDP. (See: Positive feedback)

For People's Republic of China, the authors used a figure of 109.4 for Shanghai and adjusted it down by an arbitrary 6 points because they believed the average across China's rural areas was probably less than that in Shanghai.

A note that the tests are not comprehensive, for example for the case of China, the authors conducted tests only in Shanghai and Beijing. The result from Shanghai is higher than Hong Kong and the authors adjusted China's figure downwards to reflect what they believed to be lower scores in rural China.

It should be noticed that South Korea is one of the rare countries that successfully developed economy among the poorest countries in the past 50 years. Contrary to the theory of correlation between IQ and economy type many planned economies had higher literacy rates than most market economies. Still, South Korea went from amongst the poorest nations in the world to advanced economy by recording among fastest growth rate in the world. Despite a supposedly higher average IQ and a market economy since the Meiji Restoration in 1867, Japan still has a lower GDP/Capita than many Western nations.

The study is not foolproof, but we can deduce certain trends in countries such as China, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil, there will be room for advancement in intellectual capabilities, as the standard of education and nutrition improves.



1 Hong Kong 107
2 South Korea 106
3 Japan 105
4 Taiwan 104
5 Singapore 103
6 Austria 102
6 Germany 102
6 Italy 102
6 Netherlands 102
10 Sweden 101
10 Switzerland 101
12 Belgium 100
12 China 100
12 New Zealand 100
12 United Kingdom 100
16 Hungary 99
16 Poland 99
16 Spain 99
19 Australia 98
19 Denmark 98
19 France 98
19 Mongolia 98
19 Norway 98
19 United States 98
25 Canada 97
25 Czech Republic 97
25 Finland 97
28 Argentina 96
28 Russia 96
28 Slovakia 96
28 Uruguay 96
32 Portugal 95
32 Slovenia 95
34 Israel 94
34 Romania 94
36 Bulgaria 93
36 Ireland 93
36 Greece 93
39 Malaysia 92
40 Thailand 91
41 Croatia 90
41 Peru 90
41 Turkey 90
44 Colombia 89
44 Indonesia 89
44 Suriname 89
47 Brazil 87
47 Iraq 87
47 Mexico 87
47 Samoa 87
47 Tonga 87
52 Lebanon 86
52 Philippines 86
54 Cuba 85
54 Morocco 85
56 Fiji 84
56 Iran 84
56 Marshall Islands 84
56 Puerto Rico 84
60 Egypt 83
60 Saudi Arabia 83
60 United Arab Emirates 83
61 India 81
62 Ecuador 80
63 Guatemala 79
64 Barbados 78
64 Nepal 78
64 Qatar 78
67 Zambia 77
68 Congo 73
68 Uganda 73
70 Jamaica 72
70 Kenya 72
70 South Africa 72
70 Sudan 72
70 Tanzania 72
75 Ghana 71
76 Nigeria 67
77 Guinea 66
77 Zimbabwe 66
79 Democratic Republic of the Congo 65
80 Sierra Leone 64
81 Ethiopia 63
82 Equatorial Guinea 59

[ggirod]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

The criticism section of the Wikipedia article says it all.

Criticism of research funding sources

Lynn has been frequently criticized as a Pioneer fund grantee.
[edit] Criticism of dubious data sets

The figures were obtained by taking unweighted averages of different IQ tests. The number of studies is very limited; the IQ figure is based on one study in 34 nations, two studies in 30 nations. There were actual tests for IQ in 81 nations. In 104 of the world's nations there were no IQ studies at all and IQ was estimated based on IQ in surrounding nations.^[4] The number of participants in each study was usually limited, often numbering under a few hundred. The exceptions to this were the United States and Japan, for which studies using more than several thousand participants are available.
Many nations are very heterogeneous ethnically. This is true for many developing countries. It is very doubtful that an often limited number of participants from one or a few areas are representative for the population as whole.
Studies that were averaged together often used different methods of IQ testing, different scales for IQ values and/or were done decades apart. IQ in children is different although correlated with IQ later in life and many of the studies tested only young children.
A test of 108 9-15-year olds in Barbados, of 50 13–16-year olds in Colombia, of 104 5–17-year olds in Ecuador, of 129 6–12-year olds in Egypt, of 48 10–14-year olds in Equatorial Guinea, and so on, all were taken as measures of 'national IQ'.^[5]
The notion that there is such a thing as a culturally neutral intelligence test is disputed.^{[28][29][30][31][32]} There are many difficulties when one is measuring IQ scores across cultures, and in multiple languages. Use of the same set of exams requires translation, with all its attendant difficulties and possible misunderstandings in other cultures.^[33] To adapt to this, some IQ tests rely on non-verbal approaches, which involve pictures, diagrams, and conceptual relationships (such as in-out, great-small, and so on).
[edit] Criticism of data set sources and their accuracy

There are also errors in the raw data presented by authors. The results from Vinko Buj's 1981 study of 21 European cities and the Ghanaian capital Accra used different scaling from Lynn and Vanhanen's. A comparison of the reported to actual data from only a single study found 5 errors in 19 reported IQ scores.^[34][35]
The national IQ of Ethiopia was estimated from a study done on 250 fifteen-year-eld Ethiopian Jews one year after their migration to Israel. The research compares their level of performance with native Israelis using progressive matrices tests. It is strange that the data used to represent the "IQ of Ethiopia" are restricted to a tiny ethnic minority in Ethiopia, and that the tests were not even conducted in Ethiopia. Furthermore, one study showed that after intensive training, the cognitive ability of Ethiopian Jewish immigrants improved and caught up with that of their native Israeli peer groups.^[36]
[edit] Criticism of subjective statistical manipulation by authors

As noted earlier, in many cases arbitrary adjustments were made by authors to account for the Flynn effect or when the authors thought that the studies were not representative of the ethnic or social composition of the nation.
One critic writes: "Their scheme is to take the British Ravens IQ in 1979 as 100, and simply add or subtract 2 or 3 to the scores from other countries for each decade that the relevant date of test departs from that year. The assumptions of size, linearity and universal applicability of this correction across all countries are, of course, hugely questionable if not breathtaking. Flynn's original results were from only 14 (recently extended to twenty) industrialised nations, and even those gains varied substantially with test and country and were not linear. For example, recent studies report increases of eight points per decade among Danes; six points per decade in Spain; and 26 points over 14 years in Kenya (confirming the expectation that newly developing countries would show more rapid gains)."^[5]
There is controversy about the definition and usage of IQ and intelligence. See also race and intelligence.
It is generally agreed many factors, including environment, culture, demographics, wealth, pollution, and educational opportunities, affect measured IQ.^[37] See also Health and intelligence.
Finally, the Flynn effect may well reduce or eliminate differences in IQ between nations in the future. One estimate is that the average IQ of the US was below 75 before factors like improved nutrition started to increase IQ scores. Some predict that considering that the Flynn effect started first in more affluent nations, it will also disappear first in these nations. Then the IQ gap between nations will diminish. However, even assuming that the IQ difference will disappear among the babies born today, the differences will remain for decades simply because of the composition of the current workforce. Steve Sailer noted as much when discussing the workforce in both India and China (see second diagram) [7].
[edit] Criticism of thesis of book

Girma Berhanu, senior lecturer in the department of education at the University of Gothenburg, prepared a detailed review of the book, concentrating on the discussion of Ethiopian Jews.^[38] The review criticizes the principal assertion of the authors that differences in intelligence attributed to genetics account for the gap between rich and poor countries. Carefully surveying related academic literature, the review points out flaws in the methodology of Lynn and Vanhanen, exposing the "racist, sexist and antihuman nature" of their underlying framework. Berhanu concludes that "the low standards of scholarship evident in the book render it largely irrelevant for modern science".

[tofu2u2]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

Is the average IQ 100?

Nope: it's lower here in the USA.

I'm sure of that; have you been to a mall lately?

[Anon21456]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

I'm sure of that; have you been to a mall lately?

What is it like ? I've heard that sometimes there are people that would make Bush feel smart, but I've always thought that was a joke

[neoken]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

So the last dozen countries on the list have mentally retarded populations. This is bogus on so many levels.

[Diarmuid]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

So the last dozen countries on the list have mentally retarded populations. This is bogus on so many levels.

I am not sure IQ tests measure anything except ones aptitude to score in a IQ test. I would be interested to see a study, to determine if the reading of Apollonius conics, Euclids Elements, Archimedes etc.. raises IQ as this type of study helps one to identify patterns and equate algebric equations, numbers and series to geometrical shapes and series which often constitute a lot of questions in a typical IQ test imo.

[touchring]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

I am not sure IQ tests measure anything except ones aptitude to score in a IQ test. I would be interested to see a study, to determine if the reading of Apollonius conics, Euclids Elements, Archimedes etc.. raises IQ as this type of study helps one to identify patterns and equate algebric equations, numbers and series to geometrical shapes and series which often constitute a lot of questions in a typical IQ test imo.

I think education and literacy does play an important part as most tests will require at least an elementary education background, especially in math, thus it should not be surprising that countries where literacy is low will get a lower score.

[tastymannatees]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

I just got through reading Perfect Rigor about the Russian Grigory Perleman who solved Poincare` s Conjecture. The author makes a good case that he had Asperger's syndrome, the author a mathematician herself took the asperger test and scored with some Asperger tendencies

One of the greatest mathematicians he can read and write english perfectly but socially was a nitwit and needed his mother and professors to interact and manage with the world at large.

Grigory Perleman would test well on any IQ test but an IQ test but it would not measure the social deficit, it's as if the social functioning part of his brain was sacrificed to support his mathematical skills.

in a test for Aspergers students MIT were tested in the math department and other diciplines and a high % had asperger tendencies, not so with the non math talented tested students. Einstein was probably a more balanced Intelligence than most in the math world as he had a sense of humor and view of the world that you would not see with somebody that had Aspergers

Asperger's is interesting to me because my nephews went to Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Amherst. They all can multiply six digit numbers in their heads but are socially inept, one even needs a note taker in his classes because he had reading problems. All have overly fanatical interests in one subject or another.

As noted IQ tests are limited in what they reveal - genetics, culture, education, nutrition etc. have influences that limit interpretations.

One problem with being uber smart is that some get a little arrogant about it and tend to gloss over details and make decisions that somebody with an 80 IQ would make.

[ocelotl]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

Personally I think the IQ measures the way we understand and abstract the questions within it. I've been subject to several different tests throughout the years and found that the measurement was 15 to 20 points lower in an English based test compared to an Spanish based or a purely abstract test. I've seen several tests based on memory, others based on visual acuity and lack of color blindness... There's always a bias on the approach of a test.

[Serge_Tomiko]

Re: Is the average IQ 100?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iq_and_...lth_of_nations



The study is not foolproof, but we can deduce certain trends in countries such as China, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil, there will be room for advancement in intellectual capabilities, as the standard of education and nutrition improves.

It would seem to me that race is by far the dominant characteristic in the list you have just printed.