From the January 1999 Scientific American Magazine | 1 comments

Flynn's Effect ( Preview )

Intelligence scores are rising, James R. Flynn discovered--but he remains very sure we're not getting any smarter

More from the Magazine

January
1999 Issue
Technology and Business Brace for (Educational) Impact
By the Numbers Privacy in the Workplace
Science and the Citizen CETACEAN CREATION
Buy the Digital Edition

Just back from teaching, James R. Flynn darts into his office to write down a revelation about Marx, free will, Catholicism and the development of the steam engine that came to him in the midst of his lecture. Busily scribbling, the professor of political science at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, declares that extemporaneous talking leads to creative thinking and new ideas. His pronouncement made, Flynn--who, it should be noted, talks for a living--is ready to discuss the insight that made him famous: the observation that intelligence quotients, as measured by certain tests, have been steadily growing since the turn of the century.

Already a Digital subscriber? Sign-in Now
If your institution has site license access, enter here.

Read Comments (1) | Post a comment

Discuss This Article

Click here to submit your comment.

VIEW:



	Email:
	Name:
	Address:
	Address 2:
	City:
	State:

Subscription Center

World Changing Ideas

Video ContestInnovation is the key to a better future. Enter your own World Changing Ideas videos in our contest.

Editor's Pick

Time to Ban Production of Nuclear Weapons MaterialA new global treaty that cuts off production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons could jump-start nuclear disarmament and help prevent proliferation