Researchers say Western IQs dropped 14 points over last century

[fun4alll]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/researchers-western-iqs-dropped-14-points-over-last-180634194.html

A new study from researchers in Europe claims that the average IQ in Western nations dropped by a staggering 14.1 points over the past century.
"We tested the hypothesis that the Victorians were cleverer than modern populations using high-quality instruments...

[MemphisBill]

This is sad

[GoodGolly]

Interesting.  Although it is a well known fact that women of higher IQ and/or higher access to contraception, have fewer children, I have my doubts about this study.  Visual reaction time seems to be a pretty narrow measurement and I wonder how accurate the measurements from the 1800's actually are.  The study also doesn't consider the sample population as one possibility for the difference. 

On Friday, May 24, 2013 4:57:26 PM UTC-5, fun4alll wrote:

[Tom]

I've seen studies showing the exact opposite, so I'm skeptical of the conclusion.  I also question that we understand things like intelligence enough to even measure it very well.  Especially from subjects 100 years ago.  

It's interesting to guess...One complete conjecture: if it is easier to survive today, then one could infer that the bar has been lowered on reproductive success regarding many traits, one of which could be intelligence.  Sort of like the fact that Grey wolves are generally much smarter than dogs. 

--
--
Disclaimer: This MFA Forum is a public site and does not necessarily express the official opinion of Memphis Freethought Alliance, Inc. or its members. Posters on this forum include MFA members as well as non-members. People are encouraged to give their honest opinion about ideas and critique other people's ideas and not to attack people personally. Please keep posts open, honest, and civil. Please review the the rules and guidelines to this forum: http://www.memphisfreethought.com/DiscussionForum.html (copy and paste the web address into your browser if necessary)
 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance Public Forum" group.
To post to this group, send email to
memphisfreeth...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
memphisfreethoughta...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en
 
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance Public Forum" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to memphisfreethoughta...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

[MemphisBill]

Okay, I've never heard this discussed in our group, but freethinkers seem to have less children then the religious. What's up with that? Is there something about being a freethinker that makes you not like kids? Full disclosure. I don't have kids, but I at least have step kids. I would have had kids had it worked out. I like kids.

On Friday, May 24, 2013 4:57:26 PM UTC-5, fun4alll wrote: