Module 7 Discussion Board

1. What are the possible explanations for the Flynn effect (there are many to choose from).

I found multiple different explanations for the Flynn effect. Some of the explanations he spoke
of was education, employment, moral debate on; classification, logic, and abstraction
observations, hypothetical scenarios and politics.

2. Of the possible explanations, which seems most likely? Why? How might you go about
determining whether one explanation is better than another?

Of all the possible explanations, I think education is most likely the reasoning why our IQ’s are
higher than our grandparents. I chose to say education over all the other ones because it is one
that you can go to that has continuous and endless knowledge. Back in the day, education
wasn’t important. Once you learned how to read and write and learn the basic morals of
mathematics, that’s all they needed. At that point and time, working and providing for their
families was more important. Our grandparents grew up in times of wars. The only jobs that
were provided for them was factory work, house maids, and if you really want to become a
professional, they became doctors, lawyers, or a technician. Today education and knowledge
have expanded our versions’. Starting with electricity, then the telephone, how the universe
evolved into something this great, and thinking back to the wars, cavemen, and even dinosaurs.
Everything has evolved around time and for me to know all of this and to understand it, I had to
learn it. From my family, everyone has their own opinion or their own side of the story. I
learned the truth in school. Through education, books, and the knowledge of all this past
history is how I know all of this. Even my grandparents don’t know everything, plus most of
them worked for a living. Education is always expanding, which is why I feel like its more
important then all the other explanations.

3. Does a rise in IQ test scores necessarily mean that there has been a comparable increase in
intelligence? Explain.

I firmly agree that a rise in IQ scores means that there has been an increase in intelligence.
Today, in order to get a job, you need to either have a high school diploma or a GED. Most are
graduating with that high school diploma. Over the years, ratings show that Americans went
from two or four years of education to twelve years of formal education and are still succeeding
in life. Also, over 52% of Americans have experienced some type of in-depth education. Most of
that education has been proven to succeed more in science. Which is where it’s comparable to
an increase in intelligence. People are going to school longer; education and knowledge is
expanding and so is science. Science can change anything at any time but can be affected by
anything. Especially by social, political, and religious convictions. Galileo gave us the research to
start studying the world, then we got electricity, light bulbs, moving vehicles, cell phones,
technology had evolved everything today. Technology was created by science. It also gave us
better roads. Ways to conserve food, ways to survive decades. Science even improved
technology and systems for farmers, and that’s where it all began. Farmers were the exact
definition of survival for everyone back in the day and they are still the reason why we have
food on our table. Science just makes the days work easier. In science, everything starts with a
theory and goes from there. With everyone staying in school longer and constantly testing is
always increasing the brains mentality. People are always coming up with ideas. We just need a
little bit of science, knowledge, and education to help you make it possible.

4. Because an environmental explanation for the increase in IQ test scores is most likely, does
that provide support for the notion that intelligence can be improved through education?
What are the implications of the Flynn Effect for intervention programs such as Head Start?

The Flynn effect is the observation that each generation has a significant higher IQ than the
previous generation. Intelligence is improved through education. Intelligence has improved
through time. From 100 years ago to now, people are more educated. In 1860 the average
person had 4 years of schooling versus now the average person has 13 years plus extended
schooling.

The Flynn effects states that each generation has a higher IQ then the last. This is because years
ago, IQ test were set up as concrete classifications that were broken into bits. The tools we had
to work with years ago versus now have changed immensely. Today we use abstraction or
logical reasoning when testing for an IQ. In 1860 the average IQ was 70 which would implicate
someone being mentally retarded, 130 being the highest. Today the average persons’ IQ is 130,
gifted, because of the changes in education and technology. People are more intelligent today
because they have the tools available to learn.