How does the Flynn effect apply to Raven's Progressive Matrices?
The Flynn effect describes the substantial, continuous increase in intelligence test scores observed worldwide throughout the 20th century. When applied to Raven's Progressive Matrices—a non-verbal test of abstract reasoning and fluid intelligence—studies show significant score gains over time. For example, British children's average scores on the test rose by 14 IQ points between 1942 and 2008. Proposed explanations for these gains include rising educational efficiency, though researchers also note potential reversals or plateaus in developed countries in recent decades.
What we know
- Raven's Progressive Matrices is a non-verbal test used to measure general human intelligence, abstract reasoning, and fluid intelligence. [2]
- The Flynn effect refers to the long-sustained increase in both fluid and crystallized intelligence test scores measured globally over the 20th century. [3]
- A 2009 study found that British children's average scores on the Raven's Progressive Matrices test increased by 14 IQ points from 1942 to 2008. [3]
- Proposed explanations for the Flynn effect include improvements in the efficiency of education. [3] · medium confidence
Still open
- Some researchers suggest a mild reversal or decline in IQ scores in developed countries starting in the 1990s, while mid-2010s meta-analyses indicated the effect continued at the same or a slower rate.
Where to go next
- whoWho was James Flynn and how did he discover the IQ score rise?
- what caused itWhat causes the Flynn effect across different populations?
- how it workedHow are Raven's Progressive Matrices structured and administered?
- compared withWhat is the difference between fluid and crystallized intelligence?
- how we knowWhat evidence supports the reverse Flynn effect in developed nations?
- an unexpected connectionHow did a political studies professor discover a global psychological phenomenon?James Flynn was a moral philosopher and political studies teacher rather than a traditional psychometrist, yet he became world-renowned for documenting decades of rising IQ score trends.
Sources
- [1]Raven's Progressive Matrices (Wikidata Q1510887) · CC0 1.0
- [2]Raven's Progressive Matrices · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [3]Flynn effect · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [4]James Flynn (academic) · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [5]Intelligence quotient · CC BY-SA 4.0