Resumo: |
Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are intended to assess the cognitive competences of individuals, groups and populations. A body of data collected during the last 50 years has revealed that IQ average population scores vary significantly over time, nationality, and race. The causes of these variations remain a mystery. Theories focusing on nutrition, brain size, dysgenic factors, social class and education have proved inexact or unsatisfactory. Here I describe a new explanation based on the fact that intelligence test performance requires a level of literacy not present in all people to the same degree. I show that literacy variations across time, place and race are highly associated with changes in IQ scores. These findings have widespread implications. Contemporary IQ test score differences between populations and racial groups are predicted to diminish with rises in universal literacy in the 21st century.
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