Abstract
After nearly thirty years of concerted effort by many investigators, the cause or causes of the secular gains in IQ test scores, known as the Flynn effect, remain elusive. In this target article, I offer six suggestions as to how we might proceed in our efforts to solve this intractable mystery. The suggestions are as follows: (1) compare parents to children; (2) consider other traits and conditions; (3) compare siblings; (4) conduct more and better intervention programs; (5) use subtest profile data in context; and (6) quantify the potential contribution of heterosis. This last section contains new simulations of the process of heterosis, which provide a plausible scenario whereby rapid secular changes in multiple genetically influenced traits are possible. If there is any theme to the present paper, it is that future study designs should be simpler and more highly focused, coordinating multiple studies on single populations.
Highlights
It has been nearly thirty years since James Flynn brought widespread attention to the occurrence of rapid gains in IQ test scores [1,2]
Intell. 2014, 2 cause of the Flynn effect is the most important question facing science today. This is because a certain level of psychometric intelligence is necessary, though not sufficient, to perform every job done in a modern industrialized society [4,5]; and it has been the development and continued maintenance of these societies that has lifted so much of humanity out of poverty, drudgery, illness, and early death
When an example is needed to make a point, I usually turn to findings related to heterosis as this is the area I am most familiar with
Summary
It has been nearly thirty years since James Flynn brought widespread attention to the occurrence of rapid gains in IQ test scores [1,2]. 2014, 2 cause of the Flynn effect is the most important question facing science today. Despite its enormous potential importance, basic questions related to the IQ trend remain unanswered In this target article, I offer six suggestions for improving our research efforts. (3) compare siblings; (4) improve intervention studies; (5) use IQ subtest studies in context, and (6) quantify the potential effect of heterosis. As this issue focuses on methodology, it is not the place to weigh the strengths of different hypotheses. When an example is needed to make a point, I usually turn to findings related to heterosis as this is the area I am most familiar with
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