Americans' IQ Declining for First Time in Almost a Century, Study Finds

You are talking more about the theoretical, than the practical reality. Anyone going into an IQ test, knowing nothing, no matter how great their "mental ability," is going to fare poorly. There is some explanation given, in an article linked in the body of the OP (as opposed to the link at the bottom). See my post #26, at the top of pg. 2. I also suggest a new theory, at the bottom of this post.

The problem with your theory is that, while the decline was greatest in the youngest group tested (18 to 22 year olds), there was a decline in all groups, which stretched up to the age of 60. So this would mean that the shift you are talking about would have begun in the 1960s or '70s. But if that were so, why would it not show up in those older groups, until now? Hopefully you delivered enough newspapers and worked enough on bicycles and tree houses, in your day, to recognize that your explanation does not fit the facts. Below, I will postulate an alternate theory.

There is a link in the body of the OP, to an article that goes a bit into how academic study & IQ score are not unrelated-- or you can see my post #26, at the top of page 2. The study showed that it was those who are or have recently been in school, are the ones with the most notable decline.

Yet, all age groups suffered some decline. What would explain this? While I will allow that some of the researchers' speculations about education may be true, there would need to be something affecting all the rest of us, to which, recent educational changes had added on top of, for the youngest group. I recall @557 having a Covid thread, which covered a discovery that having Covid, actually shrunk people's brains. This, then, would make the pandemic, in my mind, the prime suspect, for the IQ decline, underlying all age groups, to which, other factors, as in changes in education, may have added, within primarily younger groups.

 

I am a West Point graduate with a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MBA. I hold a patent for a "Six Degree of Freedom Piezoelectric Platform for Laser Aiming". I think Trump was just fine. Gas sure was a lot cheaper. He didn't arm the Taliban, run like a scalded dog from Afghanistan, or let violent criminals run free without bail. Steak was about half the cost is is under Biden, and the border was a heckuva lot more secure than it is under Biden. Trump had no war in Europe either. Can you give me any SPECIFICS about why you don't like Trump? I know he had/has a big mouth, but that didn't effect my family in any way. Can you explain anything SPECIFIC?

 

Trump boasted about grabbing random women by their genitalia, that is a good reason to hate the man.

 

While Clinton actually did grab random women by their gentitalia. Do you hate him? Hate is a very strong emotion beyond dislike. You can dislike a person's character while still liking the policies they do or try to enact to make our lives better.

 

Yeah, I also hate Clinton because of his behaviour towards women.
Hate is an appropriate emotion to feel towards misogynists because their oppression is towards half the population on the planet.
Dislike is something I reserve for eating mushrooms or whatever, but hatred for the extremely vile Donald Trump for his unashamed misogyny seems perfectly OK. Trump’s attitude towards women overshadows everything else for me, I see him as deeply evil.

 

Well good luck with your hate.

 

Thank you.
Hatred can be a good emotion, much better than passive tolerance of misogyny.
Hatred can inspire action, as we unfortunately witnessed on January 6th.

 

Hmm . . . Does that mean you don't condone hatred.

 

First, an IQ test measures what it is designed to measure. Relating that to any other characteristic of h. sapiens is not an easy task. It is difficult to define what r is in other than tautological terms.

Next, IQ tests are designed by those who are heirs to European cultures. The tests may include all manner of cultural biases which are poor 'fits' to other cultures.

Finally, the cultural demographic of the United States of America is changing. European culture is shared by a smaller percentage of the population than in previous decades. This trend is on-going.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

 

The IQ of toddlers has been studied for decades. If it was merely a measurement of education then what education has an infant been exposed to?

 

To continue with post #36 above, consider two cultures -- that of New York City and that of a Inuit in, say, Akulvik. Now think of what mental abilities a youngster needs to succeed in each culture. Which of the two is better reflected in a Stanford-Binet score?

Regards 2 all.

 

I have personal bias like everybody, and therefore I see hatred as appropriate in some instances, as in hatred for racists.
I suppose I see hatred as better than blind hatred, and if somebody hates women as Trump and Clinton do, then I hate them.

 

But you recognize that hatred can and does lead to violent actions, right? I'm sure you personally wouldn't act on your hatred towards Trump, but could that hatred carry over to those that support him?

 

If actual IQ scores are in decline they won't be national scores because most states don't test for IQs. So this tells me the author is ignorant of that.
Now are math skills down? Undoubtedly. Calculators have seriously damaged those skills. But at the same time skills using calculators are undoubtedly up. Which is more important, being able to multiply in my head 39 times 17 or design a two mile suspension bridge with my trusty calculator? National tests are behind the times. More and more universities no longer use national test results for admission. There is a reason for that.

 

Think about if it's hatred or contempt. They are not the same thing.

 

Yes hatred can lead to violent actions, we see it everywhere.
My actions would be the metaphorical pen not the sword, and of course the vote.

 

Yes hatred can lead to violent actions, we see it everywhere.
My actions would be the metaphorical pen not the sword, and of course the vote.

 

Double post.
Apologies.

 

Then your hatred for Trump doesn't flow towards his supporters, right? If it does that can be reflected in the way you interact with them. You might punish them for their support which is an action of hatred.

 

Weren't "yesterdays kids" also drafted into wars they didn't wanna fight, beating their wives, turning hoses on black people and just being junkies wearing bellbottoms?

 

I didn't say anything about Biden or Harris or that going to college automatically makes you smarter.

 

no you merely suggested those who voted for Trump were stupid

 

NO.

 

Yeah I have heard that claim and it might well be true. But the fact is that ambitious driven people tend to delay having kids. Younger parents tend to be less educated.

 

Really? Gonna need to see a source on that.