Which phenomenon describes the rising average IQ scores observed across generations?

Which phenomenon describes the rising average IQ scores observed across generations?

• A. Flynn Effect
• B. Hawthorne Effect
• C. Cephalization Index
• D. Pygmalion Effect

Answer: (A)

The Flynn Effect describes the steady rise in average IQ test scores across generations. Over decades, people tend to score higher on standardized IQ assessments, which leads test designers to periodically re-norm the tests so the average remains around 100. This pattern has been observed in many countries and is thought to reflect environmental and cultural changes—such as better nutrition, more formal education, greater cognitive demands in daily life, and more experience with test-taking—rather than changes in biology. It’s different from the Hawthorne Effect, which is about behavior changing because people know they’re being observed; the Cephalization Index, about brain size relative to body size; and the Pygmalion Effect, about teachers’ expectations shaping student performance. The Flynn Effect best explains the generational rise in IQ scores.

The Flynn Effect describes the steady rise in average IQ test scores across generations. Over decades, people tend to score higher on standardized IQ assessments, which leads test designers to periodically re-norm the tests so the average remains around 100. This pattern has been observed in many countries and is thought to reflect environmental and cultural changes—such as better nutrition, more formal education, greater cognitive demands in daily life, and more experience with test-taking—rather than changes in biology. It’s different from the Hawthorne Effect, which is about behavior changing because people know they’re being observed; the Cephalization Index, about brain size relative to body size; and the Pygmalion Effect, about teachers’ expectations shaping student performance. The Flynn Effect best explains the generational rise in IQ scores.