Secular gains in fluid intelligence: Evidence from the culture-fair intelligence test
Abstract
There is no doubt about the reality of the secular increase in cognitive test scores. However, there is disagreement about a key issue: does the observed increase reflect a genuine upward trend in intelligence? Evidence from the Raven test is clear, although there are some doubts about its adequacy as a fine-grained measure of fluid intelligence. Evidence from the so-called 'method of correlated vectors' is much less clear. When a crystallized battery is considered, the results leave little doubt: the increase does not reflect gains in general intelligence. However, when a fluid battery is analysed, the increase does reflect gains in general intelligence. The present study uses one of the best available measures of fluid intelligence (the Culture-Fair intelligence test) to provide new evidence for the secular increase in fluid intelligence, beyond the findings from the Raven test and the method of correlated vectors. A total of 4498 Spanish high school students and high school graduates were tested within a time interval of 20 and 23 years, respectively. The results show that there is a clear upward trend in intelligence. Moreover, students show an average increase equivalent to 6 IQ points, while graduates show an average increase of 4 IQ points. Therefore, more selected people (graduates) show a smaller increase than less selected people (students). Some implications are discussed.
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The CCFT is considered a superior and more specific measure of fluid intelligence compared to measures using only matrix tasks.
“The CCFT is considered a superior and more specific measure of fluid intelligence compared to measures using only matrix tasks [45,46]”
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- Authors
- COLOM, R., & GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, O.
- Affiliations
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (ES)
- ORCID
- COLOM, ROBERTO
- Venue
- Journal of Biosocial Science
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2002-12-12
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 33-39
- ISSN
- 0021-9320 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-7599
- OpenAlex
- W2052360749
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Biosocial Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Outcomes and Influences
- Keywords
- fluid intelligence, Culture Fair Intelligence Test, IQ gains, high school students, graduates, selection effects, cognitive test scores
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Educational Status, Humans, Intelligence, Intelligence Tests, Spain, Cohort Studies
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