Future Efforts in Flynn Effect Research: Balancing Reductionism with Holism

• Main Author: Michael A. Mingroni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2014-10-01
• Series: Journal of Intelligence
• Subjects: Flynn effect; intelligence; secular trend; heterosis
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/2/4/122

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.