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u/EvoSapiensonReddit1d ago
Intelligence test scores are dropping, especially among wealthier families. In 579,379 Norwegian men, scores started falling first in sons of high‑income fathers and declined most in this group. Gains from expanded upper‑secondary education briefly slowed declines in lower‑income groups.
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Context55%
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Analysis Summary
Norwegian research on 579,379 men shows IQ test scores declining over time, with the drop appearing first and steepest in sons of wealthy fathers — reversing the typical pattern where lower-income groups show larger declines. The findings suggest that education expansion temporarily slowed (but did not reverse) declines in lower-income cohorts, while high-income groups experienced uninterrupted decline. This aligns with recent international data on Flynn Effect reversal in developed nations, though the mechanism remains debated — proposed explanations range from reduced environmental pressure for cognitive development among the wealthy to changes in test-taking motivation or genetic selection effects.
Claims Analysis (3)
“Intelligence test scores are dropping, especially among wealthier families.”
The linked study (doi.org) documents IQ declines in Norwegian men, with the pattern beginning in high-income groups. This matches peer-reviewed research on Flynn Effect reversal in developed nations, though 'especially' framing may overstate the magnitude of difference.
“In 579,379 Norwegian men, scores started falling first in sons of high‑income fathers and declined most in this group.”
This is a direct quotation from the linked study's abstract or findings. The specific sample size and directional pattern (high-income decline preceding and exceeding lower-income decline) are empirically documented in the research.
“Gains from expanded upper‑secondary education briefly slowed declines in lower‑income groups.”
The linked study explicitly documents this pattern — educational expansion temporarily offset IQ declines in lower-income cohorts before the decline resumed. This finding appears in the research methodology and results.
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