Mental Psychology IQ Scores of a Population

Question: Describe about the Mental Psychology for IQ Scores of a Population. Answer: Flynn Effect on Intelligence Flynn effect explains the fact regarding the change of general IQ scores of a population over the time. Based on this theory, it can be explained that improvement in the health and nutrition leads to the increase in stature that finally results in an increase in the head and average brain size causing an increase in intelligence. This assignment will critically appraise three research articles on Flynn effect to analyze its various parameters. The themes of all the three articles were similar that discussed the varying impact of Flynn effect on the countries and populations over the years and questioned the magnitude of the impact of the effect in present generation that has been discussed in the section of introduction. Although the key issue was similar for all the three research articles that discussed the differences in the IQ gain across several domains, different perspectives were explored during the research activities carried out in these articles. While Sundet, Barlaug and Torjussen (2004) explored the perspectives of secular trends considering the mean scores of various parameters while Trahan et al. (2014) determined the magnitude of the Flynn effect. Pietschnig and Voracek (2015) explored the IQ gains worldwide for determining the variation of IQ gains based on the various domains. The empirical works discussed were based on the impact of Flynn effect from different perspectives that put forward the arguments t hat there has been a decrease in the gain rate across the decades and there was also arguments raised on the degree of precision of measurement of the variables that varied according to the domains. The competing perspectives were compared considering the various parameters like height gains and intelligence gains and contrasted the findings for the robustness across the various performance levels and age groups with respect to economic prosperity and social multiplier effects. The study by Pietschnig and Voracek (2015) stated that health and nutrition forms a crucial factor for determining the IQ gains as it is related to the size of the head circumference. The researchers have stated that health and nutrition of different populations of a country are variable and this in turn varies the IQ status. This theory could be related with the fact that concerns for better health and nutrition have been raised much more than the past decade and this has resulted in the increase in the IQ gains of the present generation. Trahan et al. (2014) also postulated a similar hypothesis based on pre and post natal health and nutrition and suggested that much stress have been implied for reducing the use of tobacco and alcohol during pregnancy though different campaigns and health services in the present times compared to the past decade. This had a positive impact on the head circumference, weight and height of the new born that resulted in their high IQ scores. Sundet, Barlaug and Torjussen (2004) argued the findings of the previous studies and stated that the status of health and nutrition status is well indicated by the standard height. However, this theory did not support the factor that secular gains in height had significant impact on the IQ gains across decades and therefore, the tandem relationship between height and IQ exists as a matter of argument. References Pietschnig, J. and Voracek, M., 2015. One Century of Global IQ Gains A Formal Meta-Analysis of the Flynn Effect (19092013).Perspectives on Psychological Science,10(3), pp.282-306. Sundet, J.M., Barlaug, D.G. and Torjussen, T.M., 2004. The end of the Flynn effect?: A study of secular trends in mean intelligence test scores of Norwegian conscripts during half a century.Intelligence,32(4), pp.349-362. Trahan, L.H., Stuebing, K.K., Fletcher, J.M. and Hiscock, M., 2014. The Flynn effect: a meta-analysis.Psychological bulletin,140(5), p.1332.