Flynn Effect

The interesting implication of the Flynn Effect is that there’s an element of nurture to executing IQ tests. It’s possible that brains have improved in some physiological way due to changes in nutrition and medicine, but it’s also very likely that knowhow, practise, or exposure to similar concepts has a significant bearing on IQ test results. This being opposed to the common perception that IQ is a strict measure of innate talent

Grok finally talked itself into a corner and admitted that there is no education&#x2F;nutrition&#x2F;etc induced IQ increase:<p>In essence, while the context of education and IQ today is vastly different from the agricultural and genetic science debates of Lysenko&#x27;s time, the core idea of inheriting acquired traits has a historical parallel in Lysenkoism. Modern science, however, does not support the notion that education-induced IQ gains are genetically inherited.

&quot;That&#x27;s the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.&quot;

&quot;Some studies have found the gains of the Flynn effect to be particularly concentrated at the lower end of the distribution.&quot;<p>This immediately suggests the hypothesis that environmental improvements[1] have increased the likelihood of individuals reaching their genetic potential, which also explains why the top end remains unchanged—it was already near its ceiling.<p>Of course there isn&#x27;t a single &quot;gene for intelligence&quot;; each individual has different genes (parameters) leading to diverse tradeoffs and variations in (here) cognitive ability. But those genes can only manifest effectively if a person grows up with sufficient care. If nutrition, healthcare, exercise, and (possibly) education are lacking, then one cannot reach one&#x27;s full theoretical potential.<p>[1] Advances in public health (e.g., vaccination, hygiene), nutrition (reducing malnutrition), and education.