The Flynn Effect: An Alert to Clinicians

Every 30 years or so, there is an increase of approximately 10-20 points in the population IQ; this appears to be a universal finding. Known as the Flynn effect, it is regarded as a largely artefactual situation because there is no evidence for a true transgenerational increase in intelligence. The Flynn effect makes problematic, the use of IQ tests to compare individuals across generations and the use of IQ tests, the norms of which were obtained in previous decades. The Flynn effect is important to India because IQ test results have many legal and financial implications. Regrettably, most tests that have been standardized for use in India have norms that are decidedly outdated. Restandardization of important IQ tests is urgently required.