7 ms·

Is it really true that the average IQ in India is 77?

• tptacek 2y ago
  No. There is essentially no credible research anywhere that ranks countries like this. People are usually citing Richard Lynn's "IQ and the Wealth Of Nations", which has a risible methodology; that paper gives India an 82, not a 77, which is interesting only to the extent that it muddies the waters of where this author got that absurd claim from. Any time you see a country => IQ mapping somewhere, you should assume you're getting worked. Lynn's work is the most credible attempt at that, and nobody even a little bit serious takes it even a little bit seriously.
  • devops99 2y ago
    [flagged]
    • tptacek 2y ago
      Stipulating that it's even possible to produce this kind of ranking, and that it would be meaningful, your answer: because reliably generating the data you would need to do it is a ludicrously expensive proposition. It is a little wild that people sort of automatically buy the idea that Richard Lynn had access to the data he would have needed to perform this analysis!
      • devops99 2y ago
        IQ tests have been around for over 120 years now, haven't they? I haven't read Richard Lynn's books before, looks like I should check them out, if for anything to see what's going on there. When I visited "developing" countries, there is for sure something going on (or not going on) there. IQ seems to be a factor, probably due to a lack of nutrition. Or maybe it's a more spiritual thing. Whatever it is, a study based on quantifying the difference is only so helpful either way. While I don't quite know what I saw while I was there, I know that I saw it.
        • tptacek 2y ago
          Not interested, sorry, just answering your question.