The other reason, besides the above, is that attention spans for the post MTV generation are shit. Thus their test taking sucks. Plus schooling is shittier. We know this because the Flynn Effect has stopped, or reversed, in homogeneous white populations too.
The Flynn effect is constantly mischaracterized. It did not document some gradual increase in general intelligence in Western countries. The increase was all found in one very specific subtest, visual-spatial reasoning (your ability to have a mental map of the world around you, what it contains, where everything is relative to everything else). Since the increase was only in one very specific subset of intelligence (everything else stayed the same), the cause is some kind of shared environmental factor.
My personal guess is the impact of automobiles, both car accidents killing off people with low ability, sometimes entire crappy gene pools at a time and also the rigors of driving training everyone to be better at visual-spatial reasoning. I like my theory because the Flynn effect shows up in countries about when automobiles become widespread, and its end roughly coincides with the widespread adoption of airbags, crumple zones, other stupidproofing.
Another argument is that current generations are learning and thinking more about abstract concepts while forgoing more practical knowledge used to survive in a non digital world.
The other reason, besides the above, is that attention spans for the post MTV generation are shit. Thus their test taking sucks. Plus schooling is shittier. We know this because the Flynn Effect has stopped, or reversed, in homogeneous white populations too.
The Flynn effect is constantly mischaracterized. It did not document some gradual increase in general intelligence in Western countries. The increase was all found in one very specific subtest, visual-spatial reasoning (your ability to have a mental map of the world around you, what it contains, where everything is relative to everything else). Since the increase was only in one very specific subset of intelligence (everything else stayed the same), the cause is some kind of shared environmental factor.
My personal guess is the impact of automobiles, both car accidents killing off people with low ability, sometimes entire crappy gene pools at a time and also the rigors of driving training everyone to be better at visual-spatial reasoning. I like my theory because the Flynn effect shows up in countries about when automobiles become widespread, and its end roughly coincides with the widespread adoption of airbags, crumple zones, other stupidproofing.
Another argument is that current generations are learning and thinking more about abstract concepts while forgoing more practical knowledge used to survive in a non digital world.