By JOHN RICHARD SCHROCK
George Washington once stated that “our Liberty can never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves, and that too of the people with a certain degree of instruction.” This was an early recognition that educated workers are more productive than less educated workers and that a value for higher levels of education is necessary for maintaining a democracy.
In 2016, Garett Jones authored “Hive Mind: How Your Nation’s IQ Matters So Much More Than Your Own.” Jones is a professor at George Mason University and BB&T Professor for the Study of Capitalism at their libertarian Mercatus Center.
IQ or “intelligence quotient” is a score derived from standardized tests that assess human intelligence. The raw scores form a normal distribution curve with the average at 100 and a standard deviation of 15. About two-thirds score between IQ 85 and IQ 115.
While there is definitely a genetic factor to IQ, there is also a contribution from education. The late New Zealand researcher James Flynn noted the ongoing year-after-year increases in IQ scores worldwide, which is now referred to as the “Flynn effect.” Raw IQ scores have risen at an average of three IQ points each decade since the early 1900s, so there are important factors in IQ beyond genetics. Jones discusses breast-feeding, peer effects, practice effects, and other factors that might lead to higher IQ scores over time.
Jones also cites how a psychologist has converted the international tests into a national average “cognitive ability score” for each country and then graphs it against real GDP per person. South Korea and Japan were at the top on cognitive ability. Jones notes how the “collective intelligence” or “hive mind” of a country is more important that the IQs of just a few of its citizens. The top cognitive ability and IQ scores are in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. A nation’s IQ “...was a good predictor of a nation’s level of prosperity.”
Educated workers are more productive than less educated workers. He notes that nations like Singapore and Finland “usually have governments that are reasonably free of corruption; have decent roads and bridges...” etc.
Jones also notes the close relationship of IQ to emotional intelligence. He points to psychology where “it’s well known that higher IQ predicts greater openness to new experiences....” But he also notes that there are plenty of folks with high IQ who make low wages. His work indicates that IQ “mattered about six times more for nations than for individuals....”
He explains how, on average, smarter people are more patient and tend to save more money. He points to China holding America’s debt, an example of a higher IQ vs. lower IQ nation. The Asian countries average IQs of 101 to 103. The U.S. averages 99.
In a market economy where people are working together, small differences in higher skills lead to big differences in productivity, just as athletes train harder when among better competitors.
In Chapter 7 of “Hive Mind,” his book cuts deep when Jones writes about the general level of education and the recognition of science facts. “People with more information tend to know more facts....they are more likely to form their political opinions on the basis of reality rather than rumor, intuition, and wishful—or fearful—thinking.”
That brings us to the unanswered question of why a United States that is touted as having a modern healthcare system and some very famous scientists at high levels, has about the most abysmal record of COVID-19 deaths on a per capita basis, and lags far behind other developed nations in vaccination rates. Although “Hive Mind” was written in 2016 before this pandemic, his research suggests that our low level of science literacy has failed to reach George Washington’s “...certain degree of instruction” level of literacy necessary to keep our society safe.
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John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.