THREAD: 12 Things Everyone Should Know About IQ

1. IQ is one of the most heritable psychological traits – that is, individual differences in IQ are strongly associated with individual differences in genes (at least in fairly typical modern environments). https://t.co/3XxzW9bxLE

2. The heritability of IQ *increases* from childhood to adulthood. Meanwhile, the effect of the shared environment largely fades away. In other words, when it comes to IQ, nature becomes more important as we get older, nurture less. https://t.co/UqtS1lpw3n
3. IQ scores have been increasing for the last century or so, a phenomenon known as the Flynn effect. https://t.co/sCZvCst3hw (N ≈ 4 million)

(Note that the Flynn effect shows that IQ isn't 100% genetic; it doesn't show that it's 100% environmental.)
4. IQ predicts many important real world outcomes.

For example, though far from perfect, IQ is the single-best predictor of job performance we have – much better than Emotional Intelligence, the Big Five, Grit, etc. https://t.co/rKUgKDAAVx https://t.co/DWbVI8QSU3
5. Higher IQ is associated with a lower risk of death from most causes, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, most forms of cancer, homicide, suicide, and accident. https://t.co/PJjGNyeQRA (N = 728,160)
6. Higher IQ is associated with lower rates of most forms of mental illness. https://t.co/0jX1og7xHV (N = 1,049,663)
7. More generally, IQ tests are among the most reliable, predictive measures in psychology – one of the field's crowning achievements. https://t.co/a9z9GPQYuD

If IQ isn't a valid concept, no concept in psychology is valid.
8. Despite this, many people are allergic to the concept of IQ. Ironically, this includes many intellectuals. https://t.co/ThPkVT8apc
9. Perhaps as a result, there's some evidence that researchers are less likely to publish studies showing a link between IQ and grades – the reverse of the usual publication bias for positive findings. https://t.co/gTiKmmarTB; although see https://t.co/sYEgBnaJkO
10. The antipathy to IQ is unfortunate. IQ predicts all things good. Interventions to boost IQ (such as salt iodization) could greatly enhance human well-being. https://t.co/LHVqClN2kE

Conversely, IQ-denial could cause real harm by stalling the development of such interventions.
11. IQ testing has other potential benefits as well. One of my favourite studies of the last few years found that universal IQ screening boosts the number of poor, female, and minority students in gifted education. https://t.co/5at8wNjKe8

Figure: https://t.co/fogF8GyO8Z
12. Last but not least, here's a list of ten common myths about IQ. https://t.co/DOTDWhMoyS HT @StuartJRitchie

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The chorus of this song uses the shlokas taken from Sundarkand of Ramayana.

It is a series of Sanskrit shlokas recited by Jambavant to Hanuman to remind Him of his true potential.

1. धीवर प्रसार शौर्य भरा: The brave persevering one, your bravery is taking you forward.


2. उतसारा स्थिरा घम्भीरा: The one who is leaping higher and higher, who is firm and stable and seriously determined.

3. ुग्रामा असामा शौर्या भावा: He is strong, and without an equal in the ability/mentality to fight

4. रौद्रमा नवा भीतिर्मा: His anger will cause new fears in his foes.

5.विजिटरीपुरु धीरधारा, कलोथरा शिखरा कठोरा: This is a complex expression seen only in Indic language poetry. The poet is stating that Shivudu is experiencing the intensity of climbing a tough peak, and likening

it to the feeling in a hard battle, when you see your enemy defeated, and blood flowing like a rivulet. This is classical Veera rasa.

6.कुलकु थारथिलीथा गम्भीरा, जाया विराट वीरा: His rough body itself is like a sharp weapon (because he is determined to win). Hail this complete

hero of the world.

7.विलयगागनथाला भिकारा, गरज्जद्धरा गारा: The hero is destructive in the air/sky as well (because he can leap at an enemy from a great height). He can defeat the enemy (simply) with his fearsome roar of war.