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The Flynn effect for verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory: A cross-temporal meta-analysis

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  • Wongupparaj, Peera
  • Wongupparaj, Rangsirat
  • Kumari, Veena
  • Morris, Robin G.

Abstract

The Flynn effect has been investigated extensively for IQ, but few attempts have been made to study it in relation to working memory (WM). Based on the findings from a cross-temporal meta-analysis using 1754 independent samples (n=139,677), the Flynn effect was observed across a 43-year period, with changes here expressed in terms of correlations (coefficients) between year of publication and mean memory test scores. Specifically, the Flynn effect was found for forward digit span (r=0.12, p<0.01) and forward Corsi block span (r=0.10, p<0.01). Moreover, an anti-Flynn effect was found for backward digit span (r=−0.06, p<0.01) and for backward Corsi block span (r=−0.17, p<0.01). Overall, the results support co-occurrence theories that predict simultaneous secular gains in specialized abilities and declines in g. The causes of the differential trajectories are further discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Wongupparaj, Peera & Wongupparaj, Rangsirat & Kumari, Veena & Morris, Robin G., 2017. "The Flynn effect for verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory: A cross-temporal meta-analysis," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 71-80.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intell:v:64:y:2017:i:c:p:71-80
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.07.006
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    1. Jakob Pietschnig & Martin Voracek & Anton K Formann, 2010. "Pervasiveness of the IQ Rise: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(12), pages 1-6, December.
    2. Kara L. Bopp & Paul Verhaeghen, 2005. "Aging and Verbal Memory Span: A Meta-Analysis," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 60(5), pages 223-233.
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    2. Gibbons, Aisa & Warne, Russell T., 2019. "First publication of subtests in the Stanford-Binet 5, WAIS-IV, WISC-V, and WPPSI-IV," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 9-18.
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    4. Lazaridis, Alexandros & Vetter, Marco & Pietschnig, Jakob, 2022. "Domain-specificity of Flynn effects in the CHC-model: Stratum II test score changes in Germanophone samples (1996–2018)," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    5. Protzko, John, 2020. "Kids These Days! Increasing delay of gratification ability over the past 50 years in children," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    6. Egeland, Jonathan, 2022. "The ups and downs of intelligence: The co-occurrence model and its associated research program," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Meisenberg, Gerhard & Lynn, Richard, 2023. "Ongoing trends of human intelligence," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).

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