INTELLIGENCE IN CHINA
5.oY$tb( RICHARD LYNN
UQYHR+ University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
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7My Studies of the intelligence of' Oriental peoples in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore
X&rsWk and the United States have typically reported slightly higher mean IQs than those of
pStbj`Eq British and American Caucasoids. Recently results have become available for a
MF*4E9Ue. standardization of Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices in the People's Republic of
m#O; 1/P China. The results show that Chinese 6-15 year-olds obtain a mean IQ of 102.1 in relation
7h41 E# to an American Caucasoid standard of I00.
k
SCpr0c A number of studies have shown that the Oriental or Mongoloid peoples
"cjD-42 have higher mean IQs than whites or Caucasoids of European origin in the
(JjxrZ+L United States and Britain. Much of the literature on this question is reviewed
XN?my@_HpM in Lynn (1987). The IQ advantage of Mongoloid populations has generally
HFFr
S% been found to lie between 2 to 8 IQ points. A number of studies of
:9x]5;ma intelligence in Japan indicate that the mean IQ is approximately 105. Studies
P\{s C6E of the intelligence of children in Taiwan and Singapore have obtained mean
c(b`eUOO IQs of approximately 103. A recent study of children in Hong Kong obtained
SdMLO6- a mean IQ of 110 (Lynn, Pagliari & Chan, 1988). The extensive literature
9jx>&MnWs on the intelligence of ethnic Orientals in the United States was reviewed by
-ULgVGYKK Vernon (1982) who concluded that the mean non-verbal IQ was about 110
1P'L<z and the verbal IQ about 97, which can be averaged to give a figure of 103.5.
aZa1 eE Although data are now available on the intelligence levels of Mongoloids
S5Pn6'w in a variety of locations, the jewel in the crown is missing. This is the
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Z47%
E intelligence of the population in the People's Republic of China. The interest
*A}td8( in obtaining data on intelligence in China is twofold. Firstly, this is the
%1{O homeland of by far the greatest number of Mongoloids. Secondly, the high
_/.VXW intelligence levels of Mongoloids in several locations could have been
vo)W
ziHh determined by selective emigration from China. This is suggested by Flynn
q@VIFmqY! (1989) for the Chinese in the United States, and the same argument could be
Lc]hwMGR* applied to the Chinese populations of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
K)[\IJJM Data on the intelligence level of the population of mainland China are crucial
saQo]6# for the resolution of this problem. The required data have recently become
fk1d iB available and are the subject of this report.
<HS{A$] METHOD
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Iz(3^ A Chinese standardization of the Progressive Matrices was carried out by
Vu4LC&q Hou Can Zhang of Beijing Normal University in the mid-nineteen eighties.
eAjR(\f> The standardization sample consisted of 5,108 individuals drawn as a
:ec>[N~KG stratified sample from the 6 principal administrative areas of China and from
eOXu^M>:F small, medium sized and large towns within these areas. The results are given
lZ2gCZ in the form of norm tables in Raven and Court (1989). These norm tables
i$hWX4L consist of raw scores for a number of age groups and the percentile
q;f L@L@- equivalents of raw scores, set out in the same format as those given for the
G-]<+-Q$4 United States in Raven (1986) and for Britain in Raven (1981).
~q/~ u RESULTS
,VUOsNN4\ The American norm tables give the most precise percentile equivalents for
"WXUz raw scores and for this reason are the most satisfactory standard with which
ni )G to compare results from China and elsewhere. For the Chinese data it is
MU `!sb* possible to derive American percentile equivalents for 20 age groups over the
4k<U5J age range 6-15 years. These have been collapsed into 5 age groups, the
Ad3TD L? percentiles transformed into IQs and the Chinese results given in relation to
=JPY{'V O American IQ means of 100 and SDs of 15 in Table 1. Mean IQs of British
@;{ZnRv14 children are also given in the Table, making the same calculations from the
60e{]}Z British standardisation sample.
{9j0k`A TABLE 1: MEAN SCORES AND IQs OF AMERICAN, BRITISH
'0_W<lGB AND CHINESE CHILDREN ON RAVEN'S STANDARD
gQu!(7WLI PROGRESSIVE MATRICES.
Q?([# It will be seen that the Chinese children obtain consistently higher means
T?jN/}qg than the American and a marginally higher overall mean than the British.
Ky8,HdAq The mean IQ of American children is depressed by the presence of
a0B%x!y^ substantial numbers of blacks in the population. The mean IQ of white
4 CiRh Americans is 102.2 (Jensen and Reynolds, 1982). Hence in relation to an
[(TmAEON American Caucasoid mean IQ of 100, British children obtain a mean of 101.2
U;u4ey and Chinese children of 102.1. The statistical significance of the higher mean
H0t#J obtained by the Chinese children in relation to the American can be tested by
Q[H4l({E calculating the standard errors. The difference between the means is greater
6L
Fhhl^ than twice the standard errors and can therefore be considered statistically
K9VP@[zbJ significant. The Chinese-British difference is not statistically significant.
;<+Z}d/g9 DISCUSSION
=eDC{/K The results show that the intelligence level of children and adolescents in
10r!p:D mainland China is slightly higher than that of Caucasoids in the United States
Ic&YiATj and in Britain, although the Chinese-British difference is not statistically
@(N}
{om significant. In evaluating the result, account needs to be taken of the very low
yO
XEP living standards in China.
Ro<5c_k Few dispute that intelligence is to some degree determined by envi-
j
b'M ronmental conditions and standards of living. Thus children adopted by
i*[email protected] middle-class families enjoying good living conditions obtain higher IQs than
M\JAB ;A their siblings reared in working-class families (Dumaret, 1985; Capron &
FLkZZ\ Duyme, 1989). Furthermore, the increase in living standards in the
n? =O@yq economically developed western nations over the course of the last half
<Zfh5AM century has been accompanied by a rise in intelligence of approximately 15
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j=jX IQ points (Flynn, 1987; Lynn & Hampson, 1986). A major factor in this
,Tx38 rise has probably been that the increase in living standards has been
R{aqn0M accompanied by better nutrition and this, in turn, has led to improvements in
6e5A8e8"] the neurological development of the brain (Lynn, 1990).
ZdPqU\G^q In the mid-nineteen eighties the per capita income in China was 227 US
$DnJ/hg;qD dollars as compared with 16,636 US dollars in the United States and 8,064
=1)9>= } US dollars in Britain (United Nations, 1987). To equate the United States and
%X%f0J Britain with China for the standard of living it would be necessary to go back
H
]](xYy. at least to the beginning of the century when British and American mean IQs
}"%mP 4]& were substantially lower than they are today. Hence, if and when living
*g:Dg I 2 standards in China improve, the intelligence of the population can be
gF2
93Ez expected to increase further.
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