INTELLIGENCE IN CHINA
Y3r% B9~ RICHARD LYNN
D _/^+H]1 University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
M>&%(4K Studies of the intelligence of' Oriental peoples in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore
)E6;-rD0^+ and the United States have typically reported slightly higher mean IQs than those of
3= xhoRX British and American Caucasoids. Recently results have become available for a
cs T2B[f9D standardization of Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices in the People's Republic of
m_=$0m J$ China. The results show that Chinese 6-15 year-olds obtain a mean IQ of 102.1 in relation
\zieyE to an American Caucasoid standard of I00.
':gUOra|I A number of studies have shown that the Oriental or Mongoloid peoples
*:>" q ej have higher mean IQs than whites or Caucasoids of European origin in the
V+Cwzc^j United States and Britain. Much of the literature on this question is reviewed
hQ]H
/+\ in Lynn (1987). The IQ advantage of Mongoloid populations has generally
[email protected]@E been found to lie between 2 to 8 IQ points. A number of studies of
M%1}/!J3 intelligence in Japan indicate that the mean IQ is approximately 105. Studies
1 "/He ` 4 of the intelligence of children in Taiwan and Singapore have obtained mean
VUVaaOmO IQs of approximately 103. A recent study of children in Hong Kong obtained
A/s>PhxV a mean IQ of 110 (Lynn, Pagliari & Chan, 1988). The extensive literature
I *x[:)X8 on the intelligence of ethnic Orientals in the United States was reviewed by
,oaw0Vw Vernon (1982) who concluded that the mean non-verbal IQ was about 110
Ul 2R'"FB and the verbal IQ about 97, which can be averaged to give a figure of 103.5.
G"X8} :} Although data are now available on the intelligence levels of Mongoloids
~vXaqCX in a variety of locations, the jewel in the crown is missing. This is the
la( <8 intelligence of the population in the People's Republic of China. The interest
t'BLVCu in obtaining data on intelligence in China is twofold. Firstly, this is the
=Vy `J)z9 homeland of by far the greatest number of Mongoloids. Secondly, the high
gN24M
3{C intelligence levels of Mongoloids in several locations could have been
_/Gczy4)# determined by selective emigration from China. This is suggested by Flynn
Y]{
>^`G (1989) for the Chinese in the United States, and the same argument could be
`9)t[7 applied to the Chinese populations of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
`kbSu} Data on the intelligence level of the population of mainland China are crucial
|A
cRIq for the resolution of this problem. The required data have recently become
*GxTX3i}vc available and are the subject of this report.
NG METHOD
-:30 :oq A Chinese standardization of the Progressive Matrices was carried out by
}| J79s2M Hou Can Zhang of Beijing Normal University in the mid-nineteen eighties.
43={Xy The standardization sample consisted of 5,108 individuals drawn as a
ox:[f9.5 stratified sample from the 6 principal administrative areas of China and from
|~'IM3Jw(Y small, medium sized and large towns within these areas. The results are given
Y|8:;u ' in the form of norm tables in Raven and Court (1989). These norm tables
{ .Z}5K consist of raw scores for a number of age groups and the percentile
j'% $XvI equivalents of raw scores, set out in the same format as those given for the
T%6&PrQ7 United States in Raven (1986) and for Britain in Raven (1981).
[|P!{?A43| RESULTS
8'<-
:KG The American norm tables give the most precise percentile equivalents for
9so6WIWc raw scores and for this reason are the most satisfactory standard with which
}:u~K;O87 to compare results from China and elsewhere. For the Chinese data it is
@fs`= lL/ possible to derive American percentile equivalents for 20 age groups over the
`D`sr[3n
age range 6-15 years. These have been collapsed into 5 age groups, the
(S xR`QP?, percentiles transformed into IQs and the Chinese results given in relation to
v k*=4}: American IQ means of 100 and SDs of 15 in Table 1. Mean IQs of British
I4i2+
*l} children are also given in the Table, making the same calculations from the
Nc+,&R13m British standardisation sample.
Gp4A. \7 TABLE 1: MEAN SCORES AND IQs OF AMERICAN, BRITISH
$ "E).j AND CHINESE CHILDREN ON RAVEN'S STANDARD
;3\3q1oX PROGRESSIVE MATRICES.
} b=}uiR# It will be seen that the Chinese children obtain consistently higher means
'd+N Vj{C than the American and a marginally higher overall mean than the British.
Jd5:{{ Lb The mean IQ of American children is depressed by the presence of
VYt!U substantial numbers of blacks in the population. The mean IQ of white
8>X d2X Americans is 102.2 (Jensen and Reynolds, 1982). Hence in relation to an
k$
H%.l;E American Caucasoid mean IQ of 100, British children obtain a mean of 101.2
}-~X4u# and Chinese children of 102.1. The statistical significance of the higher mean
)\6& 12rj obtained by the Chinese children in relation to the American can be tested by
][W_[0v calculating the standard errors. The difference between the means is greater
#{
k|I$ than twice the standard errors and can therefore be considered statistically
0j30LXI_ significant. The Chinese-British difference is not statistically significant.
FDVcow*] n DISCUSSION
h3*Zfl<] The results show that the intelligence level of children and adolescents in
Jrg2/ee,* mainland China is slightly higher than that of Caucasoids in the United States
UNPezHaz and in Britain, although the Chinese-British difference is not statistically
L:_bg8eD# significant. In evaluating the result, account needs to be taken of the very low
w" Soe
U living standards in China.
Bn61AFy` Few dispute that intelligence is to some degree determined by envi-
Z9575CI< ronmental conditions and standards of living. Thus children adopted by
e =4+$d middle-class families enjoying good living conditions obtain higher IQs than
AZa 6 C w their siblings reared in working-class families (Dumaret, 1985; Capron &
* Ho/ZYj3 Duyme, 1989). Furthermore, the increase in living standards in the
DA2}{ economically developed western nations over the course of the last half
|tv"
B@` century has been accompanied by a rise in intelligence of approximately 15
BNd^qB ? IQ points (Flynn, 1987; Lynn & Hampson, 1986). A major factor in this
R,9[hNHWGs rise has probably been that the increase in living standards has been
s lg ]#Dy accompanied by better nutrition and this, in turn, has led to improvements in
fO0(Z
the neurological development of the brain (Lynn, 1990).
S+'rG+NJ In the mid-nineteen eighties the per capita income in China was 227 US
,$'])A?
$ dollars as compared with 16,636 US dollars in the United States and 8,064
+n<k)E@>J US dollars in Britain (United Nations, 1987). To equate the United States and
;QW3CEaUq Britain with China for the standard of living it would be necessary to go back
Ga# :P F0 at least to the beginning of the century when British and American mean IQs
dxZ u2&gi were substantially lower than they are today. Hence, if and when living
8zA=;~GHP standards in China improve, the intelligence of the population can be
,z;ky 5Ct expected to increase further.
Gm9hYhC8
