INTELLIGENCE IN CHINA
RXo 6y(^ RICHARD LYNN
=sso )/3 University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
'#>Fe`[ Studies of the intelligence of' Oriental peoples in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore
j`+{FCB7 and the United States have typically reported slightly higher mean IQs than those of
nvA7eTO6C British and American Caucasoids. Recently results have become available for a
5LZs_%# standardization of Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices in the People's Republic of
j'OXT<n* China. The results show that Chinese 6-15 year-olds obtain a mean IQ of 102.1 in relation
E.*gKfL to an American Caucasoid standard of I00.
QX42^]({;c A number of studies have shown that the Oriental or Mongoloid peoples
MdFFt:y: have higher mean IQs than whites or Caucasoids of European origin in the
f&txg,W,yv United States and Britain. Much of the literature on this question is reviewed
DXFDs=u in Lynn (1987). The IQ advantage of Mongoloid populations has generally
v4K! BW been found to lie between 2 to 8 IQ points. A number of studies of
MEM(uBYKOb intelligence in Japan indicate that the mean IQ is approximately 105. Studies
jxZf,]>T of the intelligence of children in Taiwan and Singapore have obtained mean
O`I}Lg]~q IQs of approximately 103. A recent study of children in Hong Kong obtained
,J=l Hj a mean IQ of 110 (Lynn, Pagliari & Chan, 1988). The extensive literature
~pHuh#> on the intelligence of ethnic Orientals in the United States was reviewed by
,fhF-%Q!g Vernon (1982) who concluded that the mean non-verbal IQ was about 110
=q>lP+ and the verbal IQ about 97, which can be averaged to give a figure of 103.5.
?mF:L"i Although data are now available on the intelligence levels of Mongoloids
mM~&mAa+Z in a variety of locations, the jewel in the crown is missing. This is the
NV==[$ (r intelligence of the population in the People's Republic of China. The interest
:YPi>L5 in obtaining data on intelligence in China is twofold. Firstly, this is the
A%X=yqY homeland of by far the greatest number of Mongoloids. Secondly, the high
mmG]|Cl@ intelligence levels of Mongoloids in several locations could have been
A
H=%6oT2 determined by selective emigration from China. This is suggested by Flynn
Z;[xaP\S (1989) for the Chinese in the United States, and the same argument could be
Vvp{y applied to the Chinese populations of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
RN}joKV Data on the intelligence level of the population of mainland China are crucial
z "z for the resolution of this problem. The required data have recently become
~'|^|*}~Dj available and are the subject of this report.
C^c<s METHOD
[email protected]D21 A Chinese standardization of the Progressive Matrices was carried out by
_pzYmQ Hou Can Zhang of Beijing Normal University in the mid-nineteen eighties.
0+[3>N y0 The standardization sample consisted of 5,108 individuals drawn as a
+_25E.>ml stratified sample from the 6 principal administrative areas of China and from
?a*w6,y. small, medium sized and large towns within these areas. The results are given
0~P]Fw^w in the form of norm tables in Raven and Court (1989). These norm tables
{c~w
Ms# consist of raw scores for a number of age groups and the percentile
=nO:R, U
equivalents of raw scores, set out in the same format as those given for the
FLZ9Rg United States in Raven (1986) and for Britain in Raven (1981).
[e_<UF@A* RESULTS
n/`!G?kvI The American norm tables give the most precise percentile equivalents for
&M tF raw scores and for this reason are the most satisfactory standard with which
g}IOHE to compare results from China and elsewhere. For the Chinese data it is
=*{7G*tS possible to derive American percentile equivalents for 20 age groups over the
!/ dH"h age range 6-15 years. These have been collapsed into 5 age groups, the
A-d<[@d0 percentiles transformed into IQs and the Chinese results given in relation to
H0jbG; American IQ means of 100 and SDs of 15 in Table 1. Mean IQs of British
l5]R*mR children are also given in the Table, making the same calculations from the
Sy]W4% British standardisation sample.
hL&7D@ TABLE 1: MEAN SCORES AND IQs OF AMERICAN, BRITISH
"a(e2H2&T4 AND CHINESE CHILDREN ON RAVEN'S STANDARD
H/k]u)Gtv PROGRESSIVE MATRICES.
s>1\bio*I It will be seen that the Chinese children obtain consistently higher means
N<<O(r than the American and a marginally higher overall mean than the British.
pju*i6z The mean IQ of American children is depressed by the presence of
stMxlG"d substantial numbers of blacks in the population. The mean IQ of white
0:-z+`RHE Americans is 102.2 (Jensen and Reynolds, 1982). Hence in relation to an
cP4C<UG American Caucasoid mean IQ of 100, British children obtain a mean of 101.2
Ov4=!o= and Chinese children of 102.1. The statistical significance of the higher mean
'n^?DPvD obtained by the Chinese children in relation to the American can be tested by
e&E7_ calculating the standard errors. The difference between the means is greater
{NcJL< ;tS than twice the standard errors and can therefore be considered statistically
Vk2%yw> significant. The Chinese-British difference is not statistically significant.
Thk
CKM DISCUSSION
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"v*d*q The results show that the intelligence level of children and adolescents in
_
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^+ mainland China is slightly higher than that of Caucasoids in the United States
kd_!S[
and in Britain, although the Chinese-British difference is not statistically
F/,6Jh significant. In evaluating the result, account needs to be taken of the very low
X]n`YF7 living standards in China.
$5\!ws<cZ Few dispute that intelligence is to some degree determined by envi-
&ld<fa(w+2 ronmental conditions and standards of living. Thus children adopted by
xAO\' #m middle-class families enjoying good living conditions obtain higher IQs than
%_!0V*X* their siblings reared in working-class families (Dumaret, 1985; Capron &
n*i&o;5 Duyme, 1989). Furthermore, the increase in living standards in the
Ujqnl>l economically developed western nations over the course of the last half
[P0c,97_
H century has been accompanied by a rise in intelligence of approximately 15
97<Z,q72Y IQ points (Flynn, 1987; Lynn & Hampson, 1986). A major factor in this
\Ui8gDJ8y5 rise has probably been that the increase in living standards has been
l>L?T#v!_ accompanied by better nutrition and this, in turn, has led to improvements in
1]Cbi7 the neurological development of the brain (Lynn, 1990).
OH@gwC In the mid-nineteen eighties the per capita income in China was 227 US
t,'J%)j dollars as compared with 16,636 US dollars in the United States and 8,064
wWSw0 H/ US dollars in Britain (United Nations, 1987). To equate the United States and
9P,[MZ Britain with China for the standard of living it would be necessary to go back
>5
?c93? at least to the beginning of the century when British and American mean IQs
>rSCf= were substantially lower than they are today. Hence, if and when living
0LYf0^P standards in China improve, the intelligence of the population can be
,% 'r:@' expected to increase further.
bxO[y<|XL