New research shows that intelligence is not fixed but can be boosted throughout adulthood by family members, bright mates and intellectually stretching careers.

Stimulating households where people talk, make jokes and challenge each other can boost IQ levels by several points, as can jobs that mentally energize employees.

The study challenges the commonly held notion that intelligence is static by the age of about 18.

Current scientific consensus suggests that intelligence is controled by genes, with environmental factors such as schooling and nutrition playing a part up to this age. After this point, IQ scores stabilize.

But James Flynn, emeritus professor of political studies and psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, argues that people can “upgrade” their own intelligence throughout their lives. He believes intellectual stimulation from others is crucial as the brain seems to be rather like a muscle — the more you use it, the stronger it gets.

However, the reverse is also true — so people who share a home or workplace with the intellectually challenged risk seeing their IQ levels nosedive as a result.

Professor Flynn analyzed U.S. intelligence tests from the last 65 years and correlated the results with people’s ages. This enabled him to compile new IQ age tables.

He found the cognitive quality of a family alters the IQs of all members, especially children.

It can lift or hold them back, depending on the gap between their brightness and that of their siblings and parents.

A bright 10-year-old with brothers and sisters of average intelligence will suffer a five-to-10-point IQ disadvantage compared to a similar child with equally bright siblings, the age tables revealed.

However, children with a low IQ could gain six to eight points by having brighter siblings and special educational treatment to help pull them up.

Flynn concluded that although genetics and early life experiences determine about 80 percent of intelligence, the remaining 20 percent is linked to lifestyle.

一项新研究显示，智力不是固定不变的，而是在整个成年期都会受到影响，家庭成员、聪明的配偶以及拓展智力的职业都会促进智力的提高。

可以谈话、说笑、互相叫板的这种活跃的家庭，以及能激励员工思考的工作，都可以使智商水平提高几分。

人们普遍认为，智商到了18岁左右就“静止”了，此研究否认了这个说法。目前科学界的共识表明，智力由基因控制，教育和营养等环境因素在18岁之前也有一定的影响。18岁之后，智商就稳定了。

但是新西兰奥塔哥大学政治学和心理学退休荣誉教授詹姆斯•弗林说，人们能一辈子“升级”自己的智商。

他认为，他人的智力刺激非常关键，因为“大脑似乎和肌肉非常像 — 你用得越多，就越强壮。”

然而，反过来说也成立 — 所以，与脑筋不太好使的人同居一室或一起工作，会有智商直线下降的风险。

弗林教授分析了美国过去65年的智力测试，研究了测试结果与年龄的相关性。通过这项研究，他编制了新的智商“年龄表”。他发现一个家庭的“认知特性”能改变所有家庭成员的智商，特别是孩子。

他们的智商提高或降低，取决于“他们本人的智力水平和兄弟姐妹、父母智力水平的差异”。

“年龄表”显示，一个10岁的聪明孩子，如果兄弟姐妹智商平平，智商会比有同样聪明的兄弟姐妹的相似孩子低5到10分。

但是，低智商的孩子，如果有更聪明的兄弟姐妹，并受到特别的教育，智商就可以提高6到8分。

弗林总结说，尽管基因和早年人生经验决定80%的智商，还有20%受生活方式的影响。

    (Chinadaily.com.cn)

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

   【拓展能力的】tuòzhǎn nénglì de stretching extending, widening, enlarging

    【急剧下降】jíjù xiàjiàng nosedive decline rapidly