National IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across Asia
A recent line of research demonstrates that cognitive skills—intelligence quotient scores, math skills, and the like—have only a modest influence on individual wages, but are strongly correlated with national outcomes. Is this largely due to human capital spillovers? This paper argues that the answe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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World Scientific Publishing
2011-06-01
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| Series: | Asian Development Review |
| Online Access: | https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S011611051150003X |
| _version_ | 1797793747019235328 |
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| author | Garett Jones |
| author_facet | Garett Jones |
| author_sort | Garett Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A recent line of research demonstrates that cognitive skills—intelligence quotient scores, math skills, and the like—have only a modest influence on individual wages, but are strongly correlated with national outcomes. Is this largely due to human capital spillovers? This paper argues that the answer is yes. It presents four different channels through which intelligence may matter more for nations than for individuals: (i) intelligence is associated with patience and hence higher savings rates; (ii) intelligence causes cooperation; (iii) higher group intelligence opens the door to using fragile, high-value production technologies; and (iv) intelligence is associated with supporting market-oriented policies. Abundant evidence from across ADB member countries demonstrates that environmental improvements can raise cognitive skills is reviewed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:51:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a779b1f3a45b4b02a513e00e0ff6a64a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0116-1105 1996-7241 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:51:42Z |
| publishDate | 2011-06-01 |
| publisher | World Scientific Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian Development Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-a779b1f3a45b4b02a513e00e0ff6a64a2023-06-28T10:21:20ZengWorld Scientific PublishingAsian Development Review0116-11051996-72412011-06-012801517110.1142/S011611051150003XNational IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across AsiaGarett JonesA recent line of research demonstrates that cognitive skills—intelligence quotient scores, math skills, and the like—have only a modest influence on individual wages, but are strongly correlated with national outcomes. Is this largely due to human capital spillovers? This paper argues that the answer is yes. It presents four different channels through which intelligence may matter more for nations than for individuals: (i) intelligence is associated with patience and hence higher savings rates; (ii) intelligence causes cooperation; (iii) higher group intelligence opens the door to using fragile, high-value production technologies; and (iv) intelligence is associated with supporting market-oriented policies. Abundant evidence from across ADB member countries demonstrates that environmental improvements can raise cognitive skills is reviewed.https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S011611051150003X |
| spellingShingle | Garett Jones National IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across Asia Asian Development Review |
| title | National IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across Asia |
| title_full | National IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across Asia |
| title_fullStr | National IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across Asia |
| title_full_unstemmed | National IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across Asia |
| title_short | National IQ and National Productivity: The Hive Mind Across Asia |
| title_sort | national iq and national productivity the hive mind across asia |
| url | https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S011611051150003X |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT garettjones nationaliqandnationalproductivitythehivemindacrossasia |