Announcing the 2007 Northern Lights Psychology Conference &
Call-for-Papers/Posters
The Department of Psychology at the University of North Dakota will be hosting the 2007 Northern Lights Psychology Conference at the UND Memorial Union on Saturday, October 20. This year’s keynote speaker will be James Flynn, Professor Emeritus from the University of Otago, New Zealand. He is best known for the “Flynn effect” – the documentation of massive IQ gains from one generation to another. APA devoted a symposium and a book to his research this year. The International Society for Intelligence Research has named Professor Flynn “Distinguished Scientist of 2007.” His talk, Intelligence: Four Paradoxes Resolved, will be bases on his current book, What Is Intelligence?
A number of conflicting issues regarding intelligence will be examined, including (a) Analyses show that various cognitive skills are highly correlated, yet IQ gains age are far larger on some cognitive skills than others, (b) If huge IQ gains are intelligence gains, why are we not struck by the brilliance of our children and the limitations of our parents?, (c) If IQ scores are projected back to 1900, the average IQ score against current norms was between 50-70. Does this really signify that the majority of our ancestors were mentally retarded?, and (d) Twin studies show that genes dominate individual differences in IQ. Observed IQ gains are so great as to signal the existence of environmental factors of enormous potency. How can the environment be so feeble and so potent?
Students, faculty, and institutional researchers are encouraged to submit papers and posters of their recent research for this year’s conference (October 5 deadline). Information regarding the format for submissions, registration fees, the conference luncheon, lodging, and the keynote speaker can be found at this web site (see links from sidebar).
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