Mankind
Quarterly, Vol. 50, No. 1-2 (Fall-Winter 2009)
pp. 138-184
Intellectual Growth during Late Adolescence: Effects of Sex and Race
Gerhard Meisenberg, Ross University Medical School, Dominica
Group differences in intelligence depend on the age at which the cognitive test is administered. Using data from the NLSY79 in the United States, this study analyzes scores on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The rise in scores on ASVAB subtests, IQ and g is essentially linear from age 15 to 23. The rise is greater for males than females, a difference that is statistically significant (p<.01) for g in the white but not the black group. The rate of age-dependent score increases is considerably greater in Whites than Blacks (p<.001). Possible causes of these age trends are investigated.
