Changes

[[File:Flag of Australia.png|thumbnail|200px|[[Australia]]'s national IQ is 98.<ref name="CountryIQ">[https://iq-research.info/en/page/average-iq-by-country WORLD RANKING OF COUNTRIES BY THEIR AVERAGE]</ref>  The ''Daily Mail'' reported in 2014, "Evidence suggests that the IQs of people in the [[UK]], [[Denmark]] and Australia have declined in the last decade."<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2730791/Are-STUPID-Britons-people-IQ-decline.html Are we becoming more STUPID? IQ scores are decreasing - and some experts argue it's because humans have reached their intellectual peak], ''Daily Mail'', 2014</ref> See also: [[Intelligence trends in religious countries and secular countries]] ]]

[[File:Flag of Australia.png|thumbnail|200px|[[Australia]]'s national IQ is 98.<ref name="CountryIQ">[https://iq-research.info/en/page/average-iq-by-country WORLD RANKING OF COUNTRIES BY THEIR AVERAGE]</ref>  The ''Daily Mail'' reported in 2014, "Evidence suggests that the IQs of people in the [[UK]], [[Denmark]] and Australia have declined in the last decade."<ref name="dailymail.co.uk">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2730791/Are-STUPID-Britons-people-IQ-decline.html Are we becoming more STUPID? IQ scores are decreasing - and some experts argue it's because humans have reached their intellectual peak], ''Daily Mail'', 2014</ref> See also: [[Intelligence trends in religious countries and secular countries]] ]]

After [[WWII]], [[Australia]] has become a very [[secular]] country.<ref>Stephanie Painter, Vivienne Ryan and Bethany Hiatt, (15 June 2010). "[https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/7399215/australians-losing-the-faith/ Australians losing the faith]". Newspaper. West Australian Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 15 June 2010</ref> See also: [[Irreligion in Australia]]

After [[WWII]], [[Australia]] has become a very [[secular]] country.<ref>Stephanie Painter, Vivienne Ryan and Bethany Hiatt, (15 June 2010). "[https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/7399215/australians-losing-the-faith/ Australians losing the faith]". Newspaper. West Australian Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 15 June 2010</ref> See also: [[Irreligion in Australia]]

In the 2011 Australian census, 22.3% of Australians (or 4,796,787 people) identified themselves as having "no religion" which was more than 3 percent higher (and 1,090,232 people more) than in the 2006 census and was the second largest category.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/quickstat/0?opendocument&navpos=220 |title = 2011 Census QuickStats |date = 30 October 2012 | publisher = Australian Bureau of Statistics|accessdate = 2013-02-25}}</ref> Another 2.014 million (9.4%) were in the "not-stated or inadequately-defined" category: thus more than 31% of Australians did not state a religious affiliation in the 2011 census.<ref>[http://www.quazoo.com/q/Irreligion_in_Australia Irreligion in Ausralia]</ref>

In the 2011 Australian census, 22.3% of Australians (or 4,796,787 people) identified themselves as having "no religion" which was more than 3 percent higher (and 1,090,232 people more) than in the 2006 census and was the second largest category.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/quickstat/0?opendocument&navpos=220 |title = 2011 Census QuickStats |date = 30 October 2012 | publisher = Australian Bureau of Statistics|accessdate = 2013-02-25}}</ref> Another 2.014 million (9.4%) were in the "not-stated or inadequately-defined" category: thus more than 31% of Australians did not state a religious affiliation in the 2011 census.<ref>[http://www.quazoo.com/q/Irreligion_in_Australia Irreligion in Ausralia]</ref>

[[Socioeconomics|Socioeconomic]] factors can cause differences in regional intelligence levels (for example, wealth which can affect the quality of education, health care and nutrition). Although social scientists have disputes about the accuracy of IQ scores in a given region, regions do vary in terms of their IQ scores.<ref name="CountryIQ">[https://iq-research.info/en/page/average-iq-by-country WORLD RANKING OF COUNTRIES BY THEIR AVERAGE]</ref><ref name="NatureIQ">[http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/v92/n4/full/6800418a.html Book Review: IQ and the Wealth of Nations], ''Nature''</ref><ref name="AfricanIQ">[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100121155220.htm Controversial study of African IQ levels is 'deeply flawed'], Science Daily, January 21, 2010</ref> Ethnic groups facing discrimination as immigrants and their IQs temporarily dropping and then later rebounding when the discrimination is over, strongly suggests that IQ is significantly affected by one's environment and not due to any inherent and permanent genetic differences between races.<ref>[http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/05/charles-murray-still-convinced-whites-are-smarter-blacks Charles Murray Still Convinced That Whites Are Smarter Than Blacks] by Kevin Drum, ''Mother Jonees'', 2017</ref>

[[Socioeconomics|Socioeconomic]] factors can cause differences in regional intelligence levels (for example, wealth which can affect the quality of education, health care and nutrition). Although social scientists have disputes about the accuracy of IQ scores in a given region, regions do vary in terms of their IQ scores.<ref name="CountryIQ"/><ref name="NatureIQ">[http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/v92/n4/full/6800418a.html Book Review: IQ and the Wealth of Nations], ''Nature''</ref><ref name="AfricanIQ">[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100121155220.htm Controversial study of African IQ levels is 'deeply flawed'], Science Daily, January 21, 2010</ref> Ethnic groups facing discrimination as immigrants and their IQs temporarily dropping and then later rebounding when the discrimination is over, strongly suggests that IQ is significantly affected by one's environment and not due to any inherent and permanent genetic differences between races.<ref>[http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/05/charles-murray-still-convinced-whites-are-smarter-blacks Charles Murray Still Convinced That Whites Are Smarter Than Blacks] by Kevin Drum, ''Mother Jonees'', 2017</ref>

Although social scientists have disputes about the accuracy of IQ scores in a given region, regions do vary in terms of their IQ scores.<ref name="CountryIQ">[https://iq-research.info/en/page/average-iq-by-country WORLD RANKING OF COUNTRIES BY THEIR AVERAGE]</ref><ref name="NatureIQ">[http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/v92/n4/full/6800418a.html Book Review: IQ and the Wealth of Nations], ''Nature''</ref><ref name="AfricanIQ">[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100121155220.htm Controversial study of African IQ levels is 'deeply flawed'], Science Daily, January 21, 2010</ref>

Although social scientists have disputes about the accuracy of IQ scores in a given region, regions do vary in terms of their IQ scores.<ref name="CountryIQ"/><ref name="NatureIQ"/><ref name="AfricanIQ"/>

The national IQ score given below for Australia comes from the work carried out from 2002 to 2006 by Richard Lynn, a British Professor of Psychology, and Tatu Vanhanen, a Finnish Professor of Political Science, who performed IQ studies in more than 80 countries.<ref name="CountryIQ"/>

The national IQ score given below for Australia comes from the work carried out from 2002 to 2006 by Richard Lynn, a British Professor of Psychology, and Tatu Vanhanen, a Finnish Professor of Political Science, who performed IQ studies in more than 80 countries.<ref name="CountryIQ"/>

Thomas Hally wrote:

Thomas Hally wrote:

{{cquote|In many areas [[Phenotype|phenotypic]] intelligence has been increasing (the [[Flynn Effect|Flynn Effect]]) while [[Genotype|genotypic]] intelligence is decreasing due to the negative association between intelligence and that which is known as ³[[Dysgenics|dysgenic]] fertility´. Gains of as much as 7.5 IQ points in phenotypic intelligence are much greater than the 0.43 IQ points per generation in the world-wide genotypic IQ that had been estimated for the period 1950-2000. The situation in the industrially developed world appears to follow the lead of the United States and a handful of other developed nations in so far as the phenotypic IQ has been increasing at a greater rate as a result of environmental improvements.

{{cquote|In many areas [[Phenotype|phenotypic]] intelligence has been increasing (the [[Flynn Effect]]) while [[Genotype|genotypic]] intelligence is decreasing due to the negative association between intelligence and that which is known as ³[[Dysgenics|dysgenic]] fertility´. Gains of as much as 7.5 IQ points in phenotypic intelligence are much greater than the 0.43 IQ points per generation in the world-wide genotypic IQ that had been estimated for the period 1950-2000. The situation in the industrially developed world appears to follow the lead of the United States and a handful of other developed nations in so far as the phenotypic IQ has been increasing at a greater rate as a result of environmental improvements.

In Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain and Australia phenotypic intelligence has stabilized and now is declining.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/1203173/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_the_World_1_ ''The Rise and Fall of the World's IQ''] by Thomas Hally</ref>}}

In Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain and Australia phenotypic intelligence has stabilized and now is declining.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/1203173/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_the_World_1_ ''The Rise and Fall of the World's IQ''] by Thomas Hally</ref>}}

== Australia's declining national IQ ==

== Australia's declining national IQ ==

The ''Daily Mail'' reported in 2014, "Evidence suggests that the IQs of people in the [[UK]], [[Denmark]] and Australia have declined in the last decade."<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2730791/Are-STUPID-Britons-people-IQ-decline.html Are we becoming more STUPID? IQ scores are decreasing - and some experts argue it's because humans have reached their intellectual peak], ''Daily Mail'', 2014</ref>

The ''Daily Mail'' reported in 2014, "Evidence suggests that the IQs of people in the [[UK]], [[Denmark]] and Australia have declined in the last decade."<ref name="dailymail.co.uk"/>

== Australia, alcoholism and lower brain functionality ==

== Australia, alcoholism and lower brain functionality ==

''See also:'' [[Irreligious Australia and alcoholism]] and [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

''See also:'' [[Irreligious Australia and alcoholism]] and [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

[[File:Australia location.png|thumbnail|200px|left|An Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) report indicated that 20% of Australians drink at levels putting them at risk of lifetime harm.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/alcohol-to-blame-for-one-in-eight-deaths---report/5102594 One in eight deaths of young Australians attributable to alcohol: National Council on Drugs report] By Jane Mower, Updated 19 Nov 2013, 7:28pm</ref>]]

[[File:Australia location.png|thumbnail|200px|left|An Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) report indicated that 20% of Australians drink at levels putting them at risk of lifetime harm.<ref name="abc.net.au">[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/alcohol-to-blame-for-one-in-eight-deaths---report/5102594 One in eight deaths of young Australians attributable to alcohol: National Council on Drugs report] By Jane Mower, Updated 19 Nov 2013, 7:28pm</ref>]]

At least 100 studies suggests religion has a positive effect on preventing alcohol-related problems, researchers Christopher Ellison, Jennifer Barrett and Benjamin Moulton noted in an article in the ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'' on “Gender, Marital Status, and Alcohol Behavior: The Neglected Role of Religion.”<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/charlie-sheen-circus-and-_b_836934.html The Doubled-Edged Sword of Religion and Alcoholism]</ref> See: [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

At least 100 studies suggests religion has a positive effect on preventing alcohol-related problems, researchers Christopher Ellison, Jennifer Barrett and Benjamin Moulton noted in an article in the ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'' on “Gender, Marital Status, and Alcohol Behavior: The Neglected Role of Religion.”<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/charlie-sheen-circus-and-_b_836934.html The Doubled-Edged Sword of Religion and Alcoholism]</ref> See: [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

Almost two thirds of 18-29 year olds drink "specifically to get drunk"

Almost two thirds of 18-29 year olds drink "specifically to get drunk"

One in four Australians reported being a victim of alcohol-related verbal abuse.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/alcohol-to-blame-for-one-in-eight-deaths---report/5102594 One in eight deaths of young Australians attributable to alcohol: National Council on Drugs report] By Jane Mower, Updated 19 Nov 2013, 7:28pm</ref>}}

One in four Australians reported being a victim of alcohol-related verbal abuse.<ref name="abc.net.au">[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/alcohol-to-blame-for-one-in-eight-deaths---report/5102594 One in eight deaths of young Australians attributable to alcohol: National Council on Drugs report] By Jane Mower, Updated 19 Nov 2013, 7:28pm</ref>}}

=== Alcoholism, binge drinking and brain damage ===

=== Alcoholism, binge drinking and brain damage ===

*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167850 Western diet consumption and cognitive impairment: links to hippocampal dysfunction and obesity, Physiol Behav. 2011 Apr 18;103(1):59-68. Epub 2010 Dec 16.]

*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167850 Western diet consumption and cognitive impairment: links to hippocampal dysfunction and obesity, Physiol Behav. 2011 Apr 18;103(1):59-68. Epub 2010 Dec 16.]

*[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100714112832.htm Obesity Harms Women's Memory and Brain Function, Study Finds, Science Daily, July 15, 2010]

*[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100714112832.htm Obesity Harms Women's Memory and Brain Function, Study Finds, Science Daily, July 15, 2010]

*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2568718/ Mental health, family function and obesity in African-American women, J Natl Med Assoc. 2005 April; 97(4): 478–482.]

*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2568718/ Mental health, family function and obesity in African-American women, J Natl Med Assoc. 2005 April; 97(4): 478–482.]</ref>

]</ref>

== Australia, societal decline and intelligence ==

== Australia, societal decline and intelligence ==