ABSTRACT
The Simber Effect refers to the phenomenon whereby, in Arabic countries, young children have an IQ that is little different from that of Western children but that these differences increase throughout childhood culminating in a difference of around 20 points by adulthood. The true nature of this phenomenon is revealed by an examination of 125 samples from all around the globe measured with Raven's Progressive Matrices. We show that in many cases different speeds of cognitive development increase the IQ score differences between countries mostly between 4 and 9 years of age, and that these increases can in part be explained by poor environmental conditions. However, the patterns are not completely clear, either in terms of regularity or strengths. Methodological problems, in particular the cross-sectional designs of the included samples, as well as the significance of the Simber Effect for country comparisons in intelligence are discussed.
Subject(s)
Cognition , Intelligence , Child , Humans , Child, Preschool , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Intelligence TestsABSTRACT
The present study aimed to explore the relationship between cyber-bullying and psychological security, psychological loneliness, and age. In other words, it sought to identify the predictive power of these three variables on cyber-bullying among university students. Participants were 426 male and female Saudi university students aged between 18 and 36 years (M = 21.00, SD = 2.42). Three scales were used to probe cyber-bullying and psychological security and loneliness. Data analysis revealed that 17.6% of the participants were cyber-bullies. Significant differences in cyber-bullying were found by gender (in favor of males). A significant positive correlation was found between cyber-bullying on one hand and psychological security and loneliness and age on the other. The findings also revealed that cyber-bullying among university students can be predicted by psychological loneliness and age. Psychological loneliness is the best predictor of cyber-bullying. It explained .284 of cyber-bullying, while age, psychological loneliness explained .339 of cyber-bullying. These findings shed more light on the psychological aspects included in cyber-bullying. It is a significant contribution in that it identified the motives beyond cyber-bullying and its adverse effects on individuals.
Subject(s)
Bullying , Crime Victims , Cyberbullying , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Internet , Loneliness , Male , Students , Universities , Young AdultABSTRACT
There are an increasing number of studies on smartphone addiction (SA) among students, and also a number of cross-cultural ones. We add to this body of research by presenting, for the first time, a cross-cultural study comparing students in four Middle Eastern countries: Sudan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. In this context, we also attempt to replicate findings-in other studies-that there are differences in smartphone addiction prevalence along the lines of sex, culture and subject of study. These findings were indeed replicated in a Middle Eastern context. We found significant differences between the Jordanian sample and the other three samples, with Jordanians displaying higher SA. The Sudanese displayed higher SA than the Yemenis, and the Saudis higher than the Sudanese or the Yemeni. We also found that females displayed greater SA than males and humanities students greater SA than science students.
Subject(s)
Behavior, Addictive , Smartphone , Students/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Culture , Female , Humans , Male , Middle East , Sex Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
Intelligence was assessed using the Standard Progressive Matrices in 316 MZ and 550 same-sex DZ twins with a mean age of 10 years in Sudan. Heritability was estimated at 0.172 and shared environmental influences at 0.596.
Subject(s)
Intelligence/genetics , Twins, Dizygotic/genetics , Twins, Monozygotic/genetics , Adolescent , Child , Correlation of Data , Female , Humans , Male , Social Environment , Sudan , Young AdultABSTRACT
This study was based on two independent studies which in total consisted of 1812 school pupils aged 6-12 years in Saudi Arabia. Study I consisted of 1591 school pupils (609 boys and 982 girls) attending state schools, and Study II consisted of 211 boys with learning disabilities. Intelligence (measured using the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus for Study I and the Standard Progressive Matrices for Study II), head size and height were measured for the two samples. The results showed that intelligence was statistically significantly correlated with head circumference (r=0.350, p<0.001 for Study I and r=0.168, p<0.05 for Study II) and height (r=0.271, p<0.001 for Study I and r=0.178, p<0.05 for Study II).
Subject(s)
Body Height , Cephalometry , Intelligence , Body Weight , Child , Female , Head/growth & development , Humans , Male , Prenatal Care , Saudi ArabiaABSTRACT
Sex differences on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III) are reported for children in Bahrain and the United States. The results for the two samples were consistent in showing no significant differences in Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs, higher average scores by boys on the Block design and Mazes subtests of spatial ability, and higher average scores by girls on Coding. There was also greater variability in boys than in girls.
Subject(s)
Cross-Cultural Comparison , Wechsler Scales/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Bahrain , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Sex Distribution , United StatesABSTRACT
There have been two studies of the Coloured Progressive Matrices and the Standard Progressive Matrices in Oman, giving British IQs of 87 and 81, respectively. The present paper reports results for the Advanced Progressive Matrices to ascertain how far these are consistent with the previous studies. The Advanced Progressive Matrices was standardized in Oman in 2009-10 on a sample of 2,467 Grade 11 and 12 students (M age = 17.13 yr., SD = 1.01, range = 16-18). The sample obtained a mean score of 12.2, equivalent to a British IQ of 88, consistent with the results of the two previous studies.
Subject(s)
Arabs/psychology , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Developing Countries , Intelligence , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Intelligence Tests/statistics & numerical data , Male , Oman , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Reference Values , Reproducibility of Results , TranslatingABSTRACT
Three studies of intelligence in Egypt published between 1957 and 1989 and based on small samples gave British IQs between 77 and 83. The present paper reports the results of a recent study based on a much larger sample in order to examine how far the results of the older studies can be replicated. The Coloured Progressive Matrices was standardized in Egypt in 2011-2013 on a sample of 11,284 children aged 5.6 to 10.5 years. The sample obtained a British IQ of 84.2 and provides a satisfactory replication of the earlier studies.
Subject(s)
Arabs/psychology , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Intelligence Tests/statistics & numerical data , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Child , Child, Preschool , Egypt , Female , Humans , Male , Reference Values , Statistics as Topic , Wechsler Scales/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
The Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices test was standardized in Jordan in 2004 on a sample of 1,015 school students ages 12 to 17 yr. The sample obtained a British IQ of 82.6.
