Political Wrinkles  

Go Back   Political Wrinkles > General Discussion > Education & Curriculum
How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012 How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Register FAQDonate PW Store PW Trivia Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Education & Curriculum Discuss How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012 at the General Discussion; Jimmy Carter created the hilariously-named Department of Education..It went into effect in 1980... Since then?... How USA General Knowledge Has ...

Reply
Page 1 of 5 1 23 Last »
 
Share LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 07-12-2013, 11:15 PM
cnredd's Avatar
Administrator
  
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia
Gender: Male
Posts: 52,537
Thanks: 2,020
Thanked 32,219 Times in 18,792 Posts
Default How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Jimmy Carter created the hilariously-named Department of Education..It went into effect in 1980...

Since then?...

How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012

Quote:
“General knowledge” is the body of facts that most people know and are assumed to know. But how general is it? How does it change over time?

A lovely little study from Kent State University has revealed how American students in 2012 performed on a comprehensive test of general knowledge that was developed in 1980. By comparing the results on each question with the original scores from college students three decades ago, the changes in knowledge were made clear.

Here’s the paper: General knowledge norms: Updated and expanded from the Nelson and Narens (1980) norms

A lot of the changes were unsurprising. Many of the questions concern 1970s pop culture and it’s to be expected that no-one know them today.

However, other results are more interesting. Knowledge of hockey has increased: out of 300 items, a question whose answer is “puck” used to be #16 from the top in terms of easiness, but now it’s #3. Likewise, migraines are much better-known now – the migraine question went up from #25 to #6, perhaps reflecting better awareness of the disease.

Curiously, knowledge that cheetahs are the fastest land animal has rocketed from #93 to #10. Maybe reflects the success of the Discovery Channel?

Some things have been forgotten, however. That Antarctica is the largest desert on Earth (it is) was #50 on the 1980 knowledge charts. Now it’s down to #249. That Franklin discovered lightning to be a form of electricity, and that Paris is the capital of France, have also slipped down the list.

The wrong answers were also quite fun. 30% of people thought Baghdad was the capital of Afghanistan (wonder why?), while 21% believed Budapest to be the capital of India (maybe they thought ‘Buddhist’?). 12% thought Mount Everest was in the Appalachians.

11% thought dynamite is called dynamite because it was invented by a Mr Dynamite, and my favourite, 7% said that the layer of fat that whales have is called “flubber”.
__________________
"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to cnredd For This Useful Post:
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 10:08 AM
Cityboy's Avatar
Former Conservative
  
Join Date: Jun 2013
Gender: Male
Posts: 664
Thanks: 172
Thanked 195 Times in 152 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Indeed - right wing talk radio has really dumbed down a huge portion of the population. That is evidenced on this forum every day. They even told them who to blame for their own ignorance.

Gotta stand in awe of the success of the propaganda machine.
__________________
Do you Remember when teachers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, NPR and PBS crashed the stock market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes? Yeah.. Me Neither.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Cityboy For This Useful Post:
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 10:10 AM
MrLiberty's Avatar
professional curmudgeon
  
Join Date: Mar 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 30,506
Thanks: 21,953
Thanked 18,608 Times in 11,935 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cityboy View Post
Indeed - right wing talk radio has really dumbed down a huge portion of the population. That is evidenced on this forum every day. They even told them who to blame for their own ignorance.

Gotta stand in awe of the success of the propaganda machine.
you forgot to bring up Bush and Limbaugh.......
__________________
Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.

Donald Trump
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 10:20 AM
Cityboy's Avatar
Former Conservative
  
Join Date: Jun 2013
Gender: Male
Posts: 664
Thanks: 172
Thanked 195 Times in 152 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrLiberty View Post
you forgot to bring up Bush and Limbaugh.......
Case in point.
__________________
Do you Remember when teachers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, NPR and PBS crashed the stock market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes? Yeah.. Me Neither.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Cityboy For This Useful Post:
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 11:45 AM
Hairy Jello's Avatar
Deplorable
  
Join Date: Apr 2013
Gender: Male
Posts: 19,584
Thanks: 1,788
Thanked 10,875 Times in 6,757 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrLiberty View Post
you forgot to bring up Bush and Limbaugh.......
Give it a second. Thread isn't over yet.
__________________

Not an accurate representation of a white person.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Hairy Jello For This Useful Post:
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 12:30 PM
Banned
  
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: PNW
Gender: Male
Posts: 70,513
Thanks: 22,404
Thanked 18,919 Times in 13,934 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hairy Jello View Post
Give it a second. Thread isn't over yet.
Yeah, it basically is
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Mikeyy For This Useful Post:
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 12:45 PM
Oftencold's Avatar
Moderator
  
Join Date: Jul 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 18,936
Thanks: 11,660
Thanked 9,716 Times in 6,202 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cityboy View Post
Indeed - right wing talk radio has really dumbed down a huge portion of the population. That is evidenced on this forum every day. They even told them who to blame for their own ignorance.

Gotta stand in awe of the success of the propaganda machine.
Sorry, right wing talk radio hosts constantly extoll their listeners to read books, especially on history, often in actual science.

Your statement is simply ridiculous.
__________________
“Quod scripsi, scripsi"

╠═════════════════════════════════════╣

“Serpent's breath, charm of death and life, thy omen of making!”
Or if you're a traditionalist,
“Anál nathrach, orth’ bháis’s bethad, do chél dénmha!”
And children, say it like you mean it!

╠═════════════════════════════════════╣
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Oftencold For This Useful Post:
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 12:48 PM
Cityboy's Avatar
Former Conservative
  
Join Date: Jun 2013
Gender: Male
Posts: 664
Thanks: 172
Thanked 195 Times in 152 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oftencold View Post
Sorry, right wing talk radio hosts constantly extoll their listeners to read books, especially on history, often in actual science.
Yeah right - science - that's why they push for creationism to be taught in public schools.

Books? Their own books, sure. More propaganda for their sheep.

Tell me - what history book have you read recently?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oftencold View Post
Your statement is simply ridiculous.
It's simply the truth - and you know it my propagandized friend.
__________________
Do you Remember when teachers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, NPR and PBS crashed the stock market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes? Yeah.. Me Neither.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 12:51 PM
Oftencold's Avatar
Moderator
  
Join Date: Jul 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 18,936
Thanks: 11,660
Thanked 9,716 Times in 6,202 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikeyy View Post
Yeah, it basically is
For you maybe. Leftist tend to have very short attention spans and poor retention of information.

Sometimes Leftists want to know just how short I think that their powers of retention are.

Well, let me answer that.

Leftist tend to have very short attention spans and poor retention of information.
__________________
“Quod scripsi, scripsi"

╠═════════════════════════════════════╣

“Serpent's breath, charm of death and life, thy omen of making!”
Or if you're a traditionalist,
“Anál nathrach, orth’ bháis’s bethad, do chél dénmha!”
And children, say it like you mean it!

╠═════════════════════════════════════╣
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 07-13-2013, 12:52 PM
Cityboy's Avatar
Former Conservative
  
Join Date: Jun 2013
Gender: Male
Posts: 664
Thanks: 172
Thanked 195 Times in 152 Posts
Default Re: How USA General Knowledge Has Changed, 1980 – 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oftencold View Post
Leftist tend to have very short attention spans and poor retention of information.
Says a low information, easily manipulated con.
__________________
Do you Remember when teachers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, NPR and PBS crashed the stock market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes? Yeah.. Me Neither.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Cityboy For This Useful Post:
Reply
Page 1 of 5 1 23 Last »

Tags
1980, 2012, changed, general, has, how, knowledge, usa

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »
Thread Tools
Display Modes
Linear Mode Linear Mode

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:02 AM.

Political Wrinkles - Archive - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2018, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0