Book contents
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Part IFoundations
- Part IIReading-Driven General Cognitive Enhancement
- Chapter 3Intelligence
- Chapter 4Abstraction
- Part IIIReading-Driven Enhanced Vision
- Part IVReading-Driven Enhanced Memory
- Part VReading-Driven Enhanced Spoken Language
- Part VIReading-Driven Enhanced Reasoning
- Part VIIConclusion and Outlook
- References
- Index
- References
Chapter 3 - Intelligence
Literacy Increases IQ Scores
from Part II - Reading-Driven General Cognitive Enhancement
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 April 2026
Book contents
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Part IFoundations
- Part IIReading-Driven General Cognitive Enhancement
- Chapter 3Intelligence
- Chapter 4Abstraction
- Part IIIReading-Driven Enhanced Vision
- Part IVReading-Driven Enhanced Memory
- Part VReading-Driven Enhanced Spoken Language
- Part VIReading-Driven Enhanced Reasoning
- Part VIIConclusion and Outlook
- References
- Index
- References
Summary
We need to consider that influences of reading on cognition are not restricted only to knowledge effects obtained from the content of what is read. Reading enhances cognitive skills that are highly relevant and useful for doing well in intelligence tests. There is robust evidence that reading massively trains and consequently improves many different perceptual and cognitive abilities: The science of how reading enhances the human mind reveals the many perks of being a bookworm.
Keywords
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Perks of Being a BookwormThe Science of the Benefits of Reading, pp. 33 - 47Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
References
Further Reading
Flynn, J. R. (1984). The mean IQ of Americans: Massive gains 1932 to 1978. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 29–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harlaar, N., Hayiou-Thomas, M. E., & Plomin, R. (2005). Reading and general cognitive ability: A multivariate analysis of 7-year-old twins. Scientific Studies of Reading, 9(3), 197–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ritchie, S. J., Bates, T. C., & Plomin, R. (2015). Does learning to read improve intelligence? A longitudinal multivariate analysis in identical twins from age 7 to 16. Child Development, 86(1), 23–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
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