U of A[lberta] researcher questions whether genius might be a result of hormonal influences

University of Alberta ^ | 11-Mar-2011 | Jamie Hanlon

[Pharmboy]

Hmmm...are masculinized females smarter than the average female?? He seems to be making a lot out of sparse data...

[Pharmboy]

Pinging you FR geniuses...

[dangus]

I know when I look at your stereotypical geniuses (Bill Gates, “Big Bang Theory,” “The Social Network,” etc.,), the first thing I think is: Yup, we’re just too damned manly.

[concerned about politics]

Too much testosterone can damage a male infants brain in the uterus. They literally overdose on it. If the level is high, but not so much it creates serious damage, I can see where the brain would compensate by growing extra connections into the right side of the brain to make up for the loss.

Infants in the uterus are remarkable things. Surgery done in the uterus doesn't leave a scar. It just leaves a little red mark the body because those little things heal so fast and so perfectly.

If this study is correct, the genius would show up more on the male side rather than the female side. It would take a lot more testosterone to damage the female brain. They have very little of their own to start with.

[UCANSEE2]

I disagree with their theory.

While hormones are part of the process, they are not the ultimate director of such processes.

The terms ‘genius’ and ‘very bright’ are not exactly measurable quantities, and not necessarily the same thing.

It is my belief, based on looking around me, that those who are tagged as ‘genius’, usually are deficient in other areas (mentally).

They either have a physical reason to focus (Steven Hawking) all their mental abilities into one channel, or they achieve focus in one area, by not using it in any other area (absent-minded professor, weirdo geek, etc)

Then there are those who are autistic. Very bright, highly non-functional in society. The cause is a toss up, but the methodology is the same. The mind concentrates it’s power in a limited area permanently, by abandoning others.

There are plenty of highly intelligent (say...based on MENSA scores) ‘normal’ people out there, who COULD be ‘geniuses’ if they focused all their attention to one thing, at the expense of the others. But, they don’t.

To conclude, Hormones may be an ingredient of the ‘cause’, but it is only one among many.

[Uri’el-2012]

Roeper Review linking giftedness (having an IQ score of 130 or higher)

This demonstrates to me that these people don't have a clue.

Score numbers mean nothing.

Standard deviation and percentile are the metrics.

This seems like an opportunity to burn research money and publish only.

[jimfree]

I can answer this in the other direction. Sometimes when observing the effects of female hormones I get a little stupid.

[decimon]

Little known is that Einstein’s mom was the bearded lady in a circus.

[Blind Eye Jones]

I agree with your observations.

[Pharmboy]

Great point...seriously.

[Pharmboy]

HAHAHA...you and me both, friend...

[Pharmboy]

Nice one...for this guy to try and ascribe something as complex and obviously multigenic as human intelligence to one factor is just plain...silly.

[Pharmboy]

Indeed...but the power to concentrate and focus is undoubtedly (largely) genetic.

[decimon]

[SunkenCiv]

· GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach · · join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·
	Antiquity Journal  & archive  Archaeologica  Archaeology  Archaeology Channel  BAR  Bronze Age Forum  Discover  Dogpile  Eurekalert  Google  LiveScience  Mirabilis.ca  Nat Geographic  PhysOrg  Science Daily  Science News  Texas AM  Yahoo  Excerpt, or Link only?	In before the "how do you make a hormone" jokes. Thanks Pharmboy. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
· History topic · history keyword · archaeology keyword · paleontology keyword · · Science topic · science keyword · Books/Literature topic · pages keyword ·

[Pharmboy]

I dunno...kick her in the shins?

[Straight Vermonter]

To test how much exposure you had to testosterone in utero you can look at the length of your fingers (true for men, not sure for women). If the ring finger is longer than the index finger then you got a lot of testosterone. If the index finger is longer you were lacking. Strange but true.

[blam]

"I dunno...kick her in the shins? "

That would create 'her moans', not hormones eh?

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the reminder...I do now remember when that study came out a few years ago, but had forgotten. Here's something that ties everything together.

Thanks again...

[Straight Vermonter]

That really does tie it together. My son (who has a long ring finger) got a perfect score on the English portion of his SAT and >700 on the math.