Why Some Kids Are Smarter

Technology Review (MIT) ^ | 3/29/06 | Emily Singer

[ziggygrey]

Intelligence is more a product of heredity than environment. According to "The Bell Curve" the relationship between heredity and intelligence is .8 of a standard deviation factor.

"The Bell Curve" is a piece of scientific garbage that should never be invoked to make a point.

[Ditter]

I don't think so. If IQ was measured by headaches I'd be a genius (and I'm not).

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

explain

[LibWhacker]

Yep, I think there may be something to that. But it can't be the entire story either, because there were guys like "Haystack" Calhoun, who benchpressed 400 pounds the first time he walked into a gym.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Identical twin studies. Studies with identical twins (with identical heredity) show that even when raised in different environments that they still score the same on IQ tests.

[somniferum]

I believe they studied identical twins adopted into different families.

[Emmet Fitzhume]

Absolutely.

This article makes me think back to my days in genetics class.

The professor demonstrated how certain genetic traits allow mice to find their way through a maze much faster than the mice with another set of genetic traits.

The precise same studies have been proven accurate in monkeys and human beings.

[ziggygrey]

When one is dealing with quantitative analysis, one has to be able to define unambiguously what the quantity is that's being analyzed. When the authors themselves admit in the introduction, that the "IQ" point has no distinct meaning, then it's very hard to take any statistical analysis very seriously. The IQ point system is based on performance - it is not a direct measurement of "innate" intelligence. For instance, if they could measure neurons firing per second on an EKG that could be something meaningful...

There IS hard science being done in the area of brain chemistry that indicates early childhood trauma or malnutrition having a real impact on physical brain development, which certainly impacts intellectual performance. Trauma and malnutrition are correlated with poverty, and disproportionate numbers of minority groups are impoverished in the US.

However, a seriously looking book out of Harvard with charts and graphs and equations can give racist views an aura of respectability, and therefore will always sell books.

[babygene]

" "The Bell Curve" is a piece of scientific garbage that should never be invoked to make a point."

How would YOU know?

[iluvlucy]

There is no reason to even bother reading this article.
I can answer this one myself.

The answer is the same reason some kids are better looking, taller, shorter, faster runners.........and on and on it goes.

Two reasons
1. God made them gifted in that area.
2. A little effort on their part and sometimes their parents.

I want my million dollar grant now. Make that two million. I assure you it is a bargain.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Really? Cite the refutation with as many sales. Sure pointy-headed egalitarians may disagree with Herrnstein and Murray and write papers to each other but never to so large an approving audience. Join the Science Wars. Tagline...

[rit]

My father once said he is so bright, his father calls him son.

[babygene]

"he IQ point system is based on performance - it is not a direct measurement of "innate" intelligence."

It's not unusual in science to measure something by measuring it's effect on something unrelated.

[ziggygrey]

How would YOU know?

Because, as an experimental physicist, statistical analysis is what I spend a good part of my time doing.

Misusing statistics the way the authors of TBC have, is very offensive to me.

[Paradox]

According to the last thing written about race, by Murray, he was trying to show the futility of using certain statistical measures to measure the performance of teaching institutions in regards to racial differences in standardized testing. For example, if you say that you will modify your teaching strategies in order to equalize the average scores of different races on standardized tests, then one might never be satisfied, because statistically (I use them all the time, BTW, in my line of work as well), it can be demonstrated that there are "racial differences" in abilities. Of course, this depends on how you define "race", but as defined in most studies where racial differences are examined, it appears that you DO find differences that no amount of teaching can overcome. Those differences are in the TEST scores, get it? Not that some "Race" is "smarter" than others, but according to standardized testing, it can appear that way, so you will never be satisfied because these tests can always show a difference.

All that said, it is also apparent that I have a difficult time sometimes, making sense. Shows ya what good a 135 IQ is...

[RatRipper]

Mine are just average because my ex is a dumba$$ and an idiot.

[derllak]

You married her.....now who's the idiot? Lol! :P

[ziggygrey]

because statistically (I use them all the time, BTW, in my line of work as well), it can be demonstrated that there are "racial differences" in abilities.

I disagree. There are oftentimes difference in performance between groups, but innate ability is a different thing altogether. But you were correct in putting the word race in parentheses - those identified as "Black" are likely to be mostly European. I've been to Oxford (England, not Mississippi) and one would be very hard pressed (as in WRONG) to perceive differences in academic performance among the "races" (and the "black" and "brown" people there are decidedly less "European" than the minorities in the US).

Anyway, since the vast majority of Americans regardless of race, are woefully ignorant of basic principles of science and math and statistics, it isn't surprising that TBC could be heralded as legitimate science.

That being said, my old landlady taught public schools for years, and used IQ tests. She would often find that some kids could perform well (which does correlate with ability), but whose languange, attitude and demeanor would lead someone at first glance to judge their aptitude negatively. It is one handle that teachers have..

[Irene Adler]

"I've been to Oxford (England, not Mississippi) and one would be very hard pressed (as in WRONG) to perceive differences in academic performance among the "races"..."

You wouldn't expect to see difference because the members of the different "races" as you say, are all carefully selected for high performance to get into Oxford. Those at Oxford, Cambridge, or the Ivies in the U.S. are a tiny, highly selected (biased) sample, not representative of the general population, at all. As you have described your qualifications in previous posts, you should know that.

[Dick Vomer]