 Girls better spellers, more verbally fluent, better at locating objects, detecting emotions, more sensitive to touch, taste & color  Boys better a spatial ability, complex math ◦ More extremes in boys IQ scores than girls  Evolutionary reasons for these differences  Some cultures show little differences which points to environment

 A number of studies show scoring differences between different racial, ethnic, and gender groups.  Are these differences due to nature or to nurture? ◦ Studies suggest environment is playing a heavy role.  Heredity and environment interact to produce intelligence in individuals.

 They score the same before school but once school starts they begin to show more gains. This due to: ◦ Spending more time in school ◦ More time doing homework ◦ Pressure and support from parents to achieve academically

 Play “Intelligence and Culture” (4:02) Module #4 from The Brain: Teaching Modules (2 nd edition).  Are the differences in scores the result of environment or genes?  Which theory of intelligence does this example support? Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences or Spearman’s g factor?

Burakumin people of Japan are severely discriminated against. Despite being genetically similar to Japanese people… Their IQ scores are 10 to 15 points lower than “normal” Japanese people.

Seed Analogy: Argument for Environment

 Each corn field planted from same package of genetically diverse seeds  One field is quite fertile, the other is not  Within each field, differences due to genetics  Between each field, differences due to environment (fertility)  Unless the environments of two racial groups are totally identical, it is impossible to estimate the overall genetic differences between the two groups.

 Racial difference in average IQ among different racial groups can be measured  More variation in IQ scores within a particular group than between groups  Evidence for Environment Cause: ◦ Genetically, races are remarkably alike (Race is a social concept not a biological one) ◦ When nutrition and education improve so do test scores of all groups ◦ When Whites and Blacks receive the same info, the process it similarly ◦ Countries with the largest wealth gap also show largest IQ gaps between rich and poor. Access = Opportunity = Higher IQ ◦ At various times in history, different races have experienced “golden ages” when they led the world intellectually

 Two kinds of bias: ◦ Test content – favors one culture over another ◦ Test validity – does it predict future behavior for all the groups it tests? – most tests are OK in this measure.  If IQ test reflects white, middle-class cultural knowledge and values it could result in poor scores by minorities.  Test will favor the people from the culture in which it was developed.  Factors like test-taking behavior, motivation, attitudes towards the test and previous experiences with tests can affect performance.  Try some culturally biased tests yourself: ◦ Robert Williams IQ Test & the Dove Counterbalance Test Robert Williams IQ Test & the Dove Counterbalance Test ◦ Chitling Intelligence Test Chitling Intelligence Test

 Stereotype Threat – When members of a particular group fear they are being thought of or evaluated according to a negative stereotype, they fear that they may confirm the stereotype leading to self-doubt and anxiety resulting in poor performance. ◦ See this 5 minute video explaining how this is tested5 minute video  “Obama Effect” – shortly after Obama was elected African-Americans performed better on verbal aptitude tests