I CAN: Explain the differences in how groups evaluate intelligence Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

How Do Psychologists Explain IQ Differences Among Groups? Hereditarian arguments maintain that intelligence is substantially influenced by genetics This is NATURE ======================================== Environmental approaches argue that intelligence can be dramatically shaped by influences such as Health Economics Education This is NUTURE

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Heritability and Group Differences  Research with twins and adopted children shows genetic influences on a wide range of attributes, including intelligence  Research has also shown that racial and class differences in IQ scores can be eliminated by environmental changes

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Jensen Controversy Arthur Jensen’s theory that the difference in racial IQ scores is genetically based He also contended that while associative learning, or memorizing ability, is equally distributed among the races, conceptual learning occurs with significantly greater frequency in whites than in blacks. He suggested that from the data, one might conclude that on average, white Americans are more intelligent than African-Americans. He downplayed possible environmental factors

The Bell Curve Controversy The Bell Curve is a controversial, best-selling 1994 book. Its central point is that intelligence is a better predictor of things such as financial income, job performance, unwed pregnancy, and crime rather than a parents' socioeconomic status or education level. Controversial due its position that genetic differences mean some races are more/less intelligent than others Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Minnesota Transracial Adoption Study 1976, 1992 Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Also called the Scarr and Weinberg Adoption Study Revealed the strength of environment in determining IQ levels. Examined the IQ test scores of 130 black/interracial children adopted by advantaged white families.

 Social Class  Affects IQ in terms of nutrition, health care, education.  Head Start Program  Provides an enriched environment for disadvantaged children.  Test Biases  Can increase or decrease test scores.

 Bias on IQ tests can also influence the scores.  By doing some intelligence tests which make non-mainstream cultural assumptions, students can come to experience some of the difficulties and issues involved with culturally biased methods of testing intelligence. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

 A "handkerchief head" is:  (a) a cool cat (b) a porter (c) an Uncle Tom (d) a hoddi (e) a preacher.  Which word is most out of place here? (a) splib (b) blood (c) gray (d) spook  (e) black.

 T-Bone Walker got famous for playing what? (a) trombone (b) piano (c) "T-flute" (d) guitar (e) "hambone."  "Bird" or "Yardbird" was the "jacket" that jazz lovers from coast to coast hung on: (a) Lester Young (b) Peggy Lee (c) Benny Goodman, (d) Charlie Parker (e) "Birdman of Alcatraz."

Explain the differences in how groups evaluate intelligence Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007