In Race, Genetics, and IQ, Richard Nisbett examines what he calls “the most relevant studies” on the supposed correlation between Whites, Blacks, and IQ. These studies include: Skin Color, Blood Group Indicators, Reported White Ancestry, Children Born to American Soldiers, Mixed-Race Children: White versus Black Mothers, Black versus White Adoptive Families for Black Children, Black and White Children Raised in the Same Environment, White Adoptive Families or Black versus White Children, Socioeconomic Status, Ability Profiles, and The General Intelligence Factor. Though these studies weren’t given in detailed fashion, they seemed to serve the point of the author in demonstrating that little to no evidence showed that there was any difference between “races” with regard to the IQ test when environmental factors were controlled for. Nisbett made clear that he saw, “no evidence for the genetic superiority of either race, but strong evidence for a substantial environmental contribution to the IQ gap between Blacks and Whites”.
To emphasize his stance Nisbett noted that the “environmental differences between Blacks and Whites on variables that relate to IQ are indeed quite large”, socialization practices may operate to increase and/or maintain these differences, the IQ gap has been closing nationally in recent decades (in some Western countries gains as much as 15 points have occurred in as short a period as a generation); this gives substantial weight to environmental factors because the gene pool of Western countries is not changing at a rate remotely rapid enough to produce a genotypic difference in intelligence of 15 points, and children with White mothers and Black fathers have much higher IQ’s than those with Black mothers and White fathers. All of these findings cause tremendous trouble for genetics being the major determining factor of IQ results; in fact, they give more weight to the conclusion that the author proposed: if there are genetically determined differences between the races, they are too small to show up with any regularity in studies covering a wide range of population and using a wide range of methodologies.
“Genetics, I.Q., and race” is touchy topic that has a multitude of channels to debate. The fact that you are posting this on your blog says a lot about your integrity and rich understanding of racism. History shows that the stems of this subject are rooted in scientific racism. Therefore I find it fascinating to investigate how and why such a healthy percentage of Americans believe that the higher average in I.Q. of “whites” over “blacks” can be attributed to “blacks” inferior genetic sequencing.
I am unaware of any statistical studies that have produced the percentage of Americans who hold an “inherent white over black” intelligence belief but I am aware of the book titled “The Bell Curve” that was a New York Times best seller. The Bell Curve debate blazed national headlines through large media outlets and was topic of many private “water cooler” conversations. Some may find that the overtly racist subject of “Genetics, I.Q., and race” is given credibility by such a large mass is amazing, but for me, what is truly amazing is that such a large mass truly believes that “whites” (and Asians) posses an inherent proclivity of superior intelligence over “blacks.”
Many Americans are unaware of the totality of greatness that resides in each individual human. It is shockingly easy for us to believe that human kind is living on a day-to-day basis in close proximity of meeting our highest potential. We are blind to the fact that almost all of human kind is underserved in many areas of life, and we don’t recognize that we are severely underserved in education even for those who hold advanced degrees. If we weren’t underserved in these areas than the regressed debate of inherent superior white intelligence would not be legitimized with such poor evidence.
Mainstream science says that there is no test that accurately quantifies a person’s ability to learn facts and acquire skills. An I.Q. test is a measurement of very specific accrued knowledge and skills. Intelligence Quotient does not measure ability therefore it seems silly that “science” is researching and people are debating that a person’s skin color is an indicator that they posses DNA that gives them a superior I.Q. from birth. It is a flawed argument from the beginning because DNA is supposed to portend intelligence ability but there is no accurate test for analytical, mathematical, or spatial ability. Is this not proof that the masses are undereducated?
As stated before, we the people are truly unaware of the greatness that resides in every individual person. I find it indicative of an under educated society that with deficient evidence people continue to believe the biased and illogical argument of superior ability. I also find it peculiar that those who believe the flawed argument are generally those who claim to have the superior DNA. Scientific research towards “Genetics, I.Q., and race” should continue but every table of statistics or heavily researched hypothesis is not fact. Americans in mass are duped into believing this and many other flawed or under researched theories and is evidence that very few of us are in close proximity of reaching our full intellectual ability.