Psychology
Hypothesis: Intelligence is not genetically inherited.
Intelligence has less to do with genetics than with the socio-cultural environment in which a person has grown. The rise of genetics gave people a chance to prove that intelligence is genetically inherited. However, deep studies suggest otherwise. It is the environment and availability of resources that shape the intelligence of an individual. If people who are considered non-intelligent, are provided the same educational opportunities and social environment, then their display of intelligence will be on par with other people who developed in the same environment.
Turkheimer and co-researchers (623) in their article published in the Psychological Science journal supports the same hypothesis that the socioeconomic status and the available social and cultural environment modifies or impacts the intelligence in young children. While in another article published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, Rindermann and co-researchers refute the hypothesis based on their sample-based study carried over diverse countries, regions, and groups and they place genetics as the second most important factor influencing intelligence after education.
Intelligence is the ability to use knowledge and ability to think. The intelligence of a person may be influenced by several factors such as education, wealth, health, and culture. A sample-based survey was carried out by Rindermann and co-researchers in different countries reveal the international differences in intelligence. The survey reveals the impact of factors such as education, modernization, wealth, culture, politics, and evolutionary genetics. Experts believe that genes have some influence on the differences in cognitive abilities of people from different regions. In regions like Latin America, experts attributed low intelligence to educational and genetic factors. Genetic factors were considered the most significant in influencing a person’s intelligence as compared to other factors in this cross-cultural and cross-country analysis (Rindermann, et al.). This article refutes the hypothesis completely and suggests that intelligence is genetically inherited or amongst other factors the genetic influence is the second highest after education.
Socioeconomic status, availability of resources have a higher degree of influence on a person’s intelligence than genes. Turkheimer and co-researches in a sample based study analyzed 7-year old twins who were raised in families near the poverty levels. The study reveals that environment contributes to 60% of the variance in IQ levels and in impoverished families, the contribution of genes was close to zero, while in affluent families it is the reverse. The study accepts that cognitive abilities are inherited. However, it is largely impacted by the socioeconomic status, the environment of upbringing and the availability of opportunities for the children. The study suggests that the difference in intelligence amongst children cannot be attributed to genes alone, and the environment of the child’s upbringing has a significant role. The environmental differences impact the observed intelligence of children based on the socioeconomic status of their families. This article supports the hypothesis that intelligence may or may not be genetically inherited. However, it is largely influenced by the environment and culture where a child is raised (Turkheimer, et al. 623-628).
Conclusion
The hypothesis is very clear that intelligence is not genetically inherited. In elaboration, it can be said that intelligence is not only genetically inherited but also influenced by the cultural and social environment and the availability of educational resources to a child. Social, cultural environment where a person is raised impact deeply the cognitive and thinking abilities of that person. People when given opportunities and affluent socioeconomic conditions raise children who are of higher IQ (Intelligence Quotient) than their parents, thereby establishing the importance of the environment and opportunities than genes.
Works Cited
Rindermann, Heiner, et al. "Survey of expert opinion on
intelligence: Causes of international differences in cognitive ability tests."
Frontiers in psychology 7 (2016).
Turkheimer, Eric, et al. "Socioeconomic status modifies heritability of IQ in young children."
Psychological science 14.6 (2003): 623-628.
