READING ON INTELLIGENCE 2

Question 1

Family environment effects on intelligence

Answer 1

• Within family factors= David Reiss 1997- found 3 ways in which inherited genes form phenotypes based on the family environment; the passive model, the child-effects model, and the parent-effects model.
• The passive model suggests intelligence is due to shared genes
• Child-effects model- genes caused intelligence in the child, which in turn causes same/similar behaviour in parent. Child is intelligent no matter the reaction of the parent. A intelligent child will cause a parent to thus encourage intelligent behaviours (positive feedback loops)
• Parent-effects model= behaviour of the child is responded by the parent, which in turn brings out that behaviour in the child- child’s intelligence in response to parent’s reaction to their intelligent behaviour
• Reiss and Harris therefore say within family effects create a problem with heritability- child and parent effects can lead to over and under estimations of heritability.

Question 2

outside family factors

Answer 2

• Group socialisation theory- people perceive the social world in groups- and how they identify in these groups. Humans use social categorisation- placing people into groups based on similarities or differences – individuals identity is based on the groups they belong to- when we identify with a group, we try to fit into that group e.g. if in a intelligent group you will start to do more intelligent things and thus get more intelligent.
• Non shared characteristics that can influence our intelligence;
• Context specific socialisation= learn intelligent abilities outside the home, as they get older become more influenced by their outside life
• Outside the home socialisation- we have a range of groups that we identify with and share norms with, and these groups have different influences on our intelligence.
• Transmission of culture via groups- social norms and individual norms are shared in social groups
• group processes that widen differences between social groups-norms are based on whether you identify with or reject the out groups
• group processes that widen differences among individuals within the group- in each group we play different roles which might influence, or bring out different aspects of our intelligence

Question 3

SES of family

Answer 3

• Rushton and Ankey, 1996- estimate Europe, north America, and Japan, SES is sig correlated with scores on standard IQ- finding r= 0.3-0.4. Also finding 45 IQ points between lower and upper class.
• Mascie-Taylor (1984)- found an IQ difference of 10 between fathers in professional occupations and fathers in unskilled occupations.
• Wahlsten, 1997- adoption studies in France, infants moved from low SES to high SES- improved IQ of 12-16 points.

Question 4

Birth order and intelligence

Answer 4

• There are 3 models to explain why birth order if linked to intelligence
• Admixture hypothesis= parental intelligence, or SES, are additional factors to consider in this relationship, coupled with the fact that parents with lower IQ tend to have more children.
• Resource dilution model= parental resources are finite and that, as the number of children in the family increases, the resources decreases (first born child gets 100% of these resources, but as you have more children, this ratio will change)
• Confluence model= intellectual development must be understood within the context of the family, first born don’t have to share parents attention, additional birth limits attention, first born may take care of younger siblings leading to develop intelligence abilities, first born are exposed to a greater proportion of adult language and ideas from parents.

Question 5

Barber

Answer 5

Barber 2005
IQ scores have been seen to correlate high with genetics, have a link to brain size- Barber 2005, suggests that studies that obtain such a result may lack appropriate controls for education, SES and other variables.
Barber 2005 cross cultural IQ score research- using IQ as a measure, Barber looked into the effect of schooling, agriculture and literacy on intelligence cross culturally. FINDINGS- IQ scores were lower where large numbers of people make their living from agriculture, and higher in countries with extended educational opportunities.
Bradley and Corwyn 2002- low SES children similarly perform worse on IQ tests, suggesting a link between poverty and IQ

Question 6

issues with cross-cultural research

Answer 6

ISSUES WITH CROSSCULTURAL RESEARCH- IQ tests originate from the west, where intelligence may be defined differently than in the east or other cultures.
Greenfield 1997 argues that children in western societies are primed thru environments that are different/unavailable in poorer children to achieve higher scores in IQ.
Suggesting that IQ is lower in certain culture can be seen as Eurocentric and irrelevant to them- for example, someone grown up to be successful in agriculture simply doesn’t need to have a high IQ to be successful therefore measurements of IQ across cultures are less valid as they are not primed for this specific form of intelligence…. Therefore SES may be more of a distortion of IQ than a potential factor or cause.

Question 7

genetics Harworth

Answer 7

• Haworth 2010- meta analysis of 11,00 twins on IQ- increase of genetic influence over intelligence with age. Supposedly, due to tge major transitions the brain undergoes during development. He suggests heritability increases as more genes become functional,
• Haworth’s conclusive research poses difficult implications for other genetic studies on IQ. This is because the age they studies is often much younger, and thus the genetic influence might be less than it should be. Therefore, future research must focus on methodology to improve validity, and focus on older patients.
• In Haworth’s study eurocentrism is another limitation- using western participants and the IQ test made by Western cultures in the first place, limiting population validity. However it uses both sexes which other studies do not (usually focus on males)

Question 8

issues with twin studies

Answer 8

Traskowsli etal., 2014- there are twin specific experiences which is not the case for unrelated indiviudals. So in twin studies is is difficult deciphering the effect of the environment from the effect of genetics.

Question 9

parents and intelligence

Answer 9

Parenting styles and intelligence- Alegre 2011, explains how parental responsiveness, parental emotion related coaching, and parental positive demandingness are related to children’s higher emotional intelligence.

Fox et al 2011-thos who come from dysfunctional families, where domestic violence is present, or placed in foster care show lower IQ scores