Scribd
Upload
148 views3 pages

Heredity and Environment in Intelligence Expression

This document discusses the debate around whether heredity or environment has a greater influence on intelligence. Twin studies show that identical twins reared together have the highest IQ similarities, while those reared apart still have significant similarities, indicating heredity plays an important role. However, environment also influences intelligence, as children from families focused on education tend to score higher on IQ tests. The document concludes that while IQ tests measure only a narrow aspect of intelligence, intelligence is influenced by both heredity and environment interacting together.

Uploaded by

AssignmentLab.com
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
148 views3 pages

Heredity and Environment in Intelligence Expression

This document discusses the debate around whether heredity or environment has a greater influence on intelligence. Twin studies show that identical twins reared together have the highest IQ similarities, while those reared apart still have significant similarities, indicating heredity plays an important role. However, environment also influences intelligence, as children from families focused on education tend to score higher on IQ tests. The document concludes that while IQ tests measure only a narrow aspect of intelligence, intelligence is influenced by both heredity and environment interacting together.

Uploaded by

AssignmentLab.com
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

1 HEREDITY VERSUS ENVIRONMENT

Heredity and Environment in Intelligence Expression

An Assignment Submitted by

Name of Student

Name of Establishment

2 HEREDITY VERSUS ENVIRONMENT

Heredity and Environment in Intelligence Expression

What influences intelligence more: heredity or environment? This question caused a lot of debates among psychologists, resulting in their division into two camps: Hereditarianists and Environmentalists. However there are psychologists who hold that intelligence is a result of both nature and nurture.

The most famous experiment conducted in this regard is called Twins experiment. The experiment showed such correlations: identical twins reared together have .86 IQ similarities, while the identical twins reared apart have .72 IQ similarities. Children reared together but genetically unrelated have .25 IQ similarities on average. (16 factors that influences people's intelligence) As we can see, the influence of heredity is significant, though environment does not stay apart. Environment influences children development on several levels, such as: society, life experience, culture, and family. (Aljabber, 2001) Some families focus on education more than others: foster childs success at school and encourage his/her development. Children nurtured in such families show higher IQ scores than children nurtured in families which focus primarily on survival skills.

According to Wechsler, Intelligence is the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment. (Wechsler, 1944, p. 3) Many psychologists start to realize that intelligence is something that cannot be measured as a material thing. IQ testing, so popular nowadays, measures only a tiny part of the human intelligence potential, therefore it is not designated to determine if a person is smart or stupid. Sir Ken Robinson holds that intelligence is such a broad concept that even standard school or college disciplines cannot reflect its whole

3 HEREDITY VERSUS ENVIRONMENT picture. Intelligence is not only about ability to solve mathematical problems; intelligence can be measured by dance, music, etc. Howard Gardner proposed eight intelligence components, such as: Visual-spatial, Verbal-linguistic, Bodily-kinesthetic, Logical-mathematical, Interpersonal, Musical, Intra personal, Naturalistic. Robert Sternberg describes three different types of intelligence: Analytical, Creative, and Practical. Analytical intelligence deals with problem solving, Creative intelligence is the ability to use past experiences to cope with the new situations, and the Practical intelligence refers to persons ability to adapt to environment which is changing. (Cherry)

Works Cited

16 factors that influences people's intelligence. (n.d.). Retrieved from Preserve Articles: http://www.preservearticles.com/201104195550/16-factors-that-influences-peoplesintelligence.html

Aljabber, J. (2001, Fall). Is intelligence influenced by heritability, environmental influences, or both? How Intelligence Is Influenced By These Factors?

Cherry, K. (n.d.). Theories of Intelligence. Retrieved from About/Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/p/intelligence.htm

You might also like