Module 31: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Intelligence

A check on your understanding of heritability: If environments become more equal, the heritability of intelligence will

a. increase

b. decrease

c. be unchanged

a. increase (heritability-variation within a group explained by genetic influences-will increase as environmental variation decreases.

The heritability of intelligence scores will be greater in a society of equal opportunity than in a society of extreme inequality between the working poor and billionaires. Why?

Perfect equal opportunity would create 100 percent heritability, because genes alone would account for any human differences.

What is the difference between a test that is culturally biased and a test that is scientifically biased?

A test may be culturally biased (unfair) if higher scores are achieved by those with certain cultural experiences. That same test is not scientifically biased as long as it has predictive validity- if it predicts what it is supposed to predict. For example, the SAT may favor those with experience in the U.S. school system, but it does still accurately predict U.S. college success.

What psychological principle may help explain why women tend to score higher on math tests when none of their fellow test-takers are men?

stereotype threat

To say that the heritability of intelligence is about 50 percent means that 50 percent of

a. an individual’s intelligence is due to genetic factors

b. the similarities between two groups of people are attributable to genes

c. the variation in intelligence within a group of people is attributable to genetic factors

d. an individual’s intelligence is due to each parent’s genes

c. the variation in intelligence within a group of people is attributable to genetic factors

The strongest support for heredity’s influence on intelligence is the finding that

a. identical twins, but not other siblings, have nearly identical intelligence test scores

b. the correlation between intelligence test scores of fraternal twins is not higher than that for other siblings.

c. similarity of mental abilities between adopted siblings increases with age

d. children in impoverished families have similar intelligence scores

a. identical twins, but not other siblings, have nearly identical intelligence test scores

the environmental influence that has the clearest, most profound effect on intellectual development is

a. exposing infants to enrichment programs before age 1

b. growing up in an economically disadvantaged home

c. being raised in conditions of extreme deprivation

d. being an identical twin

c. being raised in conditions of extreme deprivation

_____ ______ can lead to poor performance on tests by undermining test-takers’ belief that they can do well on the test

stereotype threat