Why do black Americans have an average IQ of 85 compared with 100 for Caucasians?

Question

And from what I've read, the percentages have not changed from when they were first discovered around 1918 (WWI) through to the present - despite the civil rights changes, affirmative action changes, etc.

Is the difference genetic? Is it learned/socialized? What do you think?

Many claim that the IQ tests invented by causacian scientists must be biased, yet Asians score slightly higher than whites. Does anyone seriously believe that white scientists have conspired to make Asians appear slightly more intelligent on average?

One of many sources on the web:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence

Answer 1

I truly am not trying to offend anyone. I think that more white people strive to go to college, strive to get great jobs, strive to make a successful career than black people. I know some truly brilliant black people and white people. Ecconomically and scoially more black people come from lower incomes, less educated backgrrounds and not a lot "break the cycle". Both of my parents went to college and my dad even went to grad school, so me taking advanced classes, going to college, etc was never a question. I think it has some to do with the way you were raised too.

Answer 2

Why is a German Shepherd smarter than a Chihuahua? It's purely genetic. People blaming "poverty" are imbeciles. Blacks don't have lower intelligence because they are poor.....they're poor because they have lower intelligence!!! In a capitalist economy people are generally compensated in proportion to what they contribute to society. What can someone with an IQ in the low 80's contribute to society???? Security guard? Custodian?? Fats food employee? I'm so sick of all of the PC excuses for black failure. We've been trying to "fix" them for generations. The result has been NOTHING!! Just as different breeds of dogs have different inherent qualities, so it is with humanoids. Blacks, on average, will ALWAYS be better in sports and pretty much inferior in all other ares. Pointing out ONE black guy who breaks away from that stereotype doesn't change reality.....it doesn't change the FACT that for that one black guy with above average intelligence there are literally 1000 well below average. That smart black guy should be thanking the slave master that raped his great great grandmother thereby putting enough chlorine in his gene pool to significantly raise his intelligence. But then again, maybe not. I bet that smart black guy is pretty damn lonely and isolated.

Answer 3

I think it is social and economically effected. It is harder for blacks to get jobs, good paying jobs and the percentages of children being raised by one parent or now even grandparents in the black population is probably a lot higher. Therefore there is less supervision because of the parent having to work or they themselves aren't educated and can't help their children.
Also, I believe the schools in black populated areas are disenfranchised, having less money to spend on school programs, books, gym equipment etc. I don't think it has a thing to do with race. I was born in the mountains of VA in a coal mining community and we certainly don't have the choices and opportunities that the people in areas of the north where I raised my children. We also didn't have the nourishment that we needed as poor kids. No free lunch let alone breakfast in those days, no welfare either. Where my kids were raised they had a pool, gym with everything and so many choices of classes to take that you'd think it was college. So, to me it's all about money and where you are born. I still thank the Lord for being born in the USA. I think Asians have been raised in a completely different way than most children here. They are taught to take the opportunities and do well. Parents are really encouraging them do well from a very early age. So, I think it has to do with culture also. I think most Americans have become lazy, teachers can't handle all the kids, violence and disruptions in public schools. It's all part of how well any of us do. We are what we become mostly because of choices that either our parents or our leaders make or we make. A lot of luck is also in there someplace and blessings are all from God.

Answer 4

Wouldn't suspect it of being intentionally racially preferential, but some cultural bias can creep in to testing procedures if extreme care isn't exercised. It's interesting as an exercise to devise a test that, for example, urban blacks could pass without any trouble that would stymie ivory-tower white academics. At any rate, IQ is a fairly artificial number that might not indicate true capacities.

I believe a relatively superior work ethic exhibited by Asian parents toward their youth might have at one time helped explain the higher achievement levels .... but then, we in the US only saw the best and brightest Asian students (the ones at least who had come to the US to further their education), so we may not have sampled correctly. (Anecdotally I hear the difference between Asian and Caucasian students may be leveling out as they adopt our lower standards. Sad, in a way.)

Answer 5

I'd have to say the colored populace does not seem to put much effort into learning the right way to handle most things. They seem and tend to be very lazy. Thus causing the IQ scores to be lower. In most Asian countries an education is a privilage that is not taken very lightly. Which makes you think that they tend to study more and get better grades. This to me is how it seems growing up in a mixed cultured high school, the Asians did get better grades even though the white populace and the colored kids seemed to study just as much.
It could be that society has placed restraints on our cultures making us what we are. =o)

Answer 6

Black human beings have had and proceed to delight in each and every threat for progression that maximum different races have not got. mutually as there is not any attempt to truly gage someone's mind, those that exist are no longer racially biased. Why in this cutting-edge age, given the overwhelming suggestions to the black community do they proceed to underperform in almost each and every situation. i do no longer understand, might desire to or no longer that is that that's what it incredibly is? I actual have an IQ of 147. in my view, i detect maximum folk uninteresting, over opinionated and mundane....

Answer 7

I have had first hand experience with these IQ tests, and in my opinion, they are biased. For instance, one of the questions asks: would you rather be in a social situation where there is strife or alone with a book. If you chose alone with a book, you lost points...
In my profession, I deal with these assessments on a frequent basis. I just don't think they carry as much validity as test makers would have us believe they do.

Answer 8

Many blacks are not motivated to do well on a standardized test. Asian culture demands that people do their best in education.

Answer 9

because Blacks historically have been denied the exposure and the education and the opportunities that Caucasians have had. Environment and exposure to various social opportunities and to other cultures also play a part in intelligence. On the other hand, why is it that Blacks excel in physical activities, especially sports?

Answer 10

You would have to ask William Shockley. I believe he is one of the few who really was into that stuff.