Does intelligence differ from race to race?

Question

It's well known that some races are prolific in great marathon athletes, some boast great sprinters, and some soccer players. While physical characteristics can differ from one race to another, why not intelligence (which could be related to brain structure)? Does the refusal to acknowledge such a difference really result from a lack of scientific evidence??

I agree that intelligence has a lot to to with cultural background, education, things one is not born with. But don't you think the biological brain, the container and processor of knowledge, is different between races?

Also, saying one race is smarter than another is not equivalent to saying that the dumbest in the former is smarter than the brightest in the latter. The comparison is in the sense of statistics!

Exactly, "I Love Howie Carr", that's what I suspect to be why researchers frown at the problem. It would soon get them in a polemic even before they start to explore...

Answer 1

Yes,of course.And physical build through genetics is a great example of part of our whole overall make-up.And people can overcome shortcomings in both areas as well.Hiding from the truth doesn't help us.It only lowers standards by trying to pretend we are all equal in all areas without merit or evidence.

Answer 2

This question is awful. It is not only a taboo subject but you have approached it with some rather sad and prejudiced preconceived notions which couldn´t be more wrong. For one as a student of the human mind I would like to point out to you that it is impossible to estimate with such accuracy the number of cortical neurons. Nor have cranial capacities in regards to race been measured to the extent that it is possible to make such inferences and with such accuracy. In fact these statistics are so incorrect and superficial in their approach to this highly complex subject I´m really beginning to wonder what demented cult you attained them from. Environment is a large factor when it comes to intelligence and you seem not to fully appreciate it. Bouchard et al. (1990) determined in the Minnesota Twin Study that about 30 percent of intelligence may be attributed to other factors than simple genetics. In fact Wahlstein (1997) suggested that if children from poor families in France were moved into a better socio-ecnomic statues their childhood IQ scores improved by 12-16 points. Also, as another user pointed out IQ tests have little cross-cultural validity. You´re right about human races having grown apart but the extent to which you suggest mentally and physically is outrageous. Such horrible misconception are what lead to things like prejudice which when we are not careful can become institutionalised when the wrong people get to power.

Answer 3

You bet it does.Even within a race one can examine two families and observe the offspring and how some are as gifted as their parents and others struggle as their parents did in intellectual pursuits.It's a touchy subject only because some equate difference with superiority.Nonsense.We know physical build and looks are genetic.A natural beauty needs no make-up.A guy with a v-shaped body and six-pack Abs without heavy workouts is also genetic.

Answer 4

Intelligence varies from person to person but race as a classification is more about phenotypes and physical appearance. Modern genetic testing shows us that there are a variety of subtypes within each so called race.

Modern medical and historical research suggest testing results that gave the impression some races were less intelligent were culturally biased towards literate educated europeans and didnt make allowances for the effects of lacking formal education cultural and language differences and the effects of ill health and malnutrition on brain development.

Define intelligence please?

Answer 5

Yes,it is well known in scientific circles,but gets people vilified when even broaching the subject.

Answer 6

Obviously, as you can see, it doesn't matter if it was proven that intelligence does differ from race to race. No one has a problem saying whites can't jump, but the moment you suggest a race might have a slightly higher predisposition to having lower intelligence, you're headed for trouble socially.

Answer 7

Socioeconomic circumstances are a factor. In America, the ones in the projects tend to be people of color. With poor neighborhoods come all the trimmings; crime, less emphasis on school and more on work, overcrowding, lack of funding and resources, yadda yadda yadda. Not the most conducive environment for academic pursuit.

Role models and the media also play a role, the size of which is hard to measure. The successful black people you see on TV are usually athletes, whereas for white people the professions are across the board. On both a conscious and subconscious level, the distribution of quality and nature of the portrayals of people definitely makes an impression. Don't quote me on this, but someone told me a study had been done that showed children tend to model themselves on TV people who are of their own ethnicity.

If one ever says one race is smarter than another, they are saying even the dumbest person of one race is smarter than the smartest one of another race, which is clearly not true. There are tons of environmental factors.

People aren't BORN smart. Einstein himself said, life is 1% gift, 99% hard work.

Answer 8

No, intelligence does not differ based on race. Think about people who get good grades but lack in sociability and don't know etiquette because they are in to their grades more so than socializing.
There are different types of intelligence & none have to do with race

Answer 9

I do not know of any studies that have been done that will prove any of the above statements. I do know that there have been studies that prove that all the the above statements are true if they are based on person to person studies.

Answer 10

yes, but its more to do with education, diet, nutrition, than the actual race itself, if other countries had the same educational opportunities you might see a more widespread diversity of scientists, technical businesses etc than just mostly the ones coming out of the developed nations