Not genes versus environment

Most people think that the question is nature versus nurture. The reality is much much complex and much more interesting.

The current issue of The Observer, a publication of the Association for Psychological Science, includes the following quiz:

1. Cognitive ability in the industrialized world “is approximately 50% to 70% heritable,” reports the Tucker-Drob team. This means that
   1. 50% to 70% of one’s cognitive ability is attributable to one’s genes.
   2. 50% to 70% of the variation among individuals is attributable to their genes.
2. The genetic influence on intelligence scores (heritability) is greatest
   1. early in life (for example, at age 3), before varied experiences diverge our life courses.
   2. later in life (for example, at age 50 and beyond).
3. The genetic influence on intelligence scores is greatest among those
   1. at lower socioeconomic levels.
   2. at higher socioeconomic levels.
4. Increasing the quality and availability of educational opportunity serves to
   1. decrease the genetic influence on intelligence scores.
   2. Increase the genetic influence on intelligence scores.

You can find the answers here. For a deeper discussion see the original paper.

Related articles

• Genetic Influences on Cognition Increase with Age
• New Research on Genetics and Intelligence
• Environment can help or hinder innate intelligence
• Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D.: The Heritability of Intelligence: Not What You Think

Tags: Association for Psychological Science, Cognition, Gene, Genetics, Intelligence