Word: herrnsteins
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
LAST YEAR, PROFESSOR RICHARD HERRNSTEIN wrote "IQ" in the September, 1971 issue of the Atlantic Monthly, which generated a huge controversy. Scholars in the fields of genetics and psychology challenged the "scientific" material he used for justification; and criticized his conclusion of a developing meritocracy. In a new article in Commentary magazine in April, 1973 (as well as in a book which appeared this week, IQ in the Meritocracy), Herrnstein merely repeats the "IQ Argument" he set forth last Fall, to paraphrase his three premises...
...conclusion Herrnstein draws from these premises is that social standing is based largely upon differences among people which are inherited and therefore beyond the influence of social action. Furthermore, this genetic caste system will only become more rigid as stratification becomes more "meritocratic" and less arbitrary...
...examine each of Herrnstein's three premises...
...true that "the measurement of intelligence is psychology's most telling accomplishment?" Herrnstein answers by pointing out how well IQ tests work: "Rarely did a bright child, as judged by the adults around him, score poorly, and rarely did a poor scorer seem otherwise bright...
...Herrnstein's (and Jensen's) figure of .8 heritability for IQ comes almost entirely from a review of studies of identical twins reared apart. Since such twins have the same genes, any variation in IQ must be due to environment. Thus, it is imperative that the twins be raised in independent surroundings if any general conclusions are to be drawn...