The Argument-David
Shenk describes the early eugenics involved in standardized testing, such as
the IQ test and the National Intelligence Test, which served as a precursor to
the SAT (39). He then quotes the creator of the SAT when he claims such tests, including
his own were based on “one of the most glorious fallacies in the history of
science, namely that the tests measured native intelligence…without regard to
training or schooling” (39). These tests were created in order to attempt to
measure intelligence among individuals. However, as Shenk contradicts the idea of innate
intelligence, he addresses the point that “children develop only as the
environment demands development” (41). Using the notion of GxE and the
importance of the environment in genetics, are these tests an accurate
representation of one’s intelligence?
How does increased effort and the environment play a role in intelligence and one’s
potential? Can this intelligence be truly measured? Refer to Carol Dweck’s
fixed vs. growth mindset (98).
Ria Singh (riasingsing@gmail.com)
Intelligence is defined as the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience. Standardized tests such as the SAT does not measure intelligence among individuals, but rather a specific type of intelligence. The SAT specifically tests how well test takers analyze and solve problems, but students that practice before taking the test have a chance of doing better. This is an example of the new GxE model at work since most people do not have the mythical “genius” gene, and need to increase their intelligence by learning in school and studying outside of school to do well on the SAT (98). The environment in which the student grew up in is very important in determining the SAT score; the SAT have many problems that test your knowledge of many subjects, but students that practice past SATs get familiar with the type of problems that arise on the test, and therefore are more prepared than someone who hasn’t been exposed to a previous test. Just because someone scores better on the SAT than someone else does not mean they are more intelligent than them. If the SAT did measure intelligence, then the students would be able to achieve the same score every time; we know this is not true with the myriad practice resources made available from the SAT creators that guarantee improved scores. With constant practice and studying, it is possible to score higher on the SAT. The SAT does measure intelligence, but only intelligence for that test. They are measuring one’s ability to comprehend and understand the SAT’s questions, and practicing will help improve scores since it is not the first time the tester has seen that type of problem. They have developed a learned behavior and know what to do since it is not unfamiliar, which defeats the purpose of the test. The SAT would only measure intelligence hypothetically if all students were taught the exact same curriculum with all environmental factors held constant, and having no exposure to the test beforehand. Increased effort and the environment can play a huge role in changing one’s intelligence since the GxE model suggests that the environment has a much bigger impact than the G+E model expected. Learning and studying increases intelligence while not using your brain can actually lead to a decrease in intelligence. David Shenk recognizes that “our muscles and brain regions adapt to the demands that we make of them.” (67). A recent study shows a similar conclusion that staying in school longer leads to higher IQs. This is because the students that stayed in school two years longer were forced to study and learn for two more years; their environment demands more practice than someone who goes to school for a normal amount of time. It is not fully known what parts of the brain contribute to intelligence, but it is known that multiple parts of the brain work together to perform a function and that intelligence is strongly related to memory.
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This is evident since more practice would equal more exposure, and a person would remember that experience in either the permanent or temporary memory. Intelligence is an accumulation of experiences and the ability to recognize and understand a problem based on previous knowledge. As Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck states, “People with an incremental theory of intelligence-believing that intelligence is malleable and can be increased through effort-are much more intellectually ambitious and successful” (Shenk 98). The reason is someone who gives up on the idea that they can become more intelligent with practice will not place any demands on their body and mind; they will embrace the fact that they can’t improve and therefore will not try. Someone who believes in the incremental theory of intelligence will not only constantly study, but also constantly try to score higher on tests.
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http://www.voanews.com/english/news/education/Study-More-Education-Increases-IQ-Score-136593433.html
Yiran Xu, yxu135@gmail.com
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ReplyDeleteAs Ren stated in his post, standardized tests like the SAT were designed to measure what many believed to be the “innate ability referred to as "aptitude," rather than abilities that these students might have developed through school.” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/sats/test/what.html) However, despite the unintentional desires of the test makers, the SAT and other standardized tests do exactly that, measure what students have learned in school, and how their environment of the school, home, etc has affected expression of their genes related to “intelligence” making a person supposedly “smarter or dumber.” In reality, as Shenk states, the SAT tests and any other IQ tests were created with the narrow belief that “intelligence is something you were given, not something you’ve earned” (Shenk, 39). In recent years, this idea has been completely debunked. For example, in 2009, Australian scientists found that “they discovered genes are responsible for 40 percent of our lifetime intelligence with the other 60 percent being determined by our environment.” (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2012-01/21/c_131372356.htm). The 40 percent of genes that determine intelligence do exist as “multifactorial genes, influenced by many factors, both genetic and environmental” (Campbell, 275), however, because they are multifactorial traits it is impossible to determine the amount of intelligence someone has from that 40 percent of genes in isolation from environment. Thus, the SAT’s and the IQ test’s original goal of measuring “native intelligence purely and simply without regard to training or schooling” (Shenk, 39) is proven impossible. In order to measure one’s aptitude, their achievement must too be measured. Essentially, achievement is like aptitude times environment, aka aligning very closely with the GxE paradigm that Shenk proposes.
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However, that does not mean that there is no way of improving one’s intelligence and increasing how much intelligence one has, because 40% of them are determined by genes we have. In addition to “nutrition, schooling, and parent's education” (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2012-01/21/c_131372356.htm) motivation of the individual is extremely important in the development in the brain, and hence the intelligence an individual has. Those students who had Carol Dweck’s growth mindset in mind are much more likely of being more intelligent than others around them because they understand the idea that with motivation and hard work they can increase their expression of the genes that invoke intelligence. In fact, in an experiment where students were studied over a few years, with students were studied who had the growth mindset feeling that regardless of their gene makeup had the possibility of becoming better at math, versus students who had the fixed mindset believing they had “bad genes” which would not allow them to become better at math, it was found that the development of the cerebral cortex (gray matter) and the corpus colloseum of those who had the growth mindset was much more rapid, and subsequently, the students with the growth mindset had more developed parts of the brain in those places. In addition to having more developed brains, the students used “complex cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies–those that involve active and deeper-level processing of material, and self-monitoring of the learning process.” (http://www.mindsetworks.com/page/increase-students-motivation-grades-and-achievement-test-scores.aspx) As the students became more motivated to learn and become better at math, the neural tissue became denser and new connections between nerve tissues formed and “existing ones became stronger.” ((http://www.mindsetworks.com/page/increase-students-motivation-grades-and-achievement-test-scores.aspx)) Thus, theoretically, with the correct mindset and enough motivation, a student could become “smarter” in time for taking the SAT. In addition, the stronger nerve tissues become a very beneficial evolutionary adaptation. Those students who are more motivated and have the growth mindset will have expression of the DNA that codes for proteins for brains with more gray matter, more developed parts of the brain responsible for developing skills associated with intelligence, and will pass these genes on to their offspring, influencing the 40% of genes which are “innate” to intelligence. As generations have progressed from the Neanderthals to a highly civilized society like we have today, the ability to survive, and reproduce has become more difficult, intelligence has also gone up, as a result of people becoming more motivated, and also those who are more intelligent being able to find food, maintain shelter, etc having a better chance of survival.
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Finally, intelligence is not just purely defined as being able to have the ability to test well on the SAT or IQ tests. In fact, it has been found that a “mother’s knowledge” really is environment affecting gene expression within a post-partum mother’s brain. After the child is born, and generally the mother is motivated to give her child care and love, this stimulates the mother’s brain to have “a small but significant amount of growth in a number of brain regions, including the hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex and amygdala.” (http://news.discovery.com/human/mommy-brain-maternal-changes.html) Having a baby causes the “turning on” of certain genes, which stimulate the growth of these regions of the brain. When these regions grow, it is found that the mother is motivated to give her child even more love and care, as she gains more of what is called “mother’s intelligence”. This creates a sort of positive feedback loop. The reason this is an important evolutionary adaptation is because humans are a “K-selected species where much parental care is required of offspring so they can survive” (Campbell, 1185). A child with a more caring mother is more likely to grow up a healthier human being with the ability to survive and reproduce.
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