The publication of "The Bell Curve" by R. Herrnstein and C. Murray enraged many with its contention that black children are genetically less able to learn because of their race and its suggestions that some groups may be less worthy of the expenditure of attention and resources because of a reduced capacity for education. This collection…

According to Gordon and Bridglall, the ability to learn is more of a developed human capacity than a fixed aptitude with which one is born. They argue that the emergence of academic ability is associated with exposure to specialized cultures that privilege the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that schools reward. Children who are born to and…

This book examines socialization science, which is the empirical effort to understand how children acquire traits from their families and cultures. This work proposes that one part of the family influence process--broad differences in family environments, except for those that are neglectful, abusive, or without opportunity--may exert little…

Different viewpoints regarding educational testing are described. While some people advocate continuing reliance upon standardized tests, others favor the discontinuation of such achievement and intelligence tests. The author recommends a moderate view somewhere between these two extremes. Problems associated with standardized testing in the…

"The Bell Curve" by Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray has generated enormous debate as a result of its claim that there is a connection between race and intelligence. The essays of this collection respond to "The Bell Curve" in various ways. Taken together, the following offer an antidote to a work of dubious premises…

The strongest recent statement that inequality in America is the natural result of a free market came in "The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life" by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray. These authors argued that intelligence determines how well people do in life, and the rich are rich largely because they are…

Drawing upon the burgeoning research in neurology, as well as stories of real children, this book charts the brain's development, from conception through the critical first 5 years of life. In examining the many factors that play crucial roles in that process, the book explores the evolution of the senses, motor skills, social and emotional…

It is argued that the United States is declining as a nation, a decline that can be confirmed by any of the criteria that historians have ever used to measure the state and condition of a nation and its people, and it is asserted that this decline is rooted in the overall decline of the intelligence capital of the nation, a decline in the levels…

This book starts with a review of the evolution of the notion of intelligence in its first chapter. In 1969, an article by psychologist Arthur R. Jensen suggested that there may be innate differences in intellectual potential between blacks and whites, and, if so, these differences should be taken into account in educational planning. The…

The book is designed as the primary text for courses that consider the nature of giftedness. It offers a strong introduction to the study of gifted education, and is accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students. Chapters address the following topics: the study of gifted students; heredity and environment; intelligence constructs;…

The controversial and complex issues regarding the effects of educational and psychological testing on the education of minority group children in America are discussed. Although the focus is primarily on black students, the issues discussed are equally valid for all minority populations in the American public schools. The articles in the book…