This paper discusses the nature-nurture controversy concerning the origins of mental abilities. Specifically, the author looks at the viewpoint of Arthur Jensen and critically examines his work. This paper presents an overview of Jensen's position followed by a discussion of shortcomings in his methodology and research techniques. The author…

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children (WISC) and the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT) were administered to seventh graders in a New York City school located in a depressed area with a Negro population approaching 100 percent. Full scale and subtest scores were analyzed. A factor analysis of the WISC, MAT, and the two scales combined was…

The article describes a kind of intelligence testing which assumes that the potential of a "retarded performer" may be greater than his demonstrated knowledge, and therefore tests him in the process of learning. (CD)

While the constructs of aptitude and achievement, which are defined as genotypic and environmental constructs, are potentially useful in psychological theory and in the development of predictors, the use of these terms for psychological tests is highly misleading. Implications of this position for group differences in aptitude and construct…

The research results indicate that, although sex differences in mathematical abilities are not pronounced before high school, for some reason by the end of that period boys do better than girls in mathematical computation and problem solving. Environmental and biological explanations, intervention strategies and further research needs are…

A parent-offspring adoption path model, with a measured index of the home environment, was developed to assess extent to which genetic and environmental influences of the parents affect relationships between the environmental index and children's behavior. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) data from the Colorado Adoption Project were used. The…

Concludes that environmental effects on IQ are relatively modest within the normal range of environments, but circumstances are very substantial. Cognitive development is influenced by direct effect on cognition and indirect effects through alterations in self-concept, aspirations, attitudes to learning and styles of interaction with other people.…

The choice between genetic and environmental explanations is most properly based on "jointly genetic/environmental designs," which control for both genetic and environmental differences in a behavior genetic framework. (Author/GC)

Investigates the relationship between the perinatal hormonal environment and the development of cognitive sex differences. Compares 25 upper class women aged 14 to 24 who were exposed prenatally to diethylstilbestrol (DES) and their unexposed sisters. Subjects show a more masculine pattern of lateralization than their sisters but are similar in…

Reviews works of several eugenists and student classifiers, focusing upon how earlier notions of differential biological worth were refined and reintroduced as bases for educational policy. Proposes that contemporary educators' emphasis upon student classification ignores historical relationships between biological determinism, student…

Describes the origin and development of the variability hypothesis as applied to the study of social and psychological sex differences. Explores changes in the hypothesis over time, social and scientific factors that fostered its acceptance, and possible parallels between the variability hypothesis and contemporary theories of sex differences.…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the interaction of biological unfolding and culturally related factors on sequences of narrative figure drawings by American and Egyptian elementary students. Findings support hypotheses relating to the interaction of natural and nurtural influences on children's drawings. (Author/SJL)

In "Emile," Rousseau recognized the educational value of Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe." Despite this, and despite some common ground between these two writers, their differences in educational outlook outweigh their similarities, especially in the educational debates of their age concerning Nature and Nurture and Private and Public…

Standardized mathematics test results of a twin sample during grades 3 and 6 were interpreted according to an interactional heredity x environment model. Results indicated that similar school instruction made monozygotic twins more alike but dizygotic twins less alike in mathematics knowledge. Social background effects were also studied. (SJL)