Genes and intelligence
Was born smart or became smart?
Gene und Intelligenz: Schlau geboren oder schlau geworden?
von Lutz Debus, Tageszeitung, 20.01.2012
Translation: Inopressa
"Intellectual abilities are at least 75% inherited. Dieter E. Zimmer comes to this conclusion in his new book," says Lutz Debus' review on the pages of Tageszeitung.
"First, a well-known scientific journalist and long-time editor of the culture department of the newspaper Die Zeit talks about the current state of affairs. What is intelligence? Can it be measured? And to measure objectively?" – this is how the author conveys the content of the first part of the book.
"It is easy to understand that Dieter Zimmer stands on the side of scientists who see significant genetic causes in the development of intelligence. He tries to prove this position on the basis of observations on twins. The book presents the results of the "Minnesota Twins Project" of the American Research Institute, which has been interviewing and researching identical twins separated immediately after birth for more than 30 years in a row," Debus reports.
Despite the fact that the twins, who are almost identical from a genetic point of view, grew up in very different social environments, they show striking similarities. According to the results of researchers from Minneapolis, intelligence is about 75% inherited, the book says.
However, according to the reviewer, Zimmer completely ignores the actual results of research on perinatal brain development. "Studies show that the formation of synapses between brain cells begins already in the womb and is influenced by the immediate environment," he writes.
"Probably, the omission of this component is one of the significant shortcomings of the book. On the other hand, Zimmer also cites studies comparing the intelligence of mono- and heterozygous twins. Here the conditions of the perinatal period do not differ. Thus, according to different variants of differences in intellectual development between genetically identical and unequal brothers and sisters, it is also possible to draw a conclusion about the hereditary causes of these differences," Debus writes.
In general, according to Zimmer, the influence of the genome on intelligence, even in adults, according to these studies, is at least 75%.
"But what does this mean for society? – asks the reviewer. – A wide range of environmental influences, according to the author, allows IQ differences in the range from 10 to 20 points. The difference between an IQ of 90 or 110 points may be important when studying in a modern school, but for the genetic predestination of one's own fate, something completely different is needed," the reviewer writes.
"Zimmer's material becomes acute the moment he starts talking about ethnic differences concerning intelligence," Debus continues. "At the same time, he definitely takes a position against a racist way of thinking."
"It is noteworthy that there is no distinctive genocode of Islamic ethnic groups," the reviewer reports. He also drew attention to the statement that reduced math skills are characteristic of the entire Mediterranean, but representatives of Christian countries, in particular Bulgaria and Greece, are the weakest in this regard.
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24.01.2012