It has been said that a parent can increase their child’s IQ by reading to them before bed or by having family dinners around the table. Recent studies have found that this is not true. IQ cannot be influenced by any outside source and is solely influenced by genetics. Researchers from across the United States and around the world used an adoption based research study that suggests that IQ cannot be influenced.
Between 5,500-7,000 non-adopted kids participated in the study along with 250-300 adopted children. These children were given a Picture Vocabulary Test (PVT) when they were in middle school and were retested when they were in their twenties. This served as an IQ test where the participants are shown pictures of people, places, and things and then have to identify them. This test along with the analysis of the parents’ behaviors determined that there was no influence of parental socialization and children’s intelligence later in life.
There common idea that certain parenting styles can raise a child’s IQ, but in this paper it is stated that this is really because the parents who are raising their children in such a way are actually more intelligent than those that don’t. These parents are more likely to pass on their genes of intelligence and therefore have more intelligent kids. All in all the point of this paper is to determine that the way a parent raises a child does not affect their intelligence (as long as it is in normal bounds).
Article:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/10/30/genetics-not-upbringing-main-influencer-in-childs-iq-study-says/Related Article:
http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/10/genes-dont-just-influence-your-iq-they-determine-how-well-you-do-school
I disagree with this article to a certain extent. My parents read to me starting at a very young age and helped me develop my love of reading. Without that, I don't think I would have done as well in middle school, high school, and beyond. Both of my parents are smart, but neither of my parents excelled in science like I do. In this respect, I think it is more about a certain mindset than genes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chelsea, although i am sure there are some genetic influences on intelligence I cant imagine that environmental factors play no role at all. We are shaped and learn our habits from our surroundings. I believe that my parents having me do educational programs at a young age such as hooked on phonics, helped me learn the importance of learning. In addition, I think that intelligence would need to be defined. For example, it is hard to define someone who is "smart." Are those who have a high IQ that effortlessly excel in school more intelligent then those who work hard and study? I think this study tries to make a complex topic black and white when there may not be one true right or wrong answer for factors influencing intelligence.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if I can believe this article. I believe children have the capacity to exceed their parents, if raise properly. Children are like sponges able to learn a great deal in a short amount of time, hence being able to learn languages from a young age. I do agree that genetics could limit the capacity of the brain, but hard work can take someone very far.
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