7 Comments
User's avatar
Jonathan Ray's avatar

Also the army doesn’t take people below IQ 83 so the GIs were not a representative sample. Then the ones that paired up with German moms were an unrepresentative sample of an unrepresentative sample.

On the other side of the equation high status whites likely avoided military service - you would expect the white GIs to be below the US white average.

Expand full comment
Spencer's avatar

Was this true during WWII?

Expand full comment
Private_Mark's avatar

Gladwell is of mixed race so his own views are biased.

Expand full comment
Sam Ryther's avatar

Perhaps an IQ score is quite limited in meaning and scope? Therefore, not a legitimate measurement of overall intelligence in the first place.

Expand full comment
Mr. Lawrence's avatar

As both a parent and a leader in three different youth groups, my unscientific observation is that the family home has a massive impact on the intelligence, behavior, and success of the young people, both as young people and as older people.

Expand full comment
PolizRajt's avatar

What would be the strongest arguments against a genetic explanation? Or do you think these claims that you debunked present the most powerful case to the contrary?

Expand full comment
LV's avatar

I think the Flynn effect is one, as well as an assortment of studies that individually show 5-7 points effect sizes of various environmental factors. Examples include growing up in orphanage, exposure to toxins, effect of being asked race before testing. Also, the gap has slightly narrowed over time.

Expand full comment