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clove 3 days ago

You've made the mistake of thinking that if IQ were 50% genetic (it isn't - it's way more than that, but that's beside the point), then the remaining proportion is completely (non-shared) environmental.

Researchers in this field actually break down the non-genetic component into four major components: 1. Shared environment 2. Non-shared environment 3. Error

Shared environment accounts for so little variance that it might as well be ignored; while non-shared accounts for little more than error.

Note that including error in the non-genetic component, just as you've done in your post above, you are viscerally downplaying the otherwise undeniably predictive link from genes to IQ. In other words, whatever number you give is automatically deflated due to the way a psychometric is measured.

This has never been the source of debate. Back when I was going through grad school in intelligence, people didn't have to overthink how they presented the data. Intelligence was already a mature field, and we discussed the data openly. But in the past couple decades or so, a lot of people such as yourself popped up, attempting to craft irrelevant, statistically incorrect arguments against the results of certain well-established psychometrics that happen to not fit within whatever mental world your brand of politics ascribes.

If you really cared about the data, you'd be discussing the numbers. But your interest in this previously niche topic isn't in understanding reality; it's in justifying your worldview, which is why you deny the established data, immediately present a caveat stating that the data doesn't matter in the first place, appeal to emotions, and finish it all off by claiming those who disagree with you have been brainwashed. None of those four arguments have any merit in a genuine discussion on this topic.

hirvi74 3 days ago | parent [-]

How can research claim the genetic component of IQ is so high when there are so many environmental variables that have to be accounted for in order for the genetic component to even be able to manifest?

For example, if two identical twins are separated at birth. If one is raised in an educationally rich and nurturing environment and the other is raised in a horribly abusive and neglectful environment, then I am not sure the two would probably score the similarly on any given IQ test despite their genetic commonalities. Meanwhile, I imagine things like eye color, hair color, etc. which have a strong genetic component would remain consistent between the two.

EnPissant 3 days ago | parent [-]

Here is a twin study that places the heritability of IQ to be around 80%: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-hu...

matthewdgreen 2 days ago | parent [-]

My understanding is that’s way at the upper end and there are other reputable studies (which you can search for) that put it down around 50% in twin studies, which doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be smart just because your parents are. But that’s irrelevant. The question being asked was: if IQ is genetic, why do we need teaching? This is like asking why you’d need ever need gas if you had extra-large fuel tank installed in your car.