Talk:Intelligence quotient: Difference between revisions
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* <nowiki>[[Reuven Feuerstein#Difference between IQ test and Dynamic Assessment|criticized standard IQ testing]]</nowiki> The anchor (#Difference between IQ test and Dynamic Assessment) is no longer available because it was [[Special:Diff/634867141|deleted by a user]] before. <!-- {"title":"Difference between IQ test and Dynamic Assessment","appear":{"revid":371824242,"parentid":371477124,"timestamp":"2010-07-05T09:47:33Z","replaced_anchors":{"Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Programs - Standard & Basic":"Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Programs - Standard and Basic"},"removed_section_titles":["Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Programs - Standard & Basic","Bibliography of Reuven Feuerstein"],"added_section_titles":["Difference between IQ test and Dynamic Assessment","Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Programs - Standard and Basic","Bibliography","Books","Chapters, articles, and manuals"]},"disappear":{"revid":634867141,"parentid":629923669,"timestamp":"2014-11-21T19:14:24Z","removed_section_titles":["Theories and applied systems","The Theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability and Mediated Learning Experience","The Cognitive Map","Dynamic Assessment: Learning Propensity Assessment Device","Difference between IQ test and Dynamic Assessment","Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Programs - Standard and Basic","CITEREF1999"],"added_section_titles":["Life and education","Career and theories","The cognitive map"]}} --> |
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== Addition of Negative Flynn Effect Citation == |
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==Style of article is both revealing and problematic== |
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Nearly every section of this article that mentions a study that could suggest that 'g' is anything other than a perfectly inherited single entity is met with a curt closing counter point. |
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Thanks to @[[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] for asking why I think it would be beneficial to cite new Dworak study. The current page on the Intelligence quotient already has a paragraph talking about the "negative flynn effect", citing a 2016 study coauthord by Richard Lynn and a 2018 study coauthored by Bernt Bratsberg. In the current issue of the "Intelligence" journal there has been new research on the topic, including the (2023) study I cited. I think that study would be beneficial to cite since it provides interested readers of Wikipedia another, more recent, source on the topic. |
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The style of writing in almost the entire article is basically this: "DISCUSSION POINT: such and such replicable respected study found that certain factors appear to influence, to some degree, scores. CURT COUNTER POINT: This is wrong because another study which is not replicable done by persons historically invested in g-factor research said it was wrong. END OF DISCUSSION NEXT SECTION." |
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Apologies - but I don't know what you mean by the topic being contested? The negative flynn effect definitely a phenomenon for which evidence has been recently discovered. Besides, I didn't add any new description, only another source for the already existing description confirming what the previous sources already have shown. Maybe I misunderstood what you meant? [[User:LenoJeno|LenoJeno]] ([[User talk:LenoJeno|talk]]) 19:59, 9 April 2023 (UTC) |
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The problem with this style of writing, apart from what it obviously reveals to anyone with "social" intelligence and "critical reasoning", is that each study and point is presented with equal weight. Which is very interesting when one considers the main and mathematically strongest criticism laid at the feet of strong 'g' proponents, which is that by arbitrarily manipulating the weights of certain factors, without changing the factors, one can arrive at a desired conclusion quite easily. |
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:When another editor reverts your addition, that means it's been contested, see [[WP:BRD]]. The article you wanted to add from the journal ''Intelligence'' is a primary source appearing in a journal that often publishes questionable material. There are already two sources, so there's no need to add a 3rd source that's low-quality. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 20:55, 9 April 2023 (UTC) |
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This article does not read like an encyclopedia article, it reads as a posturing defense of theories that strongly support a 'g' model of human intelligence. A lay person, after reading this article would be better prepared to argue why a 'g' view of intelligence is the accurate view of human intelligence rather than explain what 'g' or and intelligence quotient actually is. |
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::I see, so "contesting" refers to other editors here, thanks. It's weird then to see how one of the other two sources accepted are also from <i>Intelligence</i>, in fact, coauthored by Richard Lynn, who is <i>the</i> scientific racist. Surely that's even lower credibility. Many thanks for the clarification anyway @[[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]]! [[User:LenoJeno|LenoJeno]] ([[User talk:LenoJeno|talk]]) 21:36, 9 April 2023 (UTC) |
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[[Special:Contributions/68.7.65.150|68.7.65.150]] ([[User talk:68.7.65.150|talk]]) 21:34, 25 September 2020 (UTC) |
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:::I agree that we should remove the Richard Lynn source. Unfortunately ''Intelligence'' does not conduct any meaningful peer review to screen out pseudoscience when race / ethnicity / nationality are concerned, so I'd be concerned about the new Dworak study for that reason. A secondary source would be better. Are you aware of any that we could use to discuss the "negative Flynn effect"? For now I'll remove the Lynn source and retain the NAS Norway study. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 21:44, 9 April 2023 (UTC) |
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:You're raising an important point. Could you be specific about which passages are biased in favor of the claims for a reified 'g' factor and how you'd propose to fix those passages? Thanks. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 21:51, 25 September 2020 (UTC) |
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::And since you claim that "nearly every section of this article that mentions a study that could suggest that 'g' is anything other than a perfectly inherited single entity is met with a curt closing counter point", we would need you to point out how each of the "other studies" used for the "curt closing counterpoint" is not reliable. I also would like to see your evidence that g is "perfectly inherited". We need a lot more than your opinions. We need reliably sourced evidence. [[User:Sundayclose|Sundayclose]] ([[User talk:Sundayclose|talk]]) 22:00, 25 September 2020 (UTC) |
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:::While I don't think the IP editor's comment is fully accurate, I do think there's room for cleanup. On a <del>quick</del> look through, some particular areas: |
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:::* '''General factor (g)''' - Could use better sourcing and removal of [[WP:WEASEL]] use of "still accepted, in principle, by many". I'd also suggest we should move the three-level theory out of the 'g' section and leave it in the '''Cattell–Horn–Carroll theory''' section where it belongs (which is well written, apart from perhaps odd wording and needing sourcing on the 'g was earlier often subdivided into only Gf and Gc...' sentence). If this is cleaned up, I'm not convinced a direct rebuttal is needed if the final paragraph is cleaned up to indicate that Spearman's g, as he defined it at the time, is somewhat antiquated. Basically, direct the reader to the following sections. |
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:::* '''Reliability''' - ends with a critique of the scores (I updated this section, could use further improvement), and I think is reasonably fair. |
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:::* '''Validity as a measure of intelligence''' - I think this section is the best example of the original comment, as the end of a long list of critiques about whether IQ measures intelligence is a single [[WP:WEASEL]] sentence, suggesting the test "generally" has "sufficient statistical validity for many clinical purposes". Which purposes? What exceptions to that general rule? Are any of them directly related to IQ's measurement of intelligence (''g'' or its sub-components), or is this sentence better suited to the '''Reliability''' section? Is there more or less validity for aggregate use on a cohort than individuals? I'm tempted to just move that sentence to the previous section and improve it from there, if not removing it entirely. |
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:::* '''Test bias or differential item functioning''' - Thoughts on moving this section underneath '''Reliability and validity''' and moving the "A 2005 study found that..." paragraph from the above section into this one? |
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:::* '''Flynn effect''' - Any reason not to include a quick summary of the [[Flynn effect]] in the '''Reliability''' section with a wl to the main article? |
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:::* '''Age''' - Suffers from some issues, IMO. Per the original comment, this is a section that reads clearly assuming that IQ = ''g''. It's written that if IQ scores, despite all the variance issues listed in previous sections, can only exhibit age variance due to fluid/crystal intelligence. Which of course is silly, since IQ tautologically is normalized by setting 100 to the mean score for a given age. IMO, this section should describe the variance of '''''IQ scores''''' with age, not the variance of '''''underlying general intelligence''''' with age, but it currently reads as the latter. I also removed a 'however' which seemed to be trying to phrase the r correlates as 'good'. Should probably place meaningful context around these numbers, though. I'm an engineer that's reasonably comfortable with math and stats, but have no idea how to analyze these naked r-values. |
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:::* '''Health''' - Two cn tags from 2012, and fitting the criteria of the original comment. As above, I think it's worth trimming down to how health affects scores and how IQ tests are used in cognitive epidemiology, then direct readers to those specific articles. |
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:::* '''Crime''' - Wanted to point out this section as one that I found well balanced, and would suggest is a good example for the other sections. Shows historical links, but ends on modern critiques of causality. |
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:::* '''Group-IQ or the collective intelligence factor c''' - Doesn't seem to fit this article, as there's no Collective Intelligence Quotient test that I can find linked here. Let the main article be linked to from the articles on ''g'' et al. |
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:::* '''Group differences''' - Another section I think is written well, speaking specifically to IQ, not ''g'' while linking to articles where that association would be appropriate. |
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:::I made a handful of edits along my way. I think I'd like at least a little consensus (or at least, lack of disagreement) before I make some of the suggested changes. I also wouldn't claim to be qualified to make some of the edits. [[User:Bakkster Man|Bakkster Man]] ([[User talk:Bakkster Man|talk]]) 16:06, 29 September 2020 (UTC) |
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::::This seems to me to be a super thoughtful agenda for improving the article. Specifically with regard to folding "Test bias or differential item functioning" and "Flynn effect" into the "Reliability and validity" section, I'd been thinking along similar lines when doing a round of edits a few months back but didn't want to rock the boat too much all at once. Same goes for getting rid of (or straightening out) the weasel language in "General factor (g)" and "Validity". Since you've come to similar conclusions, that may be a good indication that the changes are indeed warranted. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 19:53, 30 September 2020 (UTC) |
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:::::I began some updates, starting with the history section. Mostly just removing duplicate information, actually. Even the weasel wording in the ''g'' section ended up being cited in the CHC section so that was nice and tidy. I also did the grouping of all the error sources, tagging the comments above which I can't easily remedy. I'm wondering if '''Sources of error''' or '''Accuracy and precision''' would perhaps be a better title for the section. On the other hand, I suppose reliability and validity generally are just being given more specific examples in the added sections. Also tagged the old health tags and removed group-IQ (the latter I recognize may be contentious). [[User:Bakkster Man|Bakkster Man]] ([[User talk:Bakkster Man|talk]]) 15:48, 1 October 2020 (UTC) |
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::::::Looks great. I'd tend to agree with your "on the other hand," that issues related to accuracy, precision and sources of error are best presented as specific examples under the heading of reliability and validity. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 22:04, 1 October 2020 (UTC) |
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== Induction is not a specialized ability like spelling == |
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== Stephen Gould doesnt accept Iq tests! == |
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It is learning from examples. There is lots of this all the time in out environment. [[Inductive reasoning]] [[User:Ran8dom9|Ran8dom9]] ([[User talk:Ran8dom9|talk]]) 19:05, 18 July 2023 (UTC) |
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"Some scientists have disputed the value of IQ as a measure of intelligence altogether. In The Mismeasure of Man (1981, expanded edition 1996), evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould compared IQ testing with the now-discredited practice of determining intelligence via craniometry, arguing that both are based on the fallacy of reification, “our tendency to convert abstract concepts into entities”.[84] Gould's argument sparked a great deal of debate,[85][86] and the book is listed as one of Discover Magazine's "25 Greatest Science Books of All Time".[87]" |
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:{{ping|Ran8dom9}} Article talk pages are for [[WP:NOTFORUM|discussing suggested improvements to an article]], not discussion of our personal thoughts about the topic. Do you have a specific suggestion for improving the article? Induction as a specialized ability (a subfactor of [[Fluid and crystallized intelligence|fluid reasoning]]) has been demonstrated by [[Louis Leon Thurstone|Thurstone]] (and a tremendous amount of subsequent research by a vast number of researchers, including [[Raymond B. Cattell|Cattell]], [[John L. Horn|Horn]], and [[John B. Carroll|Carroll]]) using [[factor analysis]] of massive amounts of test data. Can you cite research from peer-reviewed academic journals that clearly refute all of that research, and not just your personal opinion? [[User:Sundayclose|Sundayclose]] ([[User talk:Sundayclose|talk]]) 19:26, 18 July 2023 (UTC) |
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== Job-performance correlation issue == |
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His personal opinion is not of any value to the subject, and should be removed![[User:Cynthia BrownSmyth|Cynthia BrownSmyth]] ([[User talk:Cynthia BrownSmyth|talk]]) 08:04, 13 December 2020 (UTC) |
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§ "Job performance" includes this paragraph: ''"Newer studies find that the effects of IQ on job performance have been greatly overestimated. The current estimates of the correlation between job performance and IQ are about 0.23 correcting for unreliability and range restriction."'' |
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:Gould's argument was that IQ tests are not a valid measure of human intelligence ''broadly construed''. This is entirely consistent with current scientific understanding. See for example the quote from Wayne Weiten in the same subsection: "IQ tests are valid measures of the kind of intelligence necessary to do well in academic work. But if the purpose is to assess intelligence in a broader sense, the validity of IQ tests is questionable." Note that Weiten's statement is [[WP:RS]]/[[WP:TERTIARY]] because it is from a recent, respected textbook, not an individual study, and therefore can be taken as representative of the field. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 09:01, 13 December 2020 (UTC) |
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I fear this presentation lacks WP:BALANCE, given that it's citing what is essentially a single paper by two researchers (the other is a minor follow-up) which has been subject to [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/industrial-and-organizational-psychology/article/abs/rumors-of-general-mental-abilitys-demise-are-the-next-red-herring/FC0F79EC4FDF5BEEA5F934E9098E2756 quite] [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/industrial-and-organizational-psychology/article/response-to-speculations-about-concurrent-validities-in-selection-implications-for-cognitive-ability/5C25EFD82F603039E111FFAF299B1B0F significant] [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/industrial-and-organizational-psychology/article/abs/it-takes-more-than-metaanalysis-to-kill-cognitive-ability/1DE03F9C14DE2C88447F27C67AC63F68 significant criticism] from experts in just the few months since publication, who point out that it's narrow (only including supervisor ratings as a "performance" measure) and is hardly "new" (as its range-restriction claims have been brought up and dismissed in the past). Moreover, the paper(s) referenced find diminished correlations between ''almost every other'' metric and performance (e.g., interviews; work sample tests; job-knowledge tests, etc.) |
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== Discussion at [[Talk:G_factor_(psychometrics)#Should_the_subsection_"Social_exchange_and_sexual_selection"_be_cut_/_renamed?|Talk:G factor (psychometrics)]] == |
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Given that there is hardly a consensus in support of the Sackett, et al. paper(s) it seems unbalanced to include them, at least in the current framing. I'm in favor of removing it entirely, since it runs contrary to consensus backed by an staggering amount of research. Alternately, we could add its narrow focus and other significant criticism, but that may just compound the WP:UNDUE issue. Frankly, I'm not sure it adds much to our article, since of course Sackett, et al. still concede that cognitive ability is one of variables most highly correlated with job performance. Thanks! [[User:Ekpyros|Ekpyros]] ([[User talk:Ekpyros|talk]]) 19:26, 11 December 2023 (UTC) |
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[[File:Farm-Fresh eye.png|15px|link=|alt=]] You are invited to join the discussion at [[Talk:G_factor_(psychometrics)#Should_the_subsection_"Social_exchange_and_sexual_selection"_be_cut_/_renamed?|Talk:G factor (psychometrics)]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 18:17, 29 December 2020 (UTC) |
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== "Online IQ Test Validity" listed at [[Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion|Redirects for discussion]] == |
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[[File:Information.svg|30px]] |
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A discussion is taking place to address the redirect [[:Online IQ Test Validity]]. The discussion will occur at [[Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2021 March 20#Online IQ Test Validity]] until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. <!-- from Template:RFDNote --> [[User:Kokopelli7309|Kokopelli7309]] ([[User talk:Kokopelli7309|talk]]) 14:59, 20 March 2021 (UTC) |
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== |
== Suggestion to add a source == |
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Hello, |
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I suggest that {{u|Buffalo8}} discuss the statement they wish to add to the article here. That statement, as they've written it, is {{tq|When averaging across all test batteries, samples of male subjects typically display an intelligence quotient advantage of four points over female subjects.}}<ref>Hunt 378-379</ref> As I stated in my edit summary, I believe that in the context presented this misleadingly suggests that evidence indicates a clear case for male superiority in intelligence when the author (Earl Hunt) is explicit that this is not the case. Indeed, here is what Hunt has to say about precisely this issue within the page range cited: {{tq|If men have higher scores on some subtests, and women on other subtests, then depending on the weights assigned to each subtest you could produce a summary score that favored men over women or vice versa. And it is certainly true that if a test battery omits an important ability on which there are male-female differences, then the balance of men's and women's scores in an overall index will be different than it would have been had the omitted ability been evaluated.}} [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 07:13, 7 December 2021 (UTC) |
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I would like to suggest a source that could enrich this article: |
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As a side point, that figure of a 4 point difference is stated to be an outlier, present when comparing average male and female scores on two specific test batteries (WAIS-III and WAIS-R) and only in China and Japan; very far from what was stated in Buffalo8's edit. In the U.S. and Canada, male-female averages of those test batteries show a 2 to 3 point spread. But even still, the larger point is that the author considers this spread to be very plausibly an artifact of the types of ability measured by the test batteries in question rather than a real difference in general mental ability between the sexes. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 07:22, 7 December 2021 (UTC) |
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"''IQ is largely a pseudoscientific swindle''" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (January 2019) - [Https://medium.com/incerto/iq-is-largely-a-pseudoscientific-swindle-f131c101ba39 https://medium.com/incerto/iq-is-largely-a-pseudoscientific-swindle-f131c101ba39] |
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:In addition to the lack of context present in the Hunt source, the edit appears to be ignoring all research not mentioned/summarized in Hunt or conducted afterward, much of which finds no evidence of male/female sex differences in IQ. I am not 100% sure that a statement like Buffalo8's doesn't belong in the article, but I am confident that the [[WP:ONUS]] is on Buffalo8 to build consensus for the change instead of edit warring. [[User talk:Firefangledfeathers|Firefangledfeathers]] 13:20, 7 December 2021 (UTC) |
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This source could be relevant to this article on Intelligence Quotient for the following reasons: |
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::I agree that the statement as written doesn't belong in the article. If anything similar is restored the nuances of interpretation and additional related research should be included; and it likely should get consensus here. I'm not accusing anyone, but on the surface this edit gives the appearance of either lack of knowledge of the research, or intentional POV. Again, that's not an accusation, but we need to be careful to avoid the appearance of bias or misunderstanding. [[User:Sundayclose|Sundayclose]] ([[User talk:Sundayclose|talk]]) 16:03, 7 December 2021 (UTC) |
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<u>Critical perspective</u>: The article offers a critical view on the concept of IQ, which could contribute to a balanced presentation of the subject on Wikipedia. |
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{{Reflist-talk}} |
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<u>Renowned author</u>: Nassim Nicholas Taleb is an influential scholar, whose opinions on scientific subjects are often discussed. |
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== IQ Testing Reliability == |
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<u>Arguments against validity</u>: The article presents arguments questioning the validity and usefulness of Intelligence Quotient as a measure of intelligence. |
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"On aggregate, IQ tests exhibit high reliability, '''although''' test-takers may have ''varying scores'' when taking the same test on differing occasions, and may have ''varying scores'' when taking different IQ tests at the same age." |
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<u>Scientific debate</u>: It illustrates the ongoing debate in the scientific community regarding the value and limitations of Intelligence Quotient. |
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This statement is meaningless without also including the significance of the variability. The scores vary, but the degree of variation is not significant enough to merit being used to diminish the overall reliability of IQ testing, relative to all other forms of psychometric testing. Standard IQ testing is the most reliable form of psychometric testing that there is.[[Special:Contributions/107.195.106.201|107.195.106.201]] ([[User talk:107.195.106.201|talk]]) 01:15, 20 January 2022 (UTC) |
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: No, IQ is still suspect to errors. If your claim that it's the most reliable psychometric testing out there, then all other psychometric forms of testing are also suspect to errors in reliability and validity worse then IQ tests. [[Special:Contributions/110.175.125.253|110.175.125.253]] ([[User talk:110.175.125.253|talk]]) 14:16, 17 March 2022 (UTC) |
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::Please use your registered account {{userlinks|Vpha}} instead of using this Sydney IP. Thanks, [[User:Mathsci|Mathsci]] ([[User talk:Mathsci|talk]]) 19:59, 17 March 2022 (UTC) |
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<u>Methodological aspects</u>: The article addresses methodological issues related to the measurement and interpretation of IQ. |
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== Why I'm reverting edit citing Bouchard == |
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This source seems reliable to me and could provide useful information regarding the rigor of Intelligence Quotient. [[User:Narzil|Narzil]] ([[User talk:Narzil|talk]]) 11:57, 4 September 2024 (UTC) |
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First, the edit gives the misleading impression that Bouchard's estimate is generally accepted. The Minnesota Twin Studies have been criticized, and they're partially financed by the [[Pioneer Fund]]. Secondly, the 80% estimate goes back to Cyril Burt in mid-20th century or earlier, so it shouldn't be called "a recent estimate". [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 09:32, 31 July 2022 (UTC) |
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:A meta-analysis or review would be better, if one exists. [[User:BooleanQuackery|BooleanQuackery]] ([[User talk:BooleanQuackery|talk]]) 19:51, 31 July 2022 (UTC) |
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:If it goes back to [[Cyril Burt]], it should not even be called an "estimate". --[[User:Hob Gadling|Hob Gadling]] ([[User talk:Hob Gadling|talk]]) 10:04, 6 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that Burt's estimate was correct. [[Leon Kamin]] found extensive evidence that Burt faked his data, see ''[[The Science and Politics of I.Q.]]''. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 10:16, 6 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you implied that. --[[User:Hob Gadling|Hob Gadling]] ([[User talk:Hob Gadling|talk]]) 10:37, 6 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:[[Nassim Nicholas Taleb]] is indeed a super influential person, but he is not a subject-matter expert on this topic. ''Medium'' is what we call a [[WP:SPS|self-published source]], meaning that only stuff by subject-matter experts can be considered reliable and only in certain contexts (see [[WP:MEDIUM]]). So unfortunately, while this is an interesting essay, it can't be used as a source for our article on IQ. That said, if a subject-matter expert were to publish a response, both Taleb's arguments and the response could then be discussed in article space. I hope that's helpful! [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 15:14, 4 September 2024 (UTC) |
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== Short description improvement == |
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== Summary of race relationship == |
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Current short description: "Score derived from tests purported to measure individual differences in human intelligence." |
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''Proposed summary sentence for the paragraph on race:'' <br> |
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My problems with it: |
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The scholarly consensus finds environmental factors, not race, determines IQ scores. [[User:Superb Owl|Superb Owl]] ([[User talk:Superb Owl|talk]]) 18:14, 12 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:I appreciate you bringing your suggestion here. The issue with this sentence is that IQ differences between individuals do indeed seem to be highly heritable, i.e. genetics plays a role in accounting for why person A scores higher than person B. Some folks have naively assumed that this fact redounds to group-level differences, but it does not. This mistake has been called the "hereditarian fallacy". |
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* Factually incorrect or ambiguous wording. The score is not derived from tests purported to measure individual differences in human intelligence. The score is derived from tests which themselves are not said to measure intelligence, but when calculated in aggregate they do. If instead this means different entire IQ tests instead of subtests, it should be changed to "score derived from ''a'' test . . ." |
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:If you'd like to explore a source, see e.g. [https://www.nature.com/articles/nrg2322 "Heritability in the genomics era — concepts and misconceptions" in ''Nature Reviews Genetics''], which lists in its table of {{tq|Misconceptions regarding heritability}} the notion that {{tq|Heritability is informative about the nature of between-group differences}}. |
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* The use of the word "purported" implies that IQ tests do not really measure intelligence: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Expressions_of_doubt] |
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:As they explain: {{talkquote|This misconception comes in two forms, and in both cases height and IQ in human populations are good examples. The first misconception is that when the heritability is high, groups that differ greatly in the mean of the trait in question must do so because of genetic differences. The second misconception is that the observation of a shift in the mean of a character over time (when we can discount changes in gene frequencies) for a trait with high heritability is a paradox. For IQ, a large increase in the mean has been observed in numerous populations, and this phenomenon is called the Flynn effect, after its discoverer. The problem with this suggested paradox is that heritability should not be used to make predictions about mean changes in the population over time or about differences between groups, because in each individual calculation the heritability is defined for a particular population and says nothing about environments in other populations. White males born in the United States were the tallest in the world in the mid-19th century and about 9 cm taller than Dutch males. At the end of the 20th century, although the height of males in the United States had increased, many European countries had overtaken them and Dutch males are now approximately 5 cm taller than white US males, a trend that is likely to be environmental rather than genetic in origin.}} |
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* The words "individual differences in human" are irrelevant for a short lead, and also not the most accurate. IQ tests don't usually measure differences in intelligence; they usually measure a single individual's intelligence. "Human" and "individual" are also redundant, as only humans can take IQ tests (lol) and more than one person can't take the same test. |
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:I hope that's helpful. As I stated in my edit summary, I'm all for improving the language if anything is unclear or wonky, but a lot of this stuff is the result of painstaking consensus-building across a number of related articles in the [[WP:ARBR&I|R&I topic area]], so changing anything substantially is going to require some workshopping. Cheers, [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 22:30, 12 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::I appreciate the detailed answer. How about:<br>"There are no biological differences based on race." [[User:Superb Owl|Superb Owl]] ([[User talk:Superb Owl|talk]]) 22:51, 12 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::I hate to be a [[Debbie Downer]] but I also find that sentence confusing. Most scientists prefer the formulation "race is a social construct", which is what we already state at the beginning of the subsection. |
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:::Maybe it would help if you explain what you find disagreeable about the current section intro? {{talkquote|Among the most controversial issues related to the study of intelligence is the observation that IQ scores vary on average between ethnic and racial groups, though these differences have fluctuated and in many cases steadily decreased over time. While there is little scholarly debate about the continued existence of some of these differences, the current scientific consensus is that they stem from environmental rather than genetic causes.}} |
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:::Thanks, [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 23:41, 12 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::The intro does not seem clear as it is a bit jargony as written. I think a thesis sentence could help it out a lot:<br>"Scientists do not believe that IQ differerences are influenced by one's race." [[User:Superb Owl|Superb Owl]] ([[User talk:Superb Owl|talk]]) 01:15, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::I don't feel particularly qualified to speak on this subject<s>, but your proposed sentence sounds off. At least in the US, race does entail environmental differences, even if they are not genetic.</s> [[User:CAVincent|CAVincent]] ([[User talk:CAVincent|talk]]) 01:29, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::<s>I should maybe add that these environmental differences are themselves heritable, again even though they are not genetic.</s> [[User:CAVincent|CAVincent]] ([[User talk:CAVincent|talk]]) 01:36, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::I suppose I should be clear for the talk history that I struck my own comments. I noted my own lack of qualification, and was graciously corrected on my misunderstanding. [[User:CAVincent|CAVincent]] ([[User talk:CAVincent|talk]]) 12:55, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::In vernacular usage "heritable" is sometimes used to mean anything that's often passed on from parents to children, such as wealth, a history of domestic abuse, poverty, obesity. But in the context of this article -- that is, in scholarly usage -- it does mean genetic. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 07:31, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::::<s>There is a lot of cherry-picking of sources that's gone on with respect to this sentence, and similar sentences in other articles. Of the sources for the current sentence, only [https://www.nature.com/articles/457788a one] uses the word "consensus" or any similar term as required by [[WP:RS/AC]]. While it's a high-quality source, it also is fifteen years old. Of the other two sources [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22233090/ one] is from twelve years ago, and [https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2017.22021 the other] contains only a single sentence about group differences in IQ. Statements like this one appear in nearly every Wikipedia article related to intelligence, and the sourcing is mostly of a similar level of quality. See my earlier comment about a similar statement in another article: [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Wiki_Crazyman&diff=prev&oldid=1171259614]</s> |
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::::::::<s>All of these sources, even the ''Guardian'' article and the VOX blog post, theoretically satisfy the requirements of WP:RS and can be cited. But in a Wikipedia article about virtually any other topic, sources like these would not be used to make a statement about what academic "consensus" is, especially when more recent and higher-quality secondary sources are available, such as those linked to in the last comment [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Charles_Murray_(political_scientist)#Phrasing_of_controversial_topics_should_follows_sources_and_closed_RFCs here] and the [https://justapedia.org/wiki/Talk:Race_and_intelligence#Review_of_recent_secondary_sources off-Wiki discussion] cited there. The most recent source this article cites about academic "consensus" is from 2017, but the off-wiki list includes ten secondary sources about this topic that were published more recently, and nine out of ten of those newer sources (all except Harden's book) present a very different view.</s> |
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My proposed changes: "Standardized score from a test designed to assess intelligence." |
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*An IQ test score is by definition both a [[standardized score]] and standardized in the sense that it is a normed test. |
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[[User:BooleanQuackery|BooleanQuackery]] ([[User talk:BooleanQuackery|talk]]) 20:10, 31 July 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::<s>Various people have been objecting for years that these statements about academic "consensus" are based on a very small number of sources which were selected to support a specific viewpoint, and past such objections have usually been dealt with by piling on yet more of these old or mediocre-quality sources (the equivalent statement in the [[race and intelligence]] article now cites nine of them, including [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence#cite_note-LewontinSameTitle-148 one] that was published more than half a century ago). But maybe now we finally have the critical mass of editors needed to change this trend.</s> |
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:Some comments on the wording: |
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::::::::<s>{{U|CAVincent}}: you seem to be new to this topic, so I'd like to hear your opinion about whether we should make use of some of the newer sources I mentioned, and modify these parts of the article(s) accordingly. [[Special:Contributions/64.127.212.41|64.127.212.41]] ([[User talk:64.127.212.41|talk]]) 11:30, 13 October 2024 (UTC)</s> <small>Striking [[WP:BLOCKEVASION]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 22:20, 20 October 2024 (UTC)</small> |
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:* There is considerable controversy about the definition of ''intelligence'' and whether or not it's meaningful to assess it with a single number. In his book ''The Mismeasure of Man'' [[Stephen Jay Gould]] criticized the tendency to reify ''intelligence''. We should not assert in wikivoice that something is a measure of intelligence. By using the word ''purported'', we avoid taking a position on whether or not IQ measures intelligence. |
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:::::::::There is zero ambiguity about the scientific consensus in top-quality scholarly sources, e.g. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bird |first1=Kevin |last2=Jackson |first2=John P. |last3=Winston |first3=Andrew S. |date=2024 |title=Confronting Scientific Racism in Psychology: Lessons from Evolutionary Biology and Genetics |url=https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Famp0001228 |journal=American Psychologist |volume=79 |issue=4 |pages=497–508 |doi=10.1037/amp0001228 |pmid=39037836}}</ref>: {{talkquote|Recent articles claim that the folk categories of race are genetically meaningful divisions, and that evolved genetic differences among races and nations are important for explaining immutable differences in cognitive ability, educational attainment, crime, sexual behavior, and wealth; all claims that are opposed by a strong scientific consensus to the contrary.}} |
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:* The commonly understood use of the word ''standardized'' is in the term ''standardized tests'', meaning tests - such as IQ tests, the SAT in the U.S., and the tough college-admissions exams that are given in several Asian countries - that are given throughout a region or country and do not vary from school to school or city to city. In this context it is confusing to call the score ''standardized''. What's meant is that the score is ''normalized'' so that it conforms to the normal distribution. This technical detail doesn't belong in the short description, especially since the average reader won't understand ''standardized'' to mean that the graph of the distribution of scores is made to look like a bell curve. |
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:::::::::[[Talk:Race_and_intelligence/Archive_103#RfC_on_racial_hereditarianism|The consensus among Wikipedia editors]] is clear as well. It will not be relitigated here. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 15:25, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:* I agree that "purported to measure differences in human intelligence" should be changed to "purported to measure human intelligence". Logically, the scores are purported to measure the intelligence of the people tested; the '''differences''' between scores are purported to measure '''differences''' in human intelligence. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 22:39, 31 July 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::{{u|Superb Owl}}: Perhaps the IP's comment offers some perspective as to why we use "scientific" language here. Scientists speak with great precision for a reason. This topic area is a case where white supremacists are highly motivated to misrepresent what the science says, which is why we need to be extra vigilant to say things precisely as the [[WP:BESTSOURCE|best sources]] do. If you'd like to read more about this context, I suggest this recent article in ''The Atlantic'': [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/08/race-science-far-right-charlie-kirk/679527/ "The Far Right Is Becoming Obsessed With Race and IQ"]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 15:29, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::::::Thanks for sharing the research, the WP:RS article and your perspective - I still believe that it would be very helpful to include a clear succinct summary of the scientific consensus in the first sentence. Paraphrasing that quote you added:<br>''According to a strong consensus of scientists, there are no genetically meaningful differences between racial groups related to IQ or intelligence.'' [[User:Superb Owl|Superb Owl]] ([[User talk:Superb Owl|talk]]) 15:40, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::*The word "designed" also avoids stating that IQ is a measure of intelligence, though it is consensus among scientists that it is. |
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:::::::::::I like this suggestion a lot, but it's still not 100% there in my opinion. How about we just import the sentence from the first paragraph of [[Race and intelligence]]: |
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::*IQ tests are both standardized in the layman sense (given throughout a region or country and do not vary from school to school or city to city) and standardized in the "normalized" sense. [[User:BooleanQuackery|BooleanQuackery]] ([[User talk:BooleanQuackery|talk]]) 00:26, 1 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::''Today, the scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain differences in IQ test performance between groups, and that observed differences are environmental in origin.'' |
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:::*I won't debate the question of consensus here, except to note that a consensus among a certain subculture of psychometricians is not the same as a consensus of scientists. |
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:::::::::::We could also add this other sentence from the lead: |
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:::*What I objected to was the term "standardized score" that you wrote, because that makes no sense to a nontechnical reader. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 00:56, 1 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::''In recent decades, as understanding of human genetics has advanced, claims of inherent differences in intelligence between races have been broadly rejected by scientists on both theoretical and empirical grounds.'' |
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:::::::::::The current sources, along with Bird et al. easily support this. How does that sound? [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 16:20, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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== The "no evidence" statement == |
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::::::::::::I still think your language is a bit too science-y but we are getting much closer. Curious to hear what others think/propose. I also would prefer the paragraph giving background to come after the main paragraph establishing that there is no relationship which seems to be a better summary paragraph of the section. [[User:Superb Owl|Superb Owl]] ([[User talk:Superb Owl|talk]]) 17:51, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::That's fair. Let's leave the question open for the time being and see if other editors care to weigh in. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 18:43, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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This is a continuation of the discussion at [[Talk:Heritability_of_IQ#Comments_on_sourcing_and_consensus]], regarding the statement in this article, "there is no evidence for a genetic component". In the [[Heritability of IQ]] article, the same statement was recently changed [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Heritability_of_IQ&type=revision&diff=1101994247&oldid=1101884325] to something that I think more accurately reflects its sources, but in this article (Intelligence quotient) it has not been changed. I suggest it should be changed the same way in both articles. In the other discussion, {{U|Firefangledfeathers}} suggested opening a new discussion about the same statement in this article, and I'd like to know his or her opinion about potentially making the same change here. --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 18:45, 5 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::{{quote|Various people have been objecting}} |
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:A key piece of information that is missing from the above post is that this statement is in reference to <u>racial</u> differences in average IQ test performance. As far as I'm aware, this was first discussed a year and a half ago on the Race and intelligence talk page (specifically [[Talk:Race_and_intelligence/Archive_102#I_think;_therefore,_I_am._Not_therefore_I_am._Also,_by_the_way,_I_think.|here]] and [[Talk:Race_and_intelligence/Archive_102#No_"direct"_evidence_for_a_genetic_component|here]]) and I do not see any reason to revisit the consensus that was established on the matter at that time: the sources do support the statement that ''no evidence exists'' linking racial differences in average IQ test performance to underlying genetic causes. For those who are not yet aware, there is a very firm consensus on the topic which was solidified by [[Talk:Race_and_intelligence/Archive_103#RfC_on_racial_hereditarianism|a nearly unanimous RfC last year]]. Happy to improve the language of the article for valid reasons, but I do not believe that AndewNguyen has yet presented one. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 20:43, 5 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::Your use of [[WP:WEASEL WORDS]] makes it unclear who these various people are, but if you mean Wikipedia editors, this topic has been litigated and re-litigated repeatedly and the consensus of Wikipedia editors on this subject has been made repeatedly quite clear. This comment boils down to [[WP:IDIDNTHEARTHAT]], which is doubly apparent in your claim that any and all new sources added as a result of these litigations are {{tq|mediocre}}, while not even pretending to acknowledge the criticisms of the quality of the sources you feel contradict the current Wikipedia consensus. |
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::And now Generalrelative has raised the issue at the Fringe theories noticeboard. [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Fringe_theories/Noticeboard&diff=prev&oldid=1102585882] --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 21:52, 5 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::If, on the other hand, you mean Justapedia editors, well, there's a reason they don't comment over here much, except periodically from IPs in futile attempts to relitigate long settled issues. |
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Please change the sentence or remove it. It isn't consistent with the sources it cites. Nor is it consistent with sources such as [https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/ajp/article-abstract/134/4/480/291766/Between-Group-Mean-Differences-in-Intelligence-in] from the American Journal of Psychology, about the various lines of indirect evidence that the average differences include a genetic component. [[User:Mr Butterbur|Mr Butterbur]] ([[User talk:Mr Butterbur|talk]]) 16:26, 7 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::As for your link to that Justapedia thread, I'm sorry, but a thread on a far-right Wikipedia clone is not a reliable source, and I don't just mean this in the sense of the term used on [[WP:RS]], but also in the conventional definition of the term "reliable". Since anyone purporting to calculate the relative percentage of {{tq|major secondary sources}} that agree vs. disagree with Murray must necessarily make some decisions about which sources to look at, which qualify as "major" (the terminology of the post), and which qualify as neutral, for, or against, the methodology by anyone from that site is inherently suspect because of the known biases of the vast majority of Justapedia's editors and articles. But I am not merely casting vague aspersions here; the immediate effects of this bias are apparent in their selection criteria and their justifications, enumerated in three items which I will likewise address point by point: |
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:::Russell Warne is far outside the mainstream. In particular, he contradicts the conclusions of the panel of experts convened by the American Psychological Association, whose report is cited in the article. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 17:30, 7 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::# They begin by limiting their "survey" to just two fields known to be a magnet for white supremacists and their fellow travellers. |
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::::There's not an actual contradiction between the two papers. The APA report says that genetic interpretations of group differences have no "direct evidence", like all of the other sources cited for the "no evidence" statement. (In this article the statement is sourced only to Hunt, but the APA report is cited for it in the Race and intelligence article.) Here are the relevant portions of the APA report: |
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:::::::::# They then proceed to summarily disregard the views of those that agree with the stated consensus of the American Anthropological Association that {{tq|"race" is an arbitrarily defined social category}} (the author's words, not the AAA's), since, according to them, this means such researchers have nothing {{tq|much of substance to say about the empirical research on this topic}}. How convenient that the people most likely to disagree with you are immediately judged to be irrelevant. They further justify this by citing [[WP:MNA]] and the corresponding Justapedia policy—apparently, a policy designed to encourage one to make necessary assumptions largely ''tangential'' to the topic at hand ''in the writing of an encyclopedia article'' is justification for assuming as true the most basic ''sina qua non'' premises and conclusions of the supporters of a hypothesis when conducting a ''literature survey'' on the relative scientific support vs. criticism of that hypothesis. Imagine your reaction if we applied this principle in reverse while conducting the same sort of literature survey: we disregard any scientist and their writings who assume that race has biological substance on the grounds that "we must make necessary assumptions". |
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:::::::::# Finally, in a marked demonstration of their complete lack of self awareness, they actually claim that the use of the stated selection criteria is {{tq|in order to avoid the sort of cherry-picking of sources about this topic that's occurred at Wikipedia}}. Because immediately ruling out anyone who believes in a position fundamentally at odds with the one you are trying to advocate for is definitely not cherry picking. |
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::::{{tq|It is sometimes suggested that the Black/ White differential in psychometric intelligence is partly due to genetic differences (Jensen, 1972). There is not much '''direct evidence''' on this point, but what little there is fails to support the genetic hypothesis}}. |
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:::::::::[[User:Brusquedandelion|Brusquedandelion]] ([[User talk:Brusquedandelion|talk]]) 10:06, 19 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::::::Just FYI {{u|Brusquedandelion}}, the IP you're responding to was blocked as a sock. I didn't hat the comment since it had been referenced in my exchange with Superb Owl, but at this point their comment above should probably be struck so no one else wastes time on them. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 13:41, 19 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::A later part of the report says that genetic interpretations have no "direct empirical support": |
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:::::::::::Update: I went ahead and struck it. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 22:21, 20 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::We don't need to hedge our sentences on Wikipedia with "scientists believe". Scientific consensus can be written in [[WP:WIKIVOICE]], appropriately cited of course. [[User:Brusquedandelion|Brusquedandelion]] ([[User talk:Brusquedandelion|talk]]) 04:16, 16 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::{{tq|The differential between the mean intelligence test scores of Blacks and Whites (about one standard deviation, although it may be diminishing) does not result from any obvious biases in test construction and administration, nor does it simply reflect differences in socio-economic status. Explanations based on factors of caste and culture may be appropriate, but so far have little '''direct empirical support'''. There is certainly no '''such''' support for a genetic interpretation. At present, no one knows what causes this differential.}} |
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::This sentence: |
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::{{quote|The issue with this sentence is that IQ differences between individuals do indeed seem to be highly heritable}} |
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::::Definitely the emphasis is different, because the APA report emphasizes the importance of environment for group differences and does not say much about the possible role of genetics. But the report doesn't comment about the existence or non-existence of indirect evidence for genetic factors, which is the subject of Warne's paper, except for by including that subtle qualifier of "no ''direct'' evidence" when the report discusses this matter. --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 18:26, 7 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::But the proposed sentence says ''nothing'' about heritability, only that {{tq|environmental factors, not race, determines IQ scores}}. Race is ''not the same thing'' as genetic inheritability. [[User:Brusquedandelion|Brusquedandelion]] ([[User talk:Brusquedandelion|talk]]) 04:13, 16 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::My objection to the sentence in question is not that it's wrong but rather that it might be confusing to the reader, because it seems to imply that environmental factors are the ''only'' determinants of individual differences in IQ test performance, which most scientists agree is not the case. |
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:::::As Generalrelative pointed out, this issue has already been debated and resolved elsewhere, and the consensus of editors is that there is no meaningful difference between "no direct evidence" and "no evidence". Warne's abstract makes 5 claims about so-called "evidence" to support his belief that white Americans are genetically superior to Black Americans in intelligence. None of those claims are made by mainstream researchers, and none of them are supported by the APA report. For example, he expresses the opinion that studies of genetic variation between individuals provide evidence for a genetic explanation of differences in test results between groups. But there's nothing scientific about this ''non sequitur'', which serious researchers reject. |
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:::On the other hand, environmental factors <u>do</u> appear to be the only determinants of differences in average IQ test performance between ''population groups''. And we should indeed state that emphatically. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 07:58, 16 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::As you well know, two RfCs in 2020 and 2021 concluded that white supremacist beliefs about race and intelligence are fringe. According to [[WP:FRINGE]] we do not give undue attention to fringe sources, such as the Russell Warne article. Please stop your attempts to relitigate matters that have already been settled. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 21:23, 7 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::This is not true. A scientific discussion about evidence is not a discussion of politics or social policy. The safe and obvious assumption is that population differences are a result of genetics and environment. There are several reasons this is clear to anyone with sufficient verbal abstraction ability: |
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::::::In the earlier discussion that Generelrelative linked to there were four editors arguing in favor of inclusion and three arguing against it. As I mentioned on the Heritability of IQ talk page, all of the additional editors that Generalrelative listed and pinged in this comment [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Talk:Heritability_of_IQ&diff=prev&oldid=1101975854] were commenting in a separate discussion, about whether to include the word "current" before "scientific consensus". So the view that "no evidence" means the same thing as "no direct evidence" never was supported by more than four people, two of which were you and Generalrelative. |
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::::intelligence is highly, highly polygenetic. Groups separated for tens of thousands of years are not going to have the exact same variance of genes. Can you name me a biological trait that is only environmentally determined? |
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::::just because something is true, it doesn’t mean you have to say it. But the ethical answer never is too tell a lie when the truth is expected. [[User:RationalFactor|RationalFactor]] ([[User talk:RationalFactor|talk]]) 19:54, 19 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::In the current discussion there are four editors who support altering the wording, and it's four ''different'' editors from the three that who made that argument in the earlier discussion. In the earlier discussion the editors who supported changing the statement were Stonkaments, Gardenofaleph and Angillo, and in the current one it's myself, Ferahgo, Mr Butterbur and Firefangledfeathers. On the other side, the argument for keeping the statement in its current state has been coming just from you and Generalrelative, so this is a case where consensus has changed: [[WP:CCC]]. --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 07:30, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::Hi RationalFactor, |
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:::::::There are still people who determine consensus by counting heads? You should read [[WP:!VOTE]] and [[WP:CONSENSUS]]. I thought everybody knew those after editing for more than a few months. --[[User:Hob Gadling|Hob Gadling]] ([[User talk:Hob Gadling|talk]]) 08:21, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::You've done a great job illustrating why [[WP:NOR|we don't rely on the original analysis of our volunteers]], especially not about what it is "safe and obvious" to assume. Instead, we follow what the [[WP:RS|reliable sources]] say, and this has [[Talk:Race_and_intelligence/Archive_103#RfC_on_racial_hereditarianism|already been adjudicated]]. If you truly have good-faith questions on the matter, I will direct you to [https://ewanbirney.com/2019/10/race-genetics-and-pseudoscience-an-explainer.html this handy explainer.] |
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:::::Cheers, [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 20:57, 19 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:Removing the statement per [[WP:ONUS]] might be the best solution. (Not the entire section, just that one sentence.) Generalrelative invoked WP:ONUS [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Talk%3ARecent_human_evolution&type=revision&diff=1079247586&oldid=1078941320 here] to remove several paragraphs of longstanding content in the [[Recent human evolution]] article, when opinion was 4 to 3 in favor of the removal. In this discussion it's 3 to 2 against retaining the statement in its current state, with myself, AndewNguyen and Mr Butterbur all arguing against that, so the same principle applies. The sentence was added to this article without any discussion, and this is the first time it's been discussed with respect to this particular article, so there definitely has never been a consensus that this article should include it. |
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::::::There is no evidence to suggest it’s only environmental, except for some falsified data from Gould a long time ago. There are only arguments made by some scientists, but they do not pass scientific scrutiny. |
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::::::After some minimal comprehension of biology and statistics, it’s clear that such a claim would not even be considered were it about any other topic, like sprinting or height or propensity to heart disease or hairiness or hormone production or ability to digest lactose or alcohol response or immunology or propensity to certain cancers or heat tolerance. |
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:However, {{ping|Firefangledfeathers}} I would prefer to know whether you have an opinion about this before I make another attempt at changing the sentence. -[[User:Ferahgo the Assassin|Ferahgo the Assassin]] ([[User talk:Ferahgo the Assassin|talk]]) 23:00, 7 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::No environmental change outside the extremes of neglect, poverty, iodine deficiency, injury, or poisoning in a developed nation has ever been found to even influence IQ scores. [[User:RationalFactor|RationalFactor]] ([[User talk:RationalFactor|talk]]) 20:34, 20 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::I think this article is a good candidate for a switch from "no evidence" to "genetics does not explain"; at the least, I'd be interested to know what is different about this article (vs. the heritability one) such that the proposal is inapt. I prefer both the status quo and the proposal over the suggestion that we remove the line entirely. [[User:Firefangledfeathers|Firefangledfeathers]] ([[User talk:Firefangledfeathers|talk]] / [[Special:Contributions/Firefangledfeathers|contribs]]) 01:12, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::Importantly, this was the consensus. However, since these are all university jobs, it couldn’t possibly be the consensus today. |
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:::{{re|Firefangledfeathers}} In the Heritability of IQ article, the "no evidence" clause was embedded in an entirely different sentence, and in that case I thought the statement was stronger without it. In ''this'' article, here is the language I'm advocating for: {{bq|While there is little scholarly debate about the continued existence of some of these differences, current scientific consensus tells us that there is no evidence for a genetic component behind them.}} Here is the version that Ferahgo is advocating for: {{bq|While there is little scholarly debate about the continued existence of some of these differences, current current scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain average differences in IQ test performance between racial groups.}} Neither of those is ''bad'' but the first is, in my view, marginally more readable and informative. So I can only see two possible rationales for the change: 1) if you buy the view that the sources do not support the "no evidence" statement (already discussed in previous threads ''ad nauseam''), or 2) if you think compromise here will provide some additional value, i.e. be an effective way to move forward collaboratively. Regarding 2, I would really love to believe that, but past experience in this topic area has left me dubious. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 02:00, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::I think informed people who are open minded and good faith could in fact be confused, because in the past people hoped IQ was only 50% genetic, and in nearly any university this is presumably still the number given as fact. It might even be given in this article. If it were true, there would be room to say only environment; HOWEVER, even then, it’s not true science to now stray from the null: mix of environmental and genetic. [[User:RationalFactor|RationalFactor]] ([[User talk:RationalFactor|talk]]) 20:42, 20 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::Let's put me at 1b) I think the sources {{em|better}} support "do not explain". There are some other tweaks that might help: {{blist|We can separate out a sentence like "There is little scholarly debate about the continued existence of some of these differences."|The next line could then be something like "The current scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain them."|We should either reverse the order of the tidbits about race and sex or reverse the order of the subsections about the same.}} [[User:Firefangledfeathers|Firefangledfeathers]] ([[User talk:Firefangledfeathers|talk]] / [[Special:Contributions/Firefangledfeathers|contribs]]) 02:03, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::My grandfather used to say: ''It ain't the stuff you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's the stuff you're damn sure of that just ain't so.'' |
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:::::That would be fine with me. My fundamental concern here is that we do not acquiesce to the incremental restoration of [[WP:PROFRINGE]] content which existed in these articles prior to the RfCs of recent years. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 02:07, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::This is a case in point. I explained the hereditarian fallacy above, and quoted a gold-standard source saying that yes, serious genetics professionals understand this to be a fallacy, and yet you're repeating it. To reiterate: the heritability of individual-level differences tells us nothing about group-level differences. If you think this is all based on Gould, you have clearly not looked at the literature that was so thoroughly discussed in the RfC. |
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::::::Thanks! I'd like to leave this up for a bit to see how others respond. I share your concern. [[User:Firefangledfeathers|Firefangledfeathers]] ([[User talk:Firefangledfeathers|talk]] / [[Special:Contributions/Firefangledfeathers|contribs]]) 02:10, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::: |
:::::::I'm sorry to say, but at this point there's nothing more to be said. If you have source-based suggestions for improving the article, you are free to suggest them. But this talk page is not a place for complaining about the [[WP:THETRUTH]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 22:12, 20 October 2024 (UTC) |
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{{hat|[[WP:DENY|Don't feed the trolls.]]}} |
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:::::(ec) My concern about the version that Ferahgo is advocating for is that it is ambiguous and subject to different interpretations. We intend it to mean that genetics does not explain ''any'' of the average differences in IQ test performance, but that's not stated explicitly. So it could be read as meaning that genetics does not ''fully'' explain, or that genetics explains ''only part''. Opening the sentence to that reading would obviously please Ferahgo but would go against scientific consensus and violate [[WP:PROFRINGE]]. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 02:10, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::Many sources expressing agnosticism or hereditarian views were provided below. But you dismiss these in favor of your favorite blog post. [[User:Tarantaloid|Tarantaloid]] ([[User talk:Tarantaloid|talk]]) 08:36, 21 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::Good point, NightHeron. Here is my updated suggestion: {{bq|While there is little scholarly debate about the continued existence of some of these differences, the current scientific consensus is that they stem from environmental rather than genetic causes.}} We could then cite e.g. [https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2017.22021] ({{tq| Intelligence science has undoubtedly been dogged by ugly prejudice. Historical measurements of skull volume and brain weight were done to advance claims of the racial superiority of white people. More recently, the (genuine but closing) gap between the average IQ scores of groups of black and white people in the United States has been falsely attributed to genetic differences between the races.}}), [https://www.nature.com/articles/457788a?platform=oscar&draft=collection] ({{tq|There is an emerging consensus about racial and gender equality in genetic determinants of intelligence; most researchers, including ourselves, agree that genes do not explain between-group differences.}}) and [https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0029772] ({{tq|Group differences in IQ are best understood as environmental in origin.}}) Thoughts? [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 04:57, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::Account with 1 edit, created today, after the IP sock was discovered and banned. @[[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]], does this warrant admin investigation? [[User:Brusquedandelion|Brusquedandelion]] ([[User talk:Brusquedandelion|talk]]) 08:38, 21 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::The proposed wording is fine, but the only one of these sources that uses the word "consensus" as required by [[WP:RS/AC]] is the Ceci and Williams paper. There's no need to cite the other two. |
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::::::: |
::::::::::Not worth wasting admin time unless it continues. Just expand the hat to cover the troll. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 16:47, 21 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::Done. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 16:48, 21 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::: Wording looks good to me. Thanks GR! AndewNguyen, I'd prefer to keep the other citations in, as readers are likely to be interested in both the facts themselves on causes of differences in average IQ ''and'' the consensus on the facts. [[User:Firefangledfeathers|Firefangledfeathers]] ([[User talk:Firefangledfeathers|talk]] / [[Special:Contributions/Firefangledfeathers|contribs]]) 15:14, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::Generalrelative, that source you're linking to was published in ''American Psychologist'' so it's of good quality. But of its authors, one (Kevin Bird) is a botanical geneticist, one (John P. Jackson) is a professor of communication studies and Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS), and one (Andrew S. Winston) is a historian of psychology. In other discussions you've linked to [https://ewanbirney.com/2019/10/race-genetics-and-pseudoscience-an-explainer.html this source] which has the opposite issue: it is written by experts in human genetics but is a blog post. |
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::::::::Cool, done. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 15:35, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::For statements about scientific consensus, the ''best'' possible sources are those from prominent journals and academic publishers that are written by experts in human genetics or aspects of psychology that relate directly to intelligence. And we actually do have such recent sources available, such as these four: [https://books.google.com/books?id=0UoEEAAAQBAJ] [https://books.google.com/books?id=82AuEAAAQBAJ] [https://books.google.com/books?id=R9oiEAAAQBAJ] [https://books.google.com/books?id=08TIEAAAQBAJ] The Harden source more or less agrees with the current article, but the other three don't. Can you explain why, in terms of policy, we would privilege academic sources written by people whose expertise lies outside this field over those written by subject-matter experts? [[Special:Contributions/64.127.212.41|64.127.212.41]] ([[User talk:64.127.212.41|talk]]) 18:24, 13 October 2024 (UTC) |
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{{hat|Sock drawer. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 23:48, 9 August 2022 (UTC)}} |
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:::::::::::I think we should stick with peer-reviewed scholarship, not books (especially not without quotes and page numbers backing up these extraordinary claims), for this topic [[User:Superb Owl|Superb Owl]] ([[User talk:Superb Owl|talk]]) 04:33, 14 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::::<s>There's definitely a consensus if you only take one side in a dispute as a source. Apparently, somehow, we've got to a place where scientific consensus is replaced with Wikipedia consensus. If there was even a consensus on Wikipedia which there wasn't. [[User:Bogestra Bob|Bogestra Bob]] ([[User talk:Bogestra Bob|talk]]) 16:33, 8 August 2022 (UTC) </s><small>Striking [[WP:BLOCKEVASION]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 23:48, 9 August 2022 (UTC)</small> |
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::::::::::::There are quotes and page numbers for the relevant parts of all these sources in the [https://justapedia.org/wiki/Talk:Race_and_intelligence#Review_of_recent_secondary_sources off-wiki discussion] linked to in my earlier comment. I also don't see a reason for regarding books from reputable academic publishers as either more or less reliable than reputable academic journals, as academic presses' editorial boards use a review process that's very similar to peer review, and the relevant sourcing guideline [[WP:SCHOLARSHIP]] makes no distinction between the two. [[Special:Contributions/64.127.212.41|64.127.212.41]] ([[User talk:64.127.212.41|talk]]) 05:09, 14 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::::::It's important to note that this is speaking purely about race and gender differences, not genetic heritability from parent to child. In which case yes, this is the modern view of group IQ differences. |
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:::::::::::::64.127 – Likely block evasion from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Captain_Occam Captain Occam] and stop linking to Justapedia an unreliable source. The only reason you are linking to that is because you have posted on that very page you are linking to. Most of the sources you are citing over there are not reliable: [https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Russell_T._Warne Russell T. Warne], [https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Heiner_Rindermann Heiner Rindermann], [https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Richard_Haier Richard Haier] all hold far-right political views and have appeared on alt-right podcasts. Academia has ignored their publications. Definitely not WP:SCHOLARSHIP. Most of what you are citing is [[WP:Fringe]]. [[User:Psychologist Guy|Psychologist Guy]] ([[User talk:Psychologist Guy|talk]]) 10:17, 14 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::::::Do you have a reliable source for a contrary modern view? [[User:Bakkster Man|Bakkster Man]] ([[User talk:Bakkster Man|talk]]) 17:00, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::::::Rindermann has a poor academic record. Here he is only last month, a paper of his retracted by the editor in chief, "''The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article. After publication, concerns were raised about the methodology and dataset used in this research. Independent post-publication peer review has confirmed fundamental flaws in the use of student assessment studies as a measure of IQ or cognitive ability, and in the prominence of individual examples taken from the author's life''". [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44217-024-00259-8]. Rindermann is the same person who spends his time attending far-right conferences making anti-immigration talks several of which can be found on YouTube. Obviously not a neutral or reliable source for this topic area. [[User:Psychologist Guy|Psychologist Guy]] ([[User talk:Psychologist Guy|talk]]) 10:24, 14 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::{{re|Bakkster Man}} Before getting into a debate with this brand-new SPA, you may want to take a look at their contribution history. They are clearly not here to collaborate, and are very likely an LTA. I'd suggest saving your time and [[WP:DENY]]ing recognition. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 17:12, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::::Well, so much for you having "[https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=User_talk:NightHeron&diff=prev&oldid=1244108564 no interest in race and intelligence]". But it's valuable that you're citing those RationalWiki pages, because that provides some useful information about whether the Norwegian IP user was correct in his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sockpuppet_investigations/Anglo_Pyramidologist/Archive#Comments_by_other_users_26 suspicion] about you. There is only one person who cites RationalWiki articles to support his arguments here, although I respect your patience in building up a convincing contribution history in other topics before returning to that behavior. You apparently (incorrectly) think I'm someone evading a block, and with your recent comments you've made me suspect that you're evading one also, so there is no meaningful discussion we can have here. All we can do is wait for other editors to comment, unless this discussion has already become too sidetracked to go anywhere. [[Special:Contributions/64.127.212.41|64.127.212.41]] ([[User talk:64.127.212.41|talk]]) 11:38, 14 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::::::::Definitely aware, hence why I asked only for a reliable source (not anticipating we'd see any source, let alone a reliable one). If they chose to se it as [[WP:ROPE]], that would be up to them. [[User:Bakkster Man|Bakkster Man]] ([[User talk:Bakkster Man|talk]]) 18:06, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::::::::Avoiding the valid points I made. Why are you citing far-right extremists? They fail [[WP:RS]] And no I am not particularly interested in this subject I have rarely commented on it, but I have been attacked off-site by yourself and your friends so sometimes I will take exception. Several users have agreed you are a block evader and it is obvious, you have been using IPs on here for months to evade your block. And lol at the conspiracy theory claims I am evading a block myself from your far-right group of friends. I have created 100s of articles here and improved 1000s of articles. BTW I am an admin at RationalWiki, I think I have created 200+ articles there as well. Who are you again and what have you ever done for this project? |
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:::::::::::::<s>Sure[https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00399/full] but the consensus among Wikipedia editors is that these experts are fringe: LOL. [[User:Bogestra Bob|Bogestra Bob]] ([[User talk:Bogestra Bob|talk]]) 07:40, 9 August 2022 (UTC) </s><small>Striking [[WP:BLOCKEVASION]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 23:48, 9 August 2022 (UTC)</small> |
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:::::::::::::: |
::::::::::::::::Based on your Captain Occam account you had no constructive edits but just trolled talk-pages on race and intelligence. It seems you have been at this for decades. It seems your MO is to stir up drama on race articles. Pathetic. I won't waste time responding to you again. See you in a few weeks I guess on a new IP like you have been doing for years. [[User:Psychologist Guy|Psychologist Guy]] ([[User talk:Psychologist Guy|talk]]) 12:28, 14 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::::: |
:::::::::::::::::WP:AGF [[Special:Contributions/24.126.11.219|24.126.11.219]] ([[User talk:24.126.11.219|talk]]) 14:10, 14 October 2024 (UTC) |
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::::::::::::::Frontiers is rarely reliable, and this is a survey of the ''beliefs'' of researchers rather than evidence of a genetic component. |
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::::::::::::::That said, the results still show that the differences are primarily environmental. Genetics were the highest single response in most groups, but were always a minority compared to aggregate environment. Genes scored 15-28 for group differences, and the group with the 28 still had Culture + Education + Health + Wealth accounting for an impact of 54. Even your experts agree: environmental causes. [[User:Bakkster Man|Bakkster Man]] ([[User talk:Bakkster Man|talk]]) 13:01, 9 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::::<s>How can you lie so brazenly? [[User:Bogestra Bob|Bogestra Bob]] ([[User talk:Bogestra Bob|talk]]) 13:05, 9 August 2022 (UTC) </s><small>Striking [[WP:BLOCKEVASION]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 23:48, 9 August 2022 (UTC)</small> |
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::::::::::::::::Apparently this user has decided there is no need to follow [[WP:AGF]]. --[[User:Hob Gadling|Hob Gadling]] ([[User talk:Hob Gadling|talk]]) 13:30, 9 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::::::The "survey" cited by this user was discussed at length in the course of the 2020 RfC on R&I and elsewhere. The survey was conducted by one of the leading promoters of racial hereditarianism ([[Heiner Rindermann]]), who decided how to word the questions and whom to send the survey to. It had a low response rate, and those who responded presumably were those who wanted to cooperate with Rindermann's efforts to promote his fringe POV on race and intelligence. It's pretty much worthless as a source for anything. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 13:41, 9 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::::::::<s>And you're NightHeron Wikipedia editor. Who the hell cares what you think? [[User:Bogestra Bob|Bogestra Bob]] ([[User talk:Bogestra Bob|talk]]) 13:56, 9 August 2022 (UTC) </s><small>Striking [[WP:BLOCKEVASION]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 23:48, 9 August 2022 (UTC)</small> |
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:::::::::::::::{{ping|Bakkster Man}} There was a past [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Noticeboard/Archive_291#Rindermann%2C_Intelligence discussion] at the reliable source noticeboard about a [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160289619301886 similar survey], which was published in ''Intelligence''. The discussion there had no consensus about whether this paper is a reliable source or not. These surveys and other similar surveys also are covered in pages 258-260 of ''In the Know'' by Russell Warne, a secondary source published by Cambridge University Press. As far as I know that book has never been discussed at the RS noticeboard. If we're going to debate about the reliability of these sources, I suggest opening a new discussion about them there. It would be best if you did this instead of Bogestra Bob, because Bogestra Bob is either a sock puppet or a newbie who hasn't yet learned how to behave here. |
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:::::::::::::::I don't mean to say that you ''should'' ask about these sources at the RS noticeboard, only that it would be better than sidetracking the discussion here with an argument that clearly will never resolve anything. --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 15:08, 9 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::::::::Agree, the intent is not to litigate the source here. The bigger point is that the survey doesn't really relate to the topic at hand, as the survey's authors themselves state. They say it ''may be'' an indication that an empirical study could find evidence for it, but it's the empirical studies we're discussing. And that's why the wording of the article was clarified above: there isn't direct empirical evidence showing the source of group differences is genetic (ie. a 'smart gene' or cluster of genes), and most experts concur they're environmental. |
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::::::::::::::::As for expert consensus, even this potentially cherry-picked survey suggests that the experts think genetics are (at most) a minority factor. I can't read the other survey you linked, but it's a good example of why a big portion of what makes a source reliable is ''what it's cited for''. Maybe the surveys are reliable for expert opinions, but not for empirical evidence. [[User:Bakkster Man|Bakkster Man]] ([[User talk:Bakkster Man|talk]]) 17:34, 9 August 2022 (UTC) |
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{{hab}} |
{{hab}} |
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::::::::What was the problem with [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Intelligence_quotient&diff=prev&oldid=1103082656 this edit]? The "no evidence" statement appeared in both of these sentences, so if we agree that it should be changed, it should be changed in them both. The Ceci and Williams source had already been cited in the first sentence, so when we discussed adding that as a source while changing the statement, I thought it was clear this referred to changing the statement in the second location also. --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 17:42, 8 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::I agree that now that there seems to be a consensus that "environmental rather than genetic causes" more accurately reflects its sources than "no evidence" does, it doesn't make sense to replace the "no evidence" statement in only one sentence and not the other. If others' objection is to the same phrasing being repeated more than once, I'm open to suggestions about an alternative wording that could be used in the second case. |
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:::::::::{{ping|Firefangledfeathers}} Would you be okay with us also replacing the "no evidence" statement with the new phrasing in the second place where that statement appears, in the first paragraph of the "race" section? I'd like to make sure we have a consensus for this change before I try restoring it. -[[User:Ferahgo the Assassin|Ferahgo the Assassin]] ([[User talk:Ferahgo the Assassin|talk]]) 23:24, 9 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::Ferahgo: This may be one of the rare cases where you and I can agree. But let's establish the alternate wording for the second sentence on the talk page first. AndewNguyen's [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Intelligence_quotient&type=revision&diff=1103082656&oldid=1102737368 recent edit] introduced repetition within the paragraph, as well as word-for-word repetition within the section, neither of which is optimal. If we can actually collaborate here despite our profound differences of opinion on the topic, that would be a very positive development. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 00:16, 10 August 2022 (UTC) |
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{{od|::::::::::}} I would also like to avoid such proximate repetition. One possible way around it: does this section really need an introductory paragraph? Could we fold in the couple lines on race and sex into the subsections? [[User:Firefangledfeathers|Firefangledfeathers]] ([[User talk:Firefangledfeathers|talk]] / [[Special:Contributions/Firefangledfeathers|contribs]]) 02:28, 10 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:It's a good idea in principle, but I'd argue that this section intro is helpful, since I think many readers will want to read a few headline points and then skip the details. (I will say that I think the intro sentence on sex differences –– as well as basically the entire subsection on that topic –– needs to be revised to better accord with the current state of our article [[Sex differences in intelligence]], but that is another matter.) [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 05:15, 10 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::Okay, here's what I suggest. In the first paragraph of the "race" section, the last two sentences should be combined into a single sentence, which should say something like the following: |
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::"After tremendous research done on the topic, current scientific consensus favors environmental causes of racial IQ gaps over genetic causes." |
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::And this sentence would be cited to Ceci & Williams. Would that revision be acceptable? -[[User:Ferahgo the Assassin|Ferahgo the Assassin]] ([[User talk:Ferahgo the Assassin|talk]]) 23:45, 10 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::The wording "favors X over Y" is ambiguous and subject to different interpretations. For example, it could be interpreted as meaning that the causes are primarily environmental and secondarily genetic. How about the wording "After tremendous research done on the topic, the <s>current</s> scientific consensus is that the causes of racial IQ gaps are environmental and not genetic" (or "environmental rather than genetic")? [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 23:55, 10 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::We should also drop the word "current", which is redundant. What other scientific consensus could we mean? Putting in the gratuitous word "current" could be taken to imply that it's likely to change, and there's no evidence for that. [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 00:40, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::I don't have a problem with the article saying "environmental rather than genetic causes", but that was the wording proposed by AndewNguyen, which Generalrelative rejected for being too similar to the wording used elsewhere in the article. I was trying to suggest a way this part could be worded differently. |
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::::How about, "After tremendous research done on the topic, the emerging scientific consensus is that racial IQ gaps are explained by environmental rather than genetic factors"? "Emerging consensus" is the exact phrase used by Ceci & Williams, so that's truer to the source than "current scientific consensus" is. -[[User:Ferahgo the Assassin|Ferahgo the Assassin]] ([[User talk:Ferahgo the Assassin|talk]]) 01:03, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::Perhaps we should wait to see what other editors think. I think the word "emerging" is unclear, particularly since in the source it sounds like it was describing a transient situation at the time the Ceci & Williams source was written 13 years ago, and it is not clear how far into the future they meant their characterization of the consensus to apply. That is, what they said was "emerging" then presumably has by now fully emerged. So saying "emerging" in wikivoice in 2022 is not necessarily being faithful to the source. (Of course, the current version does include the direct quote with the word "emerging" as a note in the references.) [[User:NightHeron|NightHeron]] ([[User talk:NightHeron|talk]]) 01:43, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::I would suggest replacing these two sentences: {{bq|Despite the tremendous amount of research done on the topic, no scientific evidence has emerged that the average IQ scores of different population groups can be attributed to genetic differences between those groups. Growing evidence indicates that environmental factors, not genetic ones, explain the racial IQ gap.}} ...with these two sentences from the lead of [[Race and intelligence]]: {{bq|In recent decades, as understanding of human genetics has advanced, claims of inherent differences in intelligence between races have been broadly rejected by scientists on both theoretical and empirical grounds. Today, the scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain differences in IQ test performance between groups, and that observed differences are environmental in origin.}} For the latter sentence, we could use the same three refs as for sentence #1: [https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2017.22021][https://www.nature.com/articles/457788a?platform=oscar&draft=collection][https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0029772]. For the "empirical and theoretical grounds" statement, we have many options, but I'd suggest including [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09515089.2020.1805199]: {{tq|"[W]hile it is true that most researchers in the area of human genetics and human biological diversity no longer allocate significant resources and time to the race/IQ discussion, and that moral concerns may play an important role in these decisions, an equally fundamental reason why researchers do not engage with the thesis is that empirical evidence shows that the whole idea itself is unintelligible and wrong-headed.}} (I see that the R&I article still contains refs added by a block-evading sockpuppet [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Race_and_intelligence&type=revision&diff=1099327998&oldid=1094378435], so we should reevaluate whether they belong there, but that is another topic which should be discussed elsewhere.) [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 03:35, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::The second sentence is fine, but a claim as strong as the one made in the first sentence requires a citation to a cognitive psychologist or a geneticist, not a paper on which six of the nine authors are philosophers. I doubt a cognitive psychologist or geneticist would support such an extreme statement. Researchers in those fields who oppose the hereditarian hypothesis such as Nisbett, Turkheimer and Flynn (not a psychologist, but still a respected intelligence researcher) regard this view as wrong, but not as preposterous. Here is a quote from an [https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/5/18/15655638/charles-murray-race-iq-sam-harris-science-free-speech article] by Turkheimer, Harden and Nisbett: {{tq|We believe there is a fairly wide consensus among behavioral scientists in favor of our views, but there is undeniably a range of opinions in the scientific community. Some well-informed scientists hold views closer to Murray’s than to ours.}} |
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:::::::Here is a quote from Flynn that was published in the [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/science/arthur-r-jensen-who-set-off-debate-on-iq-dies.html New York Times]: {{tq|Take it from me, the evidence is highly complicated. The best we can say is that it is ''more probable'' that the I.Q. gap between black and white is entirely environmental in origin.}} (Emphasis in original) |
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:::::::I suggest that the first sentence instead say, {{tq|In recent decades, as understanding of human genetics has advanced, no specific genes have been identified that explain racial IQ gaps.}} That's a paraphrase of the Hunt source already cited for the first sentence, and it is a more accurate paraphrase than what that sentence currently says. --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 05:05, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::AndewNguyen, three points: |
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::::::::1) When we’re talking about language that has been present in the lead of a high-profile article like [[Race and intelligence]] for over a year, we’re talking about a considerable level of [[WP:IMPLICITCONSENSUS]]. If you would like to argue that this statement doesn’t accurately summarize the content of that article or its cited sources, the appropriate place to do that would be on the Race and intelligence talk page. But if it’s good enough for the lead of that article, it’s good enough for a subsection here which purports to summarize it, per e.g. [[WP:LOCALCON]]. |
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::::::::2) You doubt that a {{tq|geneticist would support such an extreme statement}} without realizing that two of the authors –– renowned biological anthropologists [[Agustín Fuentes]] and [[Jonathan M. Marks]] –– are far more reliable as subject-matter experts in genetics than any of the psychologists you quote. If anyone doubts that, I’d be happy to walk you through their credentials specifically with regard to genetics. It’s irrelevant that several of their co-authors on that particular publication are philosophers. That argument is a red herring. |
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::::::::3) The psychologists you quote who argue that hereditarianism is wrong but not preposterous still attest to the fact that claims of inherent differences in intelligence between races are indeed broadly rejected by scientists ({{tq|a fairly wide consensus}}) on both theoretical and empirical grounds. Indeed, it's in the title of their follow-up piece: {{tq|There’s still no good reason to believe black-white IQ differences are due to genes}} [https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/6/15/15797120/race-black-white-iq-response-critics]. So it's not at all clear how you intend to use these figures to argue against the wording I've suggested. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 07:32, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::The amount of time material has been in an article is not a good argument. You recently rejected that argument when BooleanQuackery made it on the [[Spearman's Hypothesis]] article, in response to your removing material that had been in the article for several years. I also don't accept that a paper is an authoritative source about genetics because two of its nine authors are anthropologists who have studied genetics, and neither of them is the first author. Would you accept the authority of a pro-hereditarian source if two of its authors were experts in the relevant fields, but all the others were not? |
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:::::::::There is a basic difference between saying "There’s still no good reason to believe X", and saying "X is broadly rejected on both theoretical and empirical grounds." The first is saying that X is ''possible'', but that the current state of evidence does not support it, such as, "There's still no good reason to believe that life formerly existed on Mars." The second is saying that X is ''impossible'' as far as we know, such as, "The ability of anything to travel faster than light is rejected on both theoretical and empirical grounds". |
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:::::::::Nisbett explains the distinction between these two views in ''Intelligence and How to Get It'': {{tq|Some laypeople I know—and some scientists as well—believe that it is a priori impossible for a genetic difference in intelligence to exist between the races. But such a conviction is entirely unfounded. There are a hundred ways that a genetic difference in intelligence could have arisen—either in favor of whites or in favor of blacks. The question is an empirical one, not answerable by a priori convictions about the essential equality of groups.}} Nisbett then goes on to argue that the empirical evidence supports an environmental cause, not a genetic one. |
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:::::::::Flynn, Turkheimer et al, and most other anti-hereditarian sources argue for this position, treating hereditarianism equivalent to life having once existed on Mars, and I can accept this article taking the same position. What I object to is this article taking the second position, which treats hereditarianism the same way as objects traveling faster than light. |
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:::::::::I have another suggestion about how the first sentence could be changed, based on the [http://ewanbirney.com/2019/10/race-genetics-and-pseudoscience-an-explainer.html blog post] that you linked to before you shortened your last reply. That post described a genetic basis for group differences as "unlikely". I would accept the first sentence saying, {{tq|In recent decades, as understanding of human genetics has advanced, inherent differences in intelligence between races are considered unlikely.}} Would you accept that phrasing? --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 08:16, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::Sigh. [[WP:IMPLICITCONSENSUS]] is policy, whether you like it or not. I don't believe that I've ever argued against this policy, but if I'm mistaken please point it out and I will happily strike my remark. |
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::::::::::Your discussion of Nisbett rejecting hereditarianism on empirical grounds (and his colleagues rejecting it on theoretical ones –– Turkheimer is one of these by the way; read the final section [https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/6/15/15797120/race-black-white-iq-response-critics here]) only serves to support my argument and undercut your own. |
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{{reflist-talk}}<!--Please place new comments in this section above this template--> |
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::::::::::And no, I would not accept the phrasing you suggest because it completely misrepresents the cited source. Firstly, populations are not races. And secondly, the piece states very clearly that {{tq|claims about the genetic basis for population differences, are not scientifically supported}}. |
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== Intro paragraph == |
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::::::::::In any case, let's let others weigh in now. I have no interest in getting into a protracted debate with you, nor in responding to a never-ending [[Gish gallop]]. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 08:46, 11 August 2022 (UTC) |
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The concluding sentence, “Many of the proponents of intelligence tests and IQ scores were eugenicists who used pseudoscience to push now-debunked views of racial hierarchy” is inappropriate, given that it’s irrelevant to a discussion of empirical evidence. Furthermore, hierarchy has nothing to do with this conversation. IQ has been the most replicable aspect of all of psychology, and it is summarized as racist in the introductory paragraph? That’s advocacy, not science. [[User:RationalFactor|RationalFactor]] ([[User talk:RationalFactor|talk]]) 03:04, 17 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::This discussion seems to have stalled, so here's another suggestion. The two sentences could be combined to say, "In recent decades, as understanding of human genetics has advanced, current scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain differences in IQ test performance between groups, and that observed differences are environmental in origin." Perhaps [[user:Firefangledfeathers]] or [[user:Bakkster Man]] can offer an opinion? [[User:Mr Butterbur|Mr Butterbur]] ([[User talk:Mr Butterbur|talk]]) 07:16, 5 September 2022 (UTC) |
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::::::::::::I've got some concerns with the {{tq|In recent decades, as understanding of human genetics has advanced}} part, because it could be read to imply that these group differences (particularly race) are inherently genetic. Perhaps an alternate wording that makes it clearer that past speculation about racial differences was based in antiquated views of race (arbitrarily assigned by how groups of people looked, prior to modern genetics debunked it). That and, as mentioned above, we should abide by current consensus that we clearly state there is no evidence for a genetic basis for group differences. [[User:Bakkster Man|Bakkster Man]] ([[User talk:Bakkster Man|talk]]) 16:10, 5 September 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::{{ping|Bakkster Man}} The main point of the discussion here is that a lot of us think the "no evidence" phrasing is not sufficiently supported by its sources. This phrasing has already been changed in the [[Heritability of IQ]] article to more accurately reflect its sources, [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Heritability_of_IQ&type=revision&diff=1101977340&oldid=1101884325] [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Heritability_of_IQ&type=revision&diff=1101994247&oldid=1101977340] and it also has been changed in one part of this article for the same reason. [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Intelligence_quotient&type=revision&diff=1103161656&oldid=1103150632] I'd thought that you were okay with this change, based on your comment [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Talk:Intelligence_quotient&diff=prev&oldid=1103436393 here]. The "no evidence" statement previously appeared in two places in this article, and we've already reached a consensus to modify it in one of them, but now the question is how to change the other one. |
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:This is ''historical context'', and historical context is relevant to an encyclopedia, provided it is well-sourced. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 20:59, 19 October 2024 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::The statement in question is just 1-2 sentences, so it isn't possible for this statement to explain the whole topic. But if you're concerned the wording suggested above implies that human races are genetic divisions, how about simply saying, {{tq|In recent decades, current scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain differences in IQ test performance between groups, and that observed differences are environmental in origin}}? --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 17:28, 5 September 2022 (UTC) |
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== I've linked to IQ classfications in the headers == |
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::::::::::::::Most of those who have weighed in on the matter still agree that Hunt ''does'' support the "no evidence" statement, but to foreclose on endless debate I'm happy to remove it in favor of less ambiguous sources. So that's what I've done, substituting in [http://ewanbirney.com/2019/10/race-genetics-and-pseudoscience-an-explainer.html] and [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ajpa.24150]. I see no reason to continue to quibble about language that accurately describes the state of scientific understanding, i.e. that claims of racial differences in inherent intelligence are not supported by scientific evidence. [[User:Generalrelative|Generalrelative]] ([[User talk:Generalrelative|talk]]) 18:22, 5 September 2022 (UTC) |
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I'm curious what the opinion is on this. I'm new to wikipedia, and this is my first edit, just wondering if the link I put is alinging with the rules. [[User:Addi-bot|Addi-bot]] ([[User talk:Addi-bot|talk]]) 16:13, 6 January 2025 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::::We've just spent several weeks coming to a consensus to change this wording. You agreed to this yourself in your comment [https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Talk:Intelligence_quotient&diff=prev&oldid=1103524005 here]. Do you feel that it's appropriate, at this stage, to decide that now you're no longer willing to let it be changed? --[[User:AndewNguyen|AndewNguyen]] ([[User talk:AndewNguyen|talk]]) 19:02, 5 September 2022 (UTC) |
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:::::::::::::::Based on previous suggestions, I propose the following: "In recent decades, racial categories have been understood as a poor proxy for human genetic diversity. [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aac4951] Today, the scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain differences in IQ test performance between groups, and that observed differences are environmental in origin. [https://www.nature.com/articles/457788a]" {{ping|Firefangledfeathers}} would this wording be acceptable to you? -[[User:Ferahgo the Assassin|Ferahgo the Assassin]] ([[User talk:Ferahgo the Assassin|talk]]) 23:37, 10 September 2022 (UTC) |
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Addition of Negative Flynn Effect Citation
[edit]Thanks to @Generalrelative for asking why I think it would be beneficial to cite new Dworak study. The current page on the Intelligence quotient already has a paragraph talking about the "negative flynn effect", citing a 2016 study coauthord by Richard Lynn and a 2018 study coauthored by Bernt Bratsberg. In the current issue of the "Intelligence" journal there has been new research on the topic, including the (2023) study I cited. I think that study would be beneficial to cite since it provides interested readers of Wikipedia another, more recent, source on the topic.
Apologies - but I don't know what you mean by the topic being contested? The negative flynn effect definitely a phenomenon for which evidence has been recently discovered. Besides, I didn't add any new description, only another source for the already existing description confirming what the previous sources already have shown. Maybe I misunderstood what you meant? LenoJeno (talk) 19:59, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
- When another editor reverts your addition, that means it's been contested, see WP:BRD. The article you wanted to add from the journal Intelligence is a primary source appearing in a journal that often publishes questionable material. There are already two sources, so there's no need to add a 3rd source that's low-quality. NightHeron (talk) 20:55, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
- I see, so "contesting" refers to other editors here, thanks. It's weird then to see how one of the other two sources accepted are also from Intelligence, in fact, coauthored by Richard Lynn, who is the scientific racist. Surely that's even lower credibility. Many thanks for the clarification anyway @NightHeron! LenoJeno (talk) 21:36, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
- I agree that we should remove the Richard Lynn source. Unfortunately Intelligence does not conduct any meaningful peer review to screen out pseudoscience when race / ethnicity / nationality are concerned, so I'd be concerned about the new Dworak study for that reason. A secondary source would be better. Are you aware of any that we could use to discuss the "negative Flynn effect"? For now I'll remove the Lynn source and retain the NAS Norway study. Generalrelative (talk) 21:44, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
- I see, so "contesting" refers to other editors here, thanks. It's weird then to see how one of the other two sources accepted are also from Intelligence, in fact, coauthored by Richard Lynn, who is the scientific racist. Surely that's even lower credibility. Many thanks for the clarification anyway @NightHeron! LenoJeno (talk) 21:36, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
Induction is not a specialized ability like spelling
[edit]It is learning from examples. There is lots of this all the time in out environment. Inductive reasoning Ran8dom9 (talk) 19:05, 18 July 2023 (UTC)
- @Ran8dom9: Article talk pages are for discussing suggested improvements to an article, not discussion of our personal thoughts about the topic. Do you have a specific suggestion for improving the article? Induction as a specialized ability (a subfactor of fluid reasoning) has been demonstrated by Thurstone (and a tremendous amount of subsequent research by a vast number of researchers, including Cattell, Horn, and Carroll) using factor analysis of massive amounts of test data. Can you cite research from peer-reviewed academic journals that clearly refute all of that research, and not just your personal opinion? Sundayclose (talk) 19:26, 18 July 2023 (UTC)
Job-performance correlation issue
[edit]§ "Job performance" includes this paragraph: "Newer studies find that the effects of IQ on job performance have been greatly overestimated. The current estimates of the correlation between job performance and IQ are about 0.23 correcting for unreliability and range restriction."
I fear this presentation lacks WP:BALANCE, given that it's citing what is essentially a single paper by two researchers (the other is a minor follow-up) which has been subject to quite significant significant criticism from experts in just the few months since publication, who point out that it's narrow (only including supervisor ratings as a "performance" measure) and is hardly "new" (as its range-restriction claims have been brought up and dismissed in the past). Moreover, the paper(s) referenced find diminished correlations between almost every other metric and performance (e.g., interviews; work sample tests; job-knowledge tests, etc.)
Given that there is hardly a consensus in support of the Sackett, et al. paper(s) it seems unbalanced to include them, at least in the current framing. I'm in favor of removing it entirely, since it runs contrary to consensus backed by an staggering amount of research. Alternately, we could add its narrow focus and other significant criticism, but that may just compound the WP:UNDUE issue. Frankly, I'm not sure it adds much to our article, since of course Sackett, et al. still concede that cognitive ability is one of variables most highly correlated with job performance. Thanks! Ekpyros (talk) 19:26, 11 December 2023 (UTC)
Suggestion to add a source
[edit]Hello,
I would like to suggest a source that could enrich this article:
"IQ is largely a pseudoscientific swindle" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (January 2019) - https://medium.com/incerto/iq-is-largely-a-pseudoscientific-swindle-f131c101ba39
This source could be relevant to this article on Intelligence Quotient for the following reasons:
Critical perspective: The article offers a critical view on the concept of IQ, which could contribute to a balanced presentation of the subject on Wikipedia.
Renowned author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb is an influential scholar, whose opinions on scientific subjects are often discussed.
Arguments against validity: The article presents arguments questioning the validity and usefulness of Intelligence Quotient as a measure of intelligence.
Scientific debate: It illustrates the ongoing debate in the scientific community regarding the value and limitations of Intelligence Quotient.
Methodological aspects: The article addresses methodological issues related to the measurement and interpretation of IQ.
This source seems reliable to me and could provide useful information regarding the rigor of Intelligence Quotient. Narzil (talk) 11:57, 4 September 2024 (UTC)
- Nassim Nicholas Taleb is indeed a super influential person, but he is not a subject-matter expert on this topic. Medium is what we call a self-published source, meaning that only stuff by subject-matter experts can be considered reliable and only in certain contexts (see WP:MEDIUM). So unfortunately, while this is an interesting essay, it can't be used as a source for our article on IQ. That said, if a subject-matter expert were to publish a response, both Taleb's arguments and the response could then be discussed in article space. I hope that's helpful! Generalrelative (talk) 15:14, 4 September 2024 (UTC)
Summary of race relationship
[edit]Proposed summary sentence for the paragraph on race:
The scholarly consensus finds environmental factors, not race, determines IQ scores. Superb Owl (talk) 18:14, 12 October 2024 (UTC)
- I appreciate you bringing your suggestion here. The issue with this sentence is that IQ differences between individuals do indeed seem to be highly heritable, i.e. genetics plays a role in accounting for why person A scores higher than person B. Some folks have naively assumed that this fact redounds to group-level differences, but it does not. This mistake has been called the "hereditarian fallacy".
- If you'd like to explore a source, see e.g. "Heritability in the genomics era — concepts and misconceptions" in Nature Reviews Genetics, which lists in its table of
Misconceptions regarding heritability
the notion thatHeritability is informative about the nature of between-group differences
. - As they explain:
This misconception comes in two forms, and in both cases height and IQ in human populations are good examples. The first misconception is that when the heritability is high, groups that differ greatly in the mean of the trait in question must do so because of genetic differences. The second misconception is that the observation of a shift in the mean of a character over time (when we can discount changes in gene frequencies) for a trait with high heritability is a paradox. For IQ, a large increase in the mean has been observed in numerous populations, and this phenomenon is called the Flynn effect, after its discoverer. The problem with this suggested paradox is that heritability should not be used to make predictions about mean changes in the population over time or about differences between groups, because in each individual calculation the heritability is defined for a particular population and says nothing about environments in other populations. White males born in the United States were the tallest in the world in the mid-19th century and about 9 cm taller than Dutch males. At the end of the 20th century, although the height of males in the United States had increased, many European countries had overtaken them and Dutch males are now approximately 5 cm taller than white US males, a trend that is likely to be environmental rather than genetic in origin.
- I hope that's helpful. As I stated in my edit summary, I'm all for improving the language if anything is unclear or wonky, but a lot of this stuff is the result of painstaking consensus-building across a number of related articles in the R&I topic area, so changing anything substantially is going to require some workshopping. Cheers, Generalrelative (talk) 22:30, 12 October 2024 (UTC)
- I appreciate the detailed answer. How about:
"There are no biological differences based on race." Superb Owl (talk) 22:51, 12 October 2024 (UTC)- I hate to be a Debbie Downer but I also find that sentence confusing. Most scientists prefer the formulation "race is a social construct", which is what we already state at the beginning of the subsection.
- Maybe it would help if you explain what you find disagreeable about the current section intro?
Among the most controversial issues related to the study of intelligence is the observation that IQ scores vary on average between ethnic and racial groups, though these differences have fluctuated and in many cases steadily decreased over time. While there is little scholarly debate about the continued existence of some of these differences, the current scientific consensus is that they stem from environmental rather than genetic causes.
- Thanks, Generalrelative (talk) 23:41, 12 October 2024 (UTC)
- The intro does not seem clear as it is a bit jargony as written. I think a thesis sentence could help it out a lot:
"Scientists do not believe that IQ differerences are influenced by one's race." Superb Owl (talk) 01:15, 13 October 2024 (UTC)- I don't feel particularly qualified to speak on this subject
, but your proposed sentence sounds off. At least in the US, race does entail environmental differences, even if they are not genetic.CAVincent (talk) 01:29, 13 October 2024 (UTC)I should maybe add that these environmental differences are themselves heritable, again even though they are not genetic.CAVincent (talk) 01:36, 13 October 2024 (UTC)- I suppose I should be clear for the talk history that I struck my own comments. I noted my own lack of qualification, and was graciously corrected on my misunderstanding. CAVincent (talk) 12:55, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
- In vernacular usage "heritable" is sometimes used to mean anything that's often passed on from parents to children, such as wealth, a history of domestic abuse, poverty, obesity. But in the context of this article -- that is, in scholarly usage -- it does mean genetic. NightHeron (talk) 07:31, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
There is a lot of cherry-picking of sources that's gone on with respect to this sentence, and similar sentences in other articles. Of the sources for the current sentence, only one uses the word "consensus" or any similar term as required by WP:RS/AC. While it's a high-quality source, it also is fifteen years old. Of the other two sources one is from twelve years ago, and the other contains only a single sentence about group differences in IQ. Statements like this one appear in nearly every Wikipedia article related to intelligence, and the sourcing is mostly of a similar level of quality. See my earlier comment about a similar statement in another article: [1]
- I don't feel particularly qualified to speak on this subject
- The intro does not seem clear as it is a bit jargony as written. I think a thesis sentence could help it out a lot:
- I appreciate the detailed answer. How about:
All of these sources, even the Guardian article and the VOX blog post, theoretically satisfy the requirements of WP:RS and can be cited. But in a Wikipedia article about virtually any other topic, sources like these would not be used to make a statement about what academic "consensus" is, especially when more recent and higher-quality secondary sources are available, such as those linked to in the last comment here and the off-Wiki discussion cited there. The most recent source this article cites about academic "consensus" is from 2017, but the off-wiki list includes ten secondary sources about this topic that were published more recently, and nine out of ten of those newer sources (all except Harden's book) present a very different view.
Various people have been objecting for years that these statements about academic "consensus" are based on a very small number of sources which were selected to support a specific viewpoint, and past such objections have usually been dealt with by piling on yet more of these old or mediocre-quality sources (the equivalent statement in the race and intelligence article now cites nine of them, including one that was published more than half a century ago). But maybe now we finally have the critical mass of editors needed to change this trend.
CAVincent: you seem to be new to this topic, so I'd like to hear your opinion about whether we should make use of some of the newer sources I mentioned, and modify these parts of the article(s) accordingly. 64.127.212.41 (talk) 11:30, 13 October 2024 (UTC)Striking WP:BLOCKEVASION. Generalrelative (talk) 22:20, 20 October 2024 (UTC)- There is zero ambiguity about the scientific consensus in top-quality scholarly sources, e.g. [1]:
Recent articles claim that the folk categories of race are genetically meaningful divisions, and that evolved genetic differences among races and nations are important for explaining immutable differences in cognitive ability, educational attainment, crime, sexual behavior, and wealth; all claims that are opposed by a strong scientific consensus to the contrary.
- The consensus among Wikipedia editors is clear as well. It will not be relitigated here. Generalrelative (talk) 15:25, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
- Superb Owl: Perhaps the IP's comment offers some perspective as to why we use "scientific" language here. Scientists speak with great precision for a reason. This topic area is a case where white supremacists are highly motivated to misrepresent what the science says, which is why we need to be extra vigilant to say things precisely as the best sources do. If you'd like to read more about this context, I suggest this recent article in The Atlantic: "The Far Right Is Becoming Obsessed With Race and IQ". Generalrelative (talk) 15:29, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
- Thanks for sharing the research, the WP:RS article and your perspective - I still believe that it would be very helpful to include a clear succinct summary of the scientific consensus in the first sentence. Paraphrasing that quote you added:
According to a strong consensus of scientists, there are no genetically meaningful differences between racial groups related to IQ or intelligence. Superb Owl (talk) 15:40, 13 October 2024 (UTC)- I like this suggestion a lot, but it's still not 100% there in my opinion. How about we just import the sentence from the first paragraph of Race and intelligence:
- Today, the scientific consensus is that genetics does not explain differences in IQ test performance between groups, and that observed differences are environmental in origin.
- We could also add this other sentence from the lead:
- In recent decades, as understanding of human genetics has advanced, claims of inherent differences in intelligence between races have been broadly rejected by scientists on both theoretical and empirical grounds.
- The current sources, along with Bird et al. easily support this. How does that sound? Generalrelative (talk) 16:20, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
- I still think your language is a bit too science-y but we are getting much closer. Curious to hear what others think/propose. I also would prefer the paragraph giving background to come after the main paragraph establishing that there is no relationship which seems to be a better summary paragraph of the section. Superb Owl (talk) 17:51, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
- That's fair. Let's leave the question open for the time being and see if other editors care to weigh in. Generalrelative (talk) 18:43, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
- I still think your language is a bit too science-y but we are getting much closer. Curious to hear what others think/propose. I also would prefer the paragraph giving background to come after the main paragraph establishing that there is no relationship which seems to be a better summary paragraph of the section. Superb Owl (talk) 17:51, 13 October 2024 (UTC)
- Thanks for sharing the research, the WP:RS article and your perspective - I still believe that it would be very helpful to include a clear succinct summary of the scientific consensus in the first sentence. Paraphrasing that quote you added:
Various people have been objecting
- Your use of WP:WEASEL WORDS makes it unclear who these various people are, but if you mean Wikipedia editors, this topic has been litigated and re-litigated repeatedly and the consensus of Wikipedia editors on this subject has been made repeatedly quite clear. This comment boils down to WP:IDIDNTHEARTHAT, which is doubly apparent in your claim that any and all new sources added as a result of these litigations are
mediocre
, while not even pretending to acknowledge the criticisms of the quality of the sources you feel contradict the current Wikipedia consensus. - If, on the other hand, you mean Justapedia editors, well, there's a reason they don't comment over here much, except periodically from IPs in futile attempts to relitigate long settled issues.
- As for your link to that Justapedia thread, I'm sorry, but a thread on a far-right Wikipedia clone is not a reliable source, and I don't just mean this in the sense of the term used on WP:RS, but also in the conventional definition of the term "reliable". Since anyone purporting to calculate the relative percentage of
major secondary sources
that agree vs. disagree with Murray must necessarily make some decisions about which sources to look at, which qualify as "major" (the terminology of the post), and which qualify as neutral, for, or against, the methodology by anyone from that site is inherently suspect because of the known biases of the vast majority of Justapedia's editors and articles. But I am not merely casting vague aspersions here; the immediate effects of this bias are apparent in their selection criteria and their justifications, enumerated in three items which I will likewise address point by point:- They begin by limiting their "survey" to just two fields known to be a magnet for white supremacists and their fellow travellers.
- They then proceed to summarily disregard the views of those that agree with the stated consensus of the American Anthropological Association that
"race" is an arbitrarily defined social category
(the author's words, not the AAA's), since, according to them, this means such researchers have nothingmuch of substance to say about the empirical research on this topic
. How convenient that the people most likely to disagree with you are immediately judged to be irrelevant. They further justify this by citing WP:MNA and the corresponding Justapedia policy—apparently, a policy designed to encourage one to make necessary assumptions largely tangential to the topic at hand in the writing of an encyclopedia article is justification for assuming as true the most basic sina qua non premises and conclusions of the supporters of a hypothesis when conducting a literature survey on the relative scientific support vs. criticism of that hypothesis. Imagine your reaction if we applied this principle in reverse while conducting the same sort of literature survey: we disregard any scientist and their writings who assume that race has biological substance on the grounds that "we must make necessary assumptions". - Finally, in a marked demonstration of their complete lack of self awareness, they actually claim that the use of the stated selection criteria is
in order to avoid the sort of cherry-picking of sources about this topic that's occurred at Wikipedia
. Because immediately ruling out anyone who believes in a position fundamentally at odds with the one you are trying to advocate for is definitely not cherry picking.
- Brusquedandelion (talk) 10:06, 19 October 2024 (UTC)
- Just FYI Brusquedandelion, the IP you're responding to was blocked as a sock. I didn't hat the comment since it had been referenced in my exchange with Superb Owl, but at this point their comment above should probably be struck so no one else wastes time on them. Generalrelative (talk) 13:41, 19 October 2024 (UTC)
- Update: I went ahead and struck it. Generalrelative (talk) 22:21, 20 October 2024 (UTC)
- Just FYI Brusquedandelion, the IP you're responding to was blocked as a sock. I didn't hat the comment since it had been referenced in my exchange with Superb Owl, but at this point their comment above should probably be struck so no one else wastes time on them. Generalrelative (talk) 13:41, 19 October 2024 (UTC)
- There is zero ambiguity about the scientific consensus in top-quality scholarly sources, e.g. [1]:
- We don't need to hedge our sentences on Wikipedia with "scientists believe". Scientific consensus can be written in WP:WIKIVOICE, appropriately cited of course. Brusquedandelion (talk) 04:16, 16 October 2024 (UTC)
- This sentence:
The issue with this sentence is that IQ differences between individuals do indeed seem to be highly heritable
- But the proposed sentence says nothing about heritability, only that
environmental factors, not race, determines IQ scores
. Race is not the same thing as genetic inheritability. Brusquedandelion (talk) 04:13, 16 October 2024 (UTC)- My objection to the sentence in question is not that it's wrong but rather that it might be confusing to the reader, because it seems to imply that environmental factors are the only determinants of individual differences in IQ test performance, which most scientists agree is not the case.
- On the other hand, environmental factors do appear to be the only determinants of differences in average IQ test performance between population groups. And we should indeed state that emphatically. Generalrelative (talk) 07:58, 16 October 2024 (UTC)
- This is not true. A scientific discussion about evidence is not a discussion of politics or social policy. The safe and obvious assumption is that population differences are a result of genetics and environment. There are several reasons this is clear to anyone with sufficient verbal abstraction ability:
- intelligence is highly, highly polygenetic. Groups separated for tens of thousands of years are not going to have the exact same variance of genes. Can you name me a biological trait that is only environmentally determined?
- just because something is true, it doesn’t mean you have to say it. But the ethical answer never is too tell a lie when the truth is expected. RationalFactor (talk) 19:54, 19 October 2024 (UTC)
- Hi RationalFactor,
- You've done a great job illustrating why we don't rely on the original analysis of our volunteers, especially not about what it is "safe and obvious" to assume. Instead, we follow what the reliable sources say, and this has already been adjudicated. If you truly have good-faith questions on the matter, I will direct you to this handy explainer.
- Cheers, Generalrelative (talk) 20:57, 19 October 2024 (UTC)
- There is no evidence to suggest it’s only environmental, except for some falsified data from Gould a long time ago. There are only arguments made by some scientists, but they do not pass scientific scrutiny.
- After some minimal comprehension of biology and statistics, it’s clear that such a claim would not even be considered were it about any other topic, like sprinting or height or propensity to heart disease or hairiness or hormone production or ability to digest lactose or alcohol response or immunology or propensity to certain cancers or heat tolerance.
- No environmental change outside the extremes of neglect, poverty, iodine deficiency, injury, or poisoning in a developed nation has ever been found to even influence IQ scores. RationalFactor (talk) 20:34, 20 October 2024 (UTC)
- Importantly, this was the consensus. However, since these are all university jobs, it couldn’t possibly be the consensus today.
- I think informed people who are open minded and good faith could in fact be confused, because in the past people hoped IQ was only 50% genetic, and in nearly any university this is presumably still the number given as fact. It might even be given in this article. If it were true, there would be room to say only environment; HOWEVER, even then, it’s not true science to now stray from the null: mix of environmental and genetic. RationalFactor (talk) 20:42, 20 October 2024 (UTC)
- My grandfather used to say: It ain't the stuff you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's the stuff you're damn sure of that just ain't so.
- This is a case in point. I explained the hereditarian fallacy above, and quoted a gold-standard source saying that yes, serious genetics professionals understand this to be a fallacy, and yet you're repeating it. To reiterate: the heritability of individual-level differences tells us nothing about group-level differences. If you think this is all based on Gould, you have clearly not looked at the literature that was so thoroughly discussed in the RfC.
- I'm sorry to say, but at this point there's nothing more to be said. If you have source-based suggestions for improving the article, you are free to suggest them. But this talk page is not a place for complaining about the WP:THETRUTH. Generalrelative (talk) 22:12, 20 October 2024 (UTC)
Don't feed the trolls. |
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The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it. |
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References
- ^ Bird, Kevin; Jackson, John P.; Winston, Andrew S. (2024). "Confronting Scientific Racism in Psychology: Lessons from Evolutionary Biology and Genetics". American Psychologist. 79 (4): 497–508. doi:10.1037/amp0001228. PMID 39037836.
Intro paragraph
[edit]The concluding sentence, “Many of the proponents of intelligence tests and IQ scores were eugenicists who used pseudoscience to push now-debunked views of racial hierarchy” is inappropriate, given that it’s irrelevant to a discussion of empirical evidence. Furthermore, hierarchy has nothing to do with this conversation. IQ has been the most replicable aspect of all of psychology, and it is summarized as racist in the introductory paragraph? That’s advocacy, not science. RationalFactor (talk) 03:04, 17 October 2024 (UTC)
- This is historical context, and historical context is relevant to an encyclopedia, provided it is well-sourced. Generalrelative (talk) 20:59, 19 October 2024 (UTC)
I've linked to IQ classfications in the headers
[edit]I'm curious what the opinion is on this. I'm new to wikipedia, and this is my first edit, just wondering if the link I put is alinging with the rules. Addi-bot (talk) 16:13, 6 January 2025 (UTC)
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