Question 1

Recent research examined the long-term relationship of intelligence and brain development in children.In the brains of highly intelligent children,it was found that the ____ was thicker than in the brains of children with average intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Recent research has shown that in the brains of highly intelligent children, the cortex (the outermost layer of the brain that plays a critical role in complex cognitive processes such as perception, attention, awareness, thought, memory, language, and consciousness) appears to be thicker than in children with average intelligence. In other words, a greater thickness of the cortex is associated with higher intelligence.

Question 2

A task force of the American Psychological Association said that the development of an individual's intelligence is significantly influenced by:

Accepted Answer

The development of an individual's intelligence is significantly influenced by genetic factors, as supported by numerous studies indicating that genetics play a key role in determining cognitive abilities.

Question 3

Lewis Terman recommended that IQ scores be used to:

Accepted Answer

Lewis Terman developed the Stanford-Binet intelligence test and recommended using IQ scores to place people in various occupational classes based on their intellectual abilities. He believed that this would lead to a more efficient workforce and a better functioning society. However, his ideas have been criticized for promoting intelligence-based discrimination. Options A, B, and D are examples of unethical uses of IQ scores.

Question 4

Robert Yerkes conducted IQ tests with army recruits for World War I.His study found that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Robert Yerkes conducted IQ tests with army...

Question 5

A study of Romanian children who had been abandoned at birth and placed in state-run institutions but then later placed in foster homes found that:

Accepted Answer

The study found that children who had been placed in foster homes had higher intellectual functioning than children who remained in institutions, indicating that being placed in a nurturing, stable environment had a positive impact on their cognitive development. The study did not address the impact of socioeconomic status or compare the intelligence of children in foster homes to those in the institutional setting.

Question 6

Yerkes concluded that the average mental age of White American adults was:

Accepted Answer

Yerkes found that the average mental age of White American adults was 13 years, which was significantly lower than expected. This led to concerns about the quality of education and the potential impact on national intelligence and economic success.

Question 7

Two friends are debating about the nature of IQ.Sam claims that it measures innate abilities.Joseph says that it is influenced strongly by environmental factors.Which of the following could Joseph truthfully use to support his arguments?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that environmental factors can significantly impact IQ scores. For example, studies have found that IQ can vary up to 15 points depending on the individual's environment. This supports Joseph's argument that IQ is influenced by environmental factors. Option B, C, and D do not directly support Joseph's argument. Option B actually supports Sam's argument, as identical twins raised together tend to have similar IQs. Option C is a general statement and does not provide any evidence for either argument. Option D only shows that IQ may have a genetic component but does not address the role of environmental factors.

Question 8

One shortcoming of the book The Bell Curve was its assumption that

Accepted Answer

The answer of One shortcoming of the book The Bell...

Question 9

The results of adoption studies have suggested that:

Accepted Answer

Adoption studies have shown that children adopted into more enriched environments tend to have higher IQs, suggesting that environmental factors can positively influence intelligence.

Question 10

In comparison to a normal brain,Albert's Einstein's brain:

Accepted Answer

Studies of Einstein's brain have shown that he had a larger than average inferior parietal lobe, which is associated with mathematical and spatial reasoning abilities. The other options are not supported by research on Einstein's brain.

Question 11

Herrnstein and Murray argued that the ____-point difference in average IQ scores between Caucasian-Americans and African-Americans was due primarily to ____.

Accepted Answer

Herrnstein and Murray, in their controversial book "The Bell Curve," argued that the 15-point difference in average IQ scores between Caucasian-Americans and African-Americans was due primarily to inherited or genetic factors.

Question 12

An "environmental factor" explanation for the racial differences in IQ scores would focus on:

Accepted Answer

An environmental factor explanation would focus on poverty, as it is a social condition that can disproportionately affect certain racial groups and potentially impact access to educational opportunities and resources that can influence IQ scores.

Question 13

In a study of the neurological bases of intelligence,the ____ is the part of the brain that was less active in children from poorer homes than in children from more well-off families.

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as decision-making, planning and working memory. Studies have shown that children from poorer homes have less activity in this region of the brain, which may contribute to differences in intelligence levels. The basal ganglia, putamen, and insula are not typically associated with intelligence research.

Question 14

Of the following attributes,which one has the highest heritability score?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Of the following attributes,which one has the...

Question 15

Because she did not want to raise her child in poverty,Alice put her baby up for adoption.If Alice's baby is raised by a middle-income family that provides a good home,what effect could this have on the child's IQ?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that children who are adopted into middle-income families generally have higher IQ scores than those who remain in disadvantaged settings. The increase in IQ can be as much as 10 points. This is likely due to the better educational opportunities and enriched environment provided by their adoptive families. It is important to note that the effect of adoption on IQ can vary depending on a variety of factors, including the child's age at adoption, the quality of the adoptive family's home environment, and the child's genetic makeup.

Question 16

Why has the difference in IQ between African Americans and White Americans narrowed in recent years?

Accepted Answer

Recent studies have shown that changes in environmental factors, such as improvements in education and living standards, have played a significant role in narrowing the IQ gap between African Americans and White Americans. This suggests that social and economic inequalities, rather than genetic differences, are the primary factors influencing cognitive development. There is little evidence to suggest that revisions to IQ tests or an increase in the number of African American psychologists have had a significant impact on the narrowing of the IQ gap.

Question 17

The American Psychological Association Task Force on the racial differences in intelligence found:

Accepted Answer

The American Psychological Association Task Force on the racial differences in intelligence found no convincing evidence that genetic factors play a primary role in IQ differences among races.

Question 18

You have set up a website describing the contributions of nature and nurture to intelligence.To accurately describe the contributions,you select the most appropriate website address.What is it?

Accepted Answer

The website address "interaction.edu" suggests a focus on the interaction between nature and nurture, which is the relationship at the core of the debate around the contributions of genetics and environment to intelligence. This website address would therefore be the most appropriate for a website describing those contributions. The other options, such as biology, schooling, and genes, are more limited in scope and would not capture the full complexity of the topic.

Question 19

Laws to regulate immigration,such as the Immigration Law of 1924,were often based upon:

Accepted Answer

The Immigration Law of 1924, also known as the Johnson-Reed Act, restricted immigration quotas based on a ranking system developed by psychologist Henry H. Goddard. Goddard used the work of psychologist Robert Yerkes, who had created a controversial system of intelligence tests ranking races in order of perceived intelligence. This system formed the basis for the national-origins formula used to determine immigration quotas, which heavily favored immigrants from northern and western Europe while limiting those from Eastern and Southern Europe, as well as Asia and Africa.

Question 20

The concept of a reaction range indicates that:

Accepted Answer

The concept of a reaction range suggests that intelligence may vary based on environmental factors. It states that genetics establish a range of potential intelligence, but the ultimate level attained is influenced by environmental factors such as education, nutrition, and upbringing.

Quiz 13: Intelligence