User:Distributivejustice/newlede

Race and intelligence is a controversial and even taboo topic, which has received considerable attention in the United States and elsewhere. At the heart of the issue is the observation that the members of racial and ethnic groups tend to cluster around different averages on tests of cognitive ability. Some scholars regard the topic as scientifically meaningless based on a consideration of the meanings and significance of race and intelligence. Some likewise question whether it is possible to scientifically address the question in a way that is ethical. Others reject both of these positions, arguing that the social implications are too important to forego research.

It is generally agreed that there are significant differences in the average test scores of different population groups. The most commonly cited example is a 15-point average IQ difference between self-identified US blacks and whites). The distribution of test scores for each group are largely overlapping, but groups differ in where individuals tend to cluster along the test score continuum. For this reason, racial or ethnic identity does little to predict the IQ of any particular individual. Statistics for group differences, however, are well established in the United States. Black Americans perform poorly on average compared to whites; Americans of Chinese, Japanese and Jewish ancestry perform better on average than Gentile whites; and the average test scores of Latino Americans tend to be between the averages for to blacks and whites. Psychologists also agree that these test score differences are not simply a reflection of biased tests, and thus they they have important social implications, especially in the areas of academic and social achievement. Yet the existence and importance of test score differences says nothing about their causes.

Although research and debate on race and intelligence encompasses a variety of topics, the nature versus nurture question attracts the most public attention. Some scholars argue that it is impossible for genetic differences to cause test score difference between racial and ethnic groups, but others reject this position, arguing that evidence is needed to decide the question. Public statements from several groups of psychologists indicate that no definitive answer exists on what causes average test score differences between groups. Numerous interpretations have been proposed, but none are generally considered to be well-supported by research. On one hand, many psychometricians and behavioral geneticists believe that high heritability of IQ within groups coupled with the failure of environmental factors to account for the average IQ differences between groups lends plausibility to a genetic contribution to IQ difference between groups. On the other hand, many psychologists believe that environmental factors could contribute, and this view is often supported by reference to The Flynn Effect as an example of a powerful environmental effect on IQ within groups. Specific environmental factors have been suggested as explanations, such as self-discipline and a culture that emphasizes engagement with learning. Many psychologists consider the available evidence for a genetic contribution to be inconclusive, but believe that no specific environmental factor has been identified as a definitive cause of average group difference in IQ. .