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Determinants of Intelligence

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Topics

Estimated time: 13 minutes
  • Introduction
  • Heredity: The Genetic Blueprint
  • Environment: Shaping Potential
  • Heredity-Environment Interaction
  • Real-Life Application
  • Key Points: Determinants of Intelligence
CISCE: Class 12

Introduction

Have you ever wondered why siblings sometimes differ sharply in intelligence, even though they share parents and a home? Psychologists explain these individual differences using two powerful forces: heredity (nature) and environment (nurture).

CISCE: Class 12

Heredity: The Genetic Blueprint

  • Intelligence is influenced by genes inherited from biological parents.
  • Heredity sets the upper and lower limits ("potential range") of intellectual ability.
  • Example: Identical twins separated at birth often show similar IQs, revealing the strong influence of genetics.
CISCE: Class 12

Environment: Shaping Potential

  • Environment means all external influences - family, education, nutrition, culture, and social opportunities.
  • A stimulating, healthy environment enables a person to approach their genetic potential.
  • Example: Nutrition, educational quality, and family support all make a measurable difference to IQ.
CISCE: Class 12

Heredity-Environment Interaction

Neither heredity nor environment alone determines intelligence. Both interact continuously.

Diagram illustrating how heredity sets the potential range of intelligence and environment determines the outcome within that range.

Diagram explanation:
Heredity sets a range (as if marking the boundaries of a track), while environment determines the position (like a runner’s final spot within those lanes).

CISCE: Class 12

Real-Life Application

  • The “Flynn effect”: Average IQ scores have risen over the last century thanks to better education, nutrition, and living conditions, not changes in genetics.
  • Adoption studies: Children from deprived environments adopted into enriched families show marked IQ improvement, highlighting environmental effects.
CISCE: Class 12

Key Points: Determinants of Intelligence

  • Intelligence is influenced by both heredity and environment.
  • Heredity (genes) determines the potential range of a person’s intelligence.
  • Environments such as education, nutrition, and family support help develop this potential.
  • Intelligence develops through the interaction of heredity and environment.
  • Research like twin and adoption studies shows that both genetics and environment affect intelligence.
 

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