Why are people smarter than others?
447630
oftenly we use IQ to measure people's intellegence.\nwhy are some people smarter than others??\n\n1. Genetics \nThe role of genes and environment (nature vs. nurture) in determining IQ is reviewed in Plomin et al. (2001, 2003). The degree to which genetic variation contributes to observed variation in a trait is measured by a statistic called heritability. Heritability scores range from 0 to 1, and can be interpreted as the percentage of variation (e.g. in IQ) that is due to variation in genes. Twins studies and adoption studies are commonly used to determine the heritability of a trait. Until recently heritability was mostly studied in children. These studies yield an estimate of heritability of 0.5; that is, half of the variation in IQ among the children studied was due to variation in their genes. The remaining half was thus due to environmental variation and measurement error. A heritability of 0.5 implies that IQ is "substantially" heritable. Studies with adults show that they have a higher heritability of IQ than children do and that heritability could be as high as 0.8, though it is probably not this high. The American Psychological Association's 1995 task force on "Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns" concluded that within the White population the heritability of IQ is “around .75” \n\nConsiderable research has focused on biological correlates of g; see General intelligence factor and the section on brain size below. For example, general intelligence and MRI brain volume measurements are correlated, and the effect is primarily determined by genetic factors.\n\n\n2. Environment\nEnvironmental factors play a large role in determining IQ in extreme situtations. Proper childhood nutrition appears critical for cognitive development; malnutrition can lower IQ. Other research indicates environmental factors such as prenatal exposure to toxins, duration of breastfeeding, and micronutrient deficiency can affect IQ. In the developed world, there are some family effects on the IQ of children, accounting for up to a quarter of the variance. However, by adulthood, this correlation disappears, so that the cognitive ability of adults living in the prevailing conditions of the developed world is highly heritable.\n\nNearly all personality traits show that, contrary to expectations, environmental effects actually cause adoptive siblings raised in the same family to be as different as children raised in different families (Harris, 1998; Plomin & Daniels, 1987). Put another way, shared environmental variation for personality is zero, and all environmental effects are nonshared. Intelligence is actually an exception to this rule, at least among children. The IQs of adoptive siblings, who share no genetic relation but do share a common family environment, are correlated at .32. Despite attempts to isolate them, the factors that cause adoptive siblings to be similar have not been identified, though it could be related to parents choosing the type of children they will adopt. However, as explained below, shared family effects on IQ disappear after adolescence.\n\nActive genotype-environment correlation, also called the "nature of nurture", is observed for IQ. This phenomenon is measured similarly to heritability; but instead of measuring variation in IQ due to genes, variation in environment due to genes is determined. One study found that 40% of variation in measures of home environment are accounted for by genetic variation. This suggests that the way human beings craft their environment is due in part to genetic influences.
847545
For smart paople and people who want to appear to be smart.
685104
Because they have a higher IQ in religion.
772461
No.....I think that some of us are smart, some are geniuses, but in the whole we are average. I have nothing to base this on, but looking at some of the wonders of this planet, it almost seems arrogant of us to assume that we are the only ones in this universe that are smart. The universe is vast and wide and we have yet to come close to discovering it's full areas. It's almost like owning a mansion and not getting to see all the rooms.
1162723
You can't compare two people who is more intelligent unless both have the same knowledge.
605902
Not all do.\nTo some, however, it is a badge of pride.\n\nWith society tending toward making "dumb and dumber" seem perfectly acceptable, anything which which tends to show intelligence may be ridiculed.\n\nIt is not a matter of who is smarter or even who can think better.  Anyone reading the questions on this site knows that many humans take pride in their stupidity, lack of education and personal bias.  These tend to be more annoying.
884869
We're smarter. Not naive.
965714
I don't think you can logically apply a "smartest" label to any one race. Some individuals are more intelligent than others.\n\nJapan places a much higher value on academic achievement from an early age, than most other developed countries  \nIt doesn't make them smarter, just creates an environment where natural intelligence is nourished and intellectual growth is  rewarded.
814287
according to all the sources and statistics i've read, and people i've been around, girls. but you see the thing is, it isn't about who's smarter. most girls work harder. they are more disciplined, more focused, more articulate, more goal-oriented, more articulate, more serious, and are given the better training. it is sad, but true. the girls also use more of their brain. these are the reasons why they produce better work.\n\ni would really love to see boy children get better training (and love), being more serious, strive to be the best, strive for excellence, instead of the macho man crap. we'd do better.
60382
Nature and nurture both play big roles - you can't really isolate one or the other.  And you can't really say that one or the other would make a random person smarter.  If you really want to learn more, check out some studies of identical twins who were raised separately.
691150
The reason this appears to be true is because the higher a person goes to obtain knowledge the better their ability to gather information, solve problems and critically think.  Religion plays more to a person's emotions than their intelligence.  It's easier to be passive and pray for better times than to be aggressive and create better times. \n\nA person with little to no education will have confidence in something/someone other than themselves while a person with education will have more confidence in themselves.
709924
sometimes smart people are just book smart and not street smart which is what most people call common sense. If you haven't read it in a book then you don't know how to solve it or do it. Make sense?
1010077
It really depends on how you gauge intelligence. Now, if everyone thought that people were smarter, then there would be no worry of machines ever taking over the world. \n\nThe fact is, a computer can process information a lot quicker than a human can. Ultimately, we create machines that can outperform us in velocity and force, which is also true of a computer. That is the point of making them. A computer can be as smart as one programs them. We possess so many other possibilities within our brains and through our senses.  \n\nWe really only define our thought through the senses we perceive and draw unique conclusions, even expanding the bounds of reason. It is this expansion that gives way to new discoveries and understanding, hence, people on the whole are smarter. \n\nUnless we can create a computer to attain consciousness, but even then, we will have to be cognitive masters before we can do that. People are smarter than computers, because although a computer may process information faster and recall memory quicker, we are the ones that have the ability to expand the parameters of reason and logic. Machines are faster and stronger than we, but not smarter. We utilize speed and function in a machine to accomplish tasks, and a computer may only appear smarter due it's processing speed.
81932
There are no stupid people,just people that are smarter than others. I hope you don't go around calling people stupid. Because there are people that are smarter than you, and you wouldn't want them calling you stupid!
554290
Everyone is smarter & dumber than someone else.  What else is new? \n\n"Even he, to whom most things that most people would think were pretty smart were pretty dumb, thought it was pretty smart". \nDouglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt, p. 205\nEnglish humorist & science fiction novelist (1952 - 2001)
55367
it's a matter of nature and environment. \n\na person's heredity and gene make-up has a lot to do with how intelligent they are. you can find evidence of this in many subjects, not just humans. some anilmals are "smarter" than other animals. sometimes chromosomes get crossed and a person is born with disabilities. it's just a part of nature.\n\nalso, the environment in which a person grows up effects their intelligence. if a child is raised in an environment that does not harbor knowledge and education, that child will not flourish mentally.
1090454
If a group of reasonably intelligent people were allowed to take an IQ test "as a group", that is pooling their communal information, letting certain people do certain parts of the test, consulting with each other for best answers, and so forth, I would imagine that the group's IQ would always be substantially higher, unless the cooperation factor was low and they argued and failed to complete questions in a timely manner.