There is some evidence that intelligence quotient (IQ) scores and intelligence have a hereditary component attached to them (Bouchard, 1998); although, this stance has been strongly criticized by others when discussed within the context of racial and ethnic differences. For example, Nisbett et al. (2012) highlighted several arguments against the heritability of intelligence determining European Americans’ or African Americans’ IQ scores, citing examples of adoption studies and intervention strategies, among others—all of which disprove the notion that intelligence is hereditary and explain the differences in IQ among minority and nonminority groups.
In essence, there is no evidence that there is an intelligence gene, and racial and ethnic differences are best explained by the idea that IQ tests carry cultural biases as their content reflects information primarily relevant to Western cultures. This criticism is shared with other methods of standardized testing, as illustrated by the classic example of the media decrying the use of the term “regatta” in the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). A regatta is a series of boat races—given that this term is predominantly used among higher socioeconomic status (SES) individuals, it would be considered culturally unfair for lower SES, inner-city youths (Thaler & Jones-Forrester, 2013).
Race, as a biological concept, has been talked about and researched in the scholarly literature. People do not differ due to the kinds of genes they possess; they only differ in the way genes show themselves physically (Sternberg, Grigorenko, & Kidd, 2005). No particular set of traits belong to one group or race. Despite this, researchers have observed physical and genetic similarities among individuals who live in the isolated areas and hypothesized that the similarities might be the result of the limited mates available there (Brown, 1998). Nonetheless, there is no proof that there are racial and genetic categories. Simply because people look different from one another does not mean there are distinct biological differences or justify biology as a source of race. In essence, we all are a part of the same race—the human race.
References:
Bouchard, T. J., Jr. (1998). Genetic and environmental influences on adult
intelligence and special mental abilities. Human Biology, 70(2), 257–279.
Brown, P. (1998). Biology and the social construction of the “race” concept. In
The social construction of race and ethnicity in the United States. New
York, NY: Longman.
Nisbett, R. E., Aronson, J., Blair, C., Dickens, W., Flynn, J., Halpern, D. F., &
Turkheimer, E. (2012). Intelligence: New findings and theoretical
developments. American Psychologist, 67(2), 130–159.
Sternberg, R. J., Grigorenko, E. L., & Kidd, K. K. (2005). Intelligence, race, and
genetics. American Psychologist, 60(1), 46–59.
Thaler, N., & Jones-Forrester, S. (2013). IQ testing and the Hispanic client. In
L. Benuto (Ed.), Handbook of psychological assessment. New York,
NY: Springer.
Race is not biologically constructed; much like ethnicity, race is a social construct. The term “race” is used to describe people’s physical differences such as hair, eye, and skin color and is used to sort people into groups (Markus, 2008). Experts agree that skin color does not cause a need for the term “race” (Sternberg, Grigorenko, & Kidd, 2005). It is just that people like to name and label things, places, and other people.
Race is simply used to organize people into groups. Experts have indicated that race is arbitrary and meaningless because biology has no part in race (Glenn, 1999). Historically, race was used in the eugenics movement to refer to biological (nonexistent) differences (Sternberg et al., 2005). As a social category, race is used not only by ordinary people but by large institutions as well. On job applications or school applications, there is always a section under which you are supposed to check a box identifying your race. This illustrates the need people and institutions have to sort and classify others into groups.
References:
Glenn, E. N. (1999). The social construction and institutionalization of gender
and race. In M. M. Ferree, J. Lorber, & B. B. Hess (Eds.), Revisioning
gender (pp. 3–43). Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
Markus, H. (2008). Pride, prejudice, and ambivalence: Toward a unified theory
of race and ethnicity. American Psychologist, 63(8), 651–670.
Sternberg, R. J., Grigorenko, E. L., & Kidd, K. K. (2005). Intelligence, race, and
genetics. American Psychologist, 60(1), 46–59.
Assignment 1: Race
As you work in the human services delivery sector, you will encounter people (both clients and colleagues) from different racial backgrounds.
In this assignment, you will critically think about how racial differences can impact the work equation between a service delivery provider and a service delivery recipient and also between the agency staff members.
Tasks:
Given what you have learned in Module 2 regarding race as socially constructed versus biologically constructed, post your responses to the following:
• Discuss whether there is a difference between the two.
• Elaborate on how race impacts the work equation between a service delivery provider and a service delivery recipient.
Discuss how racial diversity impacts the work equation between agency staff members. Be specific in your responses and illustrate using examples. Support your points using scholarly sources.
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