Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I The nature–nurture question: New advances in behavior-genetic research on intelligence
- Part II Novel theoretical perspectives on the genes and culture controversy
- Part III Specific issues in the nature–nurture controversy
- Part IV Integration and conclusions
- 19 Nature vs. nurture: The feeling of vujà dé
- 20 Unresolved questions and future directions in behavior-genetic studies of intelligence
- Name index
- Subject index
19 - Nature vs. nurture: The feeling of vujà dé
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I The nature–nurture question: New advances in behavior-genetic research on intelligence
- Part II Novel theoretical perspectives on the genes and culture controversy
- Part III Specific issues in the nature–nurture controversy
- Part IV Integration and conclusions
- 19 Nature vs. nurture: The feeling of vujà dé
- 20 Unresolved questions and future directions in behavior-genetic studies of intelligence
- Name index
- Subject index
Summary
Benjamin Franklin said that nothing is certain except death and taxes. But that was in his day. Modern-day psychologists have the Superbowl and the nature–nurture debate. The Superbowl begins with great publicity and proceeds to a lop-sided victory by one side, after which the winning players graciously tell reporters how well the losers played. So it is with the nature-nurture debate. Nature wins, 48–6, and then the winners say that, well, some of those environmentalist arguments were very good tries, albeit a trifle misguided.
I have a feeling of vujà dé, a term you will not find in your French dictionary because I just made it up. Vujà dé is the uncanny feeling that I do not ever want to get caught here again. Others may agree. Just before the chapters in this book were written, the American Psychological Association published a volume called Nature, Nurture, and Psychology (Plomin & McClearn, 1993). Sound familiar? An article coauthored by one of the contributors to this volume (McGue, Bouchard, Iacono, & Lykken, 1993) began by saying,
it appears that the issue has been resolved.…Over 90% of [those responding to a survey] agreed that IQ was, at least in part, heritable [p. 59].
and closes with
Psychology appears ready to move beyond the acrimony that has marked the past century of debate on the nature–nurture issues [p. 74].
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- Chapter
- Information
- Intelligence, Heredity and Environment , pp. 531 - 551Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1996
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