On Mon, 13 Nov 2000, Sue Frantz wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> This week's (Nov 13) Community College Week reports that a student at
> Blue Mountain Community College in Oregon found a graphic in the
> Plotnik (1999) Introduction to Psychology text offensive. The
> student received $10,000 and free tuition for the spring, fall, and
> winter terms.
>
> "In one section, the text describes the work of a 19th century
> scientist who believed that blacks had smaller brain sizes than other
> races.
>
> "A graphic that accompanies the text shows four skulls in descending
> size: Caucasion, Mongolian, Native American, and black.
>
> "The text explains that modern science makes no distinction between
> brain size and race, but [the student] said the graphic could be used
> out of context to promote racist ideas."
>
> A government instructor here would like to use the Community College
> Week article and the graphic in his class. I don't have a copy of
> Plotnik's book. If someone could fax me the graphic in question, I'd
> really appreciate it!
>
> (505) 439 - 3802
>
> Thanks!
> Sue
>
I used the Plotnik text for a number of years.Whereas he may
show brain sizes in the text,I am not aware that he inferred any type of
behavioral differences based on cerebral differences.
However,I can recall some discussion about brain size body weight
ratio. According to the brain size-body weight ratio hypothesis,
the smaller the ratio between brain size and body weight,the more
inclination towards learning for that organism.Hence the reason
as to why rats,cats,dogs and chimps are trainable in contrast to
elephants and the hippopotamus. One could argue that homo sapiens
is privileged to have an adequate brain size-body weight ratio.
Michael Sylvester
Daytona Beach,Florida
