Not much, but something. The correlation between brain size (assessed with MRI) and IQ is .44 according to summary of existing research (Rushton & Ankney's 1996 "Brain Size and Cognitive Ability" Psychonomic Bulletin and Review). Rushton claims previous research using simple head size measures is .20. Either way, it appears to be a healthy correlation.
Rushton himself is quite a character, often cited as Canada's most famous psychologist (certainly one of the most discussed!) He is noted for the r/K selection theory that involves a quality/quantity trade-off in offspring (more babies versus fewer babies & more nurturing) and the racial differences in r/K, for instance, Orientals have fewer children, more nurturing, and longer gestational periods, Africans have shorter gestational periods, more babies, etc. His genetic similarity theory appears to state that people similar to each other are less hostile and more altrustic to each other (sounds similar to Hamilton's 'kin selection' idea of altrusim but Rushton bases it on physical similarity not just genes I bellieve ....). He has been severely criticized for racist views, and (according to the wikipedia entry yada yada ... he viewed Muslims as a "genetic issue", not just cultural, as he believed them more hostile genetically than other groups). Obviously few people would choose to say such things (or study them), though I am not aware he is deficient as a researcher, nor that any of the data is compromised. My take is that he chooses to study issues other people will not touch ... oh yes yada etc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Philippe_Rushton ========================== John W. Kulig, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Coordinator, University Honors Plymouth State University Plymouth NH 03264 ========================== ----- Original Message ----- From: "michael sylvester" <[email protected]> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, October 7, 2011 9:39:20 AM Subject: [tips] Germany,race,and skulls An item in the news media last week drew my attention.Over 100 years ago the Germans occupied Namibia in Africa.They massacred thousands of an indigenous tribe and took some skulls to Germany following independence.Germany has recently returned the skulls to the Namibian government.Skulls were taken to do some racial research.My questions are: is there any evidence that brain -skull size is correlatd with intelligence(whatever that is)? were German scientists the original phrenologists? I have heard that the brain-body ratio has something to do with intelligence in some species. Send me something. Michael "omnicentric" Sylvester,PhD Daytona Beach,Florida --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] . To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13338.f659d005276678c0696b7f6beda66454&n=T&l=tips&o=13203 (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) or send a blank email to leave-13203-13338.f659d005276678c0696b7f6beda66...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=13208 or send a blank email to leave-13208-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
