Environmental Influence On Intelligence
College 100
American Public University
Jane Herder
Human intelligence is not only difficult to measure, but it is also difficult to define. For centuries countless studies have been done to determine whether nature or nurture has the most influence over Human Intelligence. Nature refers to traits that are genetic and inherited, and nurture refers to environmental influences that occur after birth. While there is evidence to support both sides, it is important to look closer at how environmental influences are affecting human intelligence.
While learning is a natural process that starts from inside the womb, it is the environmental influences that will have the biggest impact on the progression of human intelligence. Many factors influence how intelligence is developed, these include family dynamics, social class and cultural differences. Family dynamics is mainly the idea that the way a child is raised will effect the development and level of intelligence of that child. Social class is a huge factor in human intelligence. Often times in a lower social class, there are less resources available resulting in a more deprived environment. In a deprived environment there educational resources are limited and there is less motivation to advance intellectually. Without the proper resources, intellectual development is limited thus making it impossible to advance.
Lang discussed that "Genetic potentials for competence and character can only become actualized in a stable and supportive environment, But the world we are creating for ourselves and our children is increasingly chaotic, uncaring, and violent. As a result, those are the genetic potentials (i.e., for violence and chaos) that are being actualized in our behavior." (Lang,1995). Without a solid foundation, it is...