Genetic and Environmental Factors in Human Ability

Proceedings of the 1965 Eugenics Society conference edited by J. E. Meade and A. S. Parkes.

From the flyleaf of the book:

"This volume contains a report of the proceedings of the second of a series of symposia held by the Eugenics Society, with the object of bringing together experts from the various fields of genetics, physiology, psychology and other branches of the social sciences to promote an exchange of ideas.

    The general theme of this symposium, held in October 1965, was the need for fresh thinking about some of the more vital aspects of our educational system. The traditionally accepted validity of various educational concepts such as the "streaming" of pupils, the criteria of selection for higher education and others were called into question, and the reasons for doing so examined. A particularly strong case was made for a better understanding of the purely physical causes of mental subnormality. In connection with this, valuable biological information was given about brain damage, genetic handicaps and diseases, especially those which cannot be detected at birth, with methods of controlling and remedying them. Various other related topics, such as the heritability of intelligence, the importance of parent-child communication, the influence of home background and the genetic consequences of selection pressure were also discussed.

    The conference demonstrated that genetic and biological factors are responsible to a considerable extent for many problems hitherto thought of as purely social ones. The papers leave one with the impression that the combination of these two disciplines may be a particularly rewarding one.

    J. E. Meade is Professor of Political Economy and Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge.

    A. S. Parkes is Mary Marshall Professor of the Physiology of Reproduction and Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge."

Main contents Development of current ideas about intelligence tests P. E. Vernon Some aspects of the relationship between communication and performance in tests B. B. Bernstein and D. Young Social background, intelligence and school structure an interaction analysis Hilde T. Himmelweit Intelligence testing and comprehensive education Douglas Pidgeon Principles and procedures of university selection Jean Floud Environmental and innate factors and educational attainment Stephen Wiseman The limits of prediction James Drever Selection and the problem of conformity Liam Hudson Pregnancy and perinatal association with mental subnormality James Walker Assessing the size of the problem of subnormality Albert Kushlick Biochemical aspects of mental subnormality C. E. Dent Chromosomal aspects of mental subnormality Valerie Cowie Social and economic differentials in fertility B. Benjamin Differential fertility by intelligence C. O. Carter Heritability of intelligence R. M. C. Huntley Genetic consequences of selection pressure D. S. Falconer

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