Book Description

What determines human intelligence? What is its relationship to creativity? Its potential for change? To illuminate some of these questions, J. McVicker Hunt has gathered together a number of essays. This volume contains some of the answers that have been found, but emphasizes that we still need to learn a great deal about developing ways to assess our human resources. We remain. for example, uncertain about what abilities pinpoint intelligence, and the extent to which intellectual ability can predict classroom successw-even the ability to perfrom a job well., Articles in this book show that indications of heritability have nothing to say about the educability of individuals or classes w races. Investigations indicate that there is a great deal more plasticity in the development of behavior and abilities than was presumed by those who believe in predetermined intelligence. They also indicate that knowledge and ability both grow during the early years; knowledge grows throughout life: but the ability to acquire new knowledge and skill declines over time., These areas of developing knowledge are of political as well as social significance. Any attempts to upgrade the abilities of the poor or the disadvantaged must necessarily be concerned with manipulation of the environment. These articles represent the most advanced available information about the relationship of experience, environment and heredity to the development of measurable intelligence.