Citation

Witty PA, Lehman HC. Am. J. Sociol. 1928; 34(2): 316-329.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1928, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/214671

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper presents the common pitfalls and limitations of attempts to determine the relative importance of heredity and environment in effecting individual differences in general mental ability. Data are given for two groups of children; one group is made up of children commonly alleged to be feeble minded (I. Q. 70 and below); the other is composed of children who are often termed geniuses (I. Q. 140 and above). Facts regarding the racial origin, the physical heredity, and the mental heredity of each group are presented and conspicuous differences between the groups are described. These facts are interpreted first in the language of the hereditarians and eugenists; they are then explained according to the common methodology of the environmentalists. The limitations of the extreme postulates of both schools are set forth and the writers then attempt to interpret their data in a valid scientific manner.