Is Intelligence Genetic Or Learned?

You may have been told that you are as smart as your parents or sometimes just discover that you become smarter as you study harder, Well research made by scientists shows that genetics is a determinant for intelligence but not all of it.

About half of your intellectual capacity is obtained from genetics while there are micro factors that constitute the other half.

Intellectual Factors

This genetic component determines the upper limit of your intelligence, that is, the maximum intelligence you can realise.

Your environment determines whether you actually reach this maximum level.

That is to say, environmental factors are key to reaching your full intellectual capacity.

Environmental factors, such as the way your parents raise you, the culture you were born into, your educational background, and your circle of friends, determine about 50% of your intelligence.

Such environmental factors are especially important when you are young.

If you grow up with a poor diet and in an environment that does not really value education, you will be less intelligent than if you grow up with a healthy diet and are encouraged to do well in school.

Scientist are now searching for the genes that contribute to intelligence.

In recent years, we have learned that many, perhaps thousands, of genes are involved with little effect.

Another particularly interesting recent finding is that the genetic influence on measured intelligence appears to increase over time, from about 20 per cent in infancy to 40 per cent in childhood to 60 per cent in adulthood.

One possible explanation could be that children seek experiences that correlate with their genetic tendencies and thus develop them to the full.

The ability to predict cognitive potential from DNA could prove enormously useful.

Scientists could use DNA to try to decipher the developmental pathways between genes, intelligence, brain and mind.

Credit:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-intelligence-hereditary/