Re-analyses of J.P. Rushton’s crime data

Cernovsky, Zack Z.; Litman, Larry C.

doi:10.3138/cjcrim.35.1.31

Cited by 19 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Rushton (2000) and Lynn (2006) put natural selection at the core of their conjecture about why genetic differences might exist between White and Black populations. However, theoretical and empirical support for Rushton's claims have been called into question (Gorey & Cryns, 1995; Cernovsky & Litman, 1993; Cernovsky, 1990; Graves, 2002; Zeitsch and Zietsch & Sidari, 2019). Critics were also quick to point out that Lynn's analyses had a deeply flawed sampling from Africa, resulting at least in a bias against African countries and it showed signs of measurement bias from the IQ tests themselves (Wicherts et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No support for the hereditarian hypothesis of the Black–White achievement gap using polygenic scores and tests for divergent selection

Bird

2021

American J Phys Anthropol

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Objectives: Debate about the cause of IQ score gaps between Black and White populations has persisted within genetics, anthropology, and psychology. Recently, authors claimed polygenic scores provide evidence that a significant portion of differences in cognitive performance between Black and White populations are caused by genetic differences due to natural selection, the "hereditarian hypothesis." This study aims to show conceptual and methodological flaws of past studies supporting the hereditarian hypothesis.Materials and methods: Polygenic scores for educational attainment were constructed for African and European samples of the 1000 Genomes Project. Evidence for selection was evaluated using an excess variance test. Education associated variants were further evaluated for signals of selection by testing for excess genetic differentiation (F st ). Expected mean difference in IQ for populations was calculated under a neutral evolutionary scenario and contrasted to hereditarian claims.Results: Tests for selection using polygenic scores failed to find evidence of natural selection when the less biased within-family GWAS effect sizes were used. Tests for selection using F st values did not find evidence of natural selection. Expected mean difference in IQ was substantially smaller than postulated by hereditarians, even under unrealistic assumptions that overestimate genetic contribution. Conclusion:Given these results, hereditarian claims are not supported in the least.Cognitive performance does not appear to have been under diversifying selection in Europeans and Africans. In the absence of diversifying selection, the best case estimate for genetic contributions to group differences in cognitive performance is substantially smaller than hereditarians claim and is consistent with genetic differences contributing little to the Black-White gap.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No support for the hereditarian hypothesis of the Black–White achievement gap using polygenic scores and tests for divergent selection

Bird

2021

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…More senior Canadian psychologists will recall the work of Dr. Philippe Rushton who was a Professor of Psychology at Western University. His racial comparisons and studies of how intelligence and other aspects of human functioning could be connected to race have been widely criticized as both racist and poor science (Anderson, 1991; Cain & Vanderwolf, 1990; Cernovsky & Litman, 1993), and yet in their day had significant impact.…”

Section: Canadian Society In the Period Of 1960–1982mentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity and Canadian psychology: An evolving relationship.

Dobson¹

2022

Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne

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Public Significance StatementCanadian society has become much more diverse in recent decades, and has celebrated, but in some respects also been challenged by this diversity. Based on the experience and opinions of the author, this article presents a perspective on some of the ways in which Canadian psychology has responded to the issues related to diversity, and some of the potential areas for the ongoing development of the science and profession of psychology. In particular, the article recommends enhanced respect for diversity, recognition of the ubiquitous nature of intersectionality, the encouragement of social and restorative justice perspectives, and equitable participation of all persons in society.

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“…However, theoretical and empirical support for Rushton's claims have been severely called into question [73][74][75][76][77] . Critics were also quick to point out that Lynn's analyses had a deeply flawed sampling from Africa, resulting at least in a bias that reduced scores in Africa by an average of 12 points and showed signs of measurement bias from the IQ tests themselves 78 .…”

Section: No Evidence Of Divergent Natural Selection Between Africans mentioning

confidence: 99%

No support for the genetic hypothesis of the Black-white achievement gap using polygenic scores and tests for divergent selection

Bird¹

2020

Preprint

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A protracted debate about the cause of IQ score gaps between Black and white populations has persisted within genetics, anthropology, and psychology. Public genomic data have changed these fields in many ways; as a side effect they have encouraged a new generation of race science. Recently, authors have claimed polygenic scores provide evidence a significant portion of differences in cognitive ability between Black and white populations are caused by genetic differences, frequently claiming these differences are due to natural selection. In light of recent calls for cautious interpretation of polygenic-score analyses, I apply methods to detect genetic differentiation and polygenic selection that address biases in polygenic scores, testing the claim that genetic differences explain cognitive gaps and that divergent selection occurred between populations with African and European ancestry. I provide evidence inconsistent with divergent selection and genetic differences driving the Black-white gap in cognitive ability, demonstrating that past results were inflated.

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Re-analyses of J.P. Rushton’s crime data

Cited by 19 publications

References 6 publications

No support for the hereditarian hypothesis of the Black–White achievement gap using polygenic scores and tests for divergent selection

No support for the hereditarian hypothesis of the Black–White achievement gap using polygenic scores and tests for divergent selection

Diversity and Canadian psychology: An evolving relationship.

No support for the genetic hypothesis of the Black-white achievement gap using polygenic scores and tests for divergent selection

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