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There is no such thing as culture-free intelligence
1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. lupyan@wisc.edu; http://sapir.psych.wisc.edu.
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|September 13, 2022
Summary
Complex human traits, such as memory and intelligence, are cultural products, not natural kinds. Measuring these traits and their heritability is possible, but assuming they are universal is a mistake.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
- Cultural Studies
Background:
- Cognitive scientists and psychometricians often treat measures of memory, vocabulary, and intelligence as natural kinds.
- Behavioral geneticists frequently utilize these measures without considering their cultural origins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To argue that complex human traits are cultural products.
- To challenge the assumption that psychological measures are universal and time-invariant.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis and argumentation.
- Critique of existing methodologies in cognitive science and behavioral genetics.
Main Results:
- Complex human traits are fundamentally shaped by cultural contexts.
- Heritability estimates for these traits do not negate their cultural provenance.
Conclusions:
- While complex traits can be measured and their heritability estimated, these findings are bound to specific cultural and historical contexts.
- Concluding that measured traits are universal, irrespective of time and place, represents a form of hubris.
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