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On a dubious theory of cross-country differences in intelligence

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  • Kevin Denny

    (School of Economics and Geary Institute University College Dublin)

Abstract

Kanazawa (2007) offers an explanation for the variation across countries of average intelligence. It is based on the idea human intelligence is a domain specific adaptation and that both temperature and the distance from some putative point of origin are proxies for the degree of novelty that humans in a country have experienced. However the argument ignores many other considerations and is a priori weak and the data used questionable. A particular problem is that in calculating distances between countries it implicitly assumes that the earth is flat. This makes all the estimates biased and unreliable.

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  • Kevin Denny, 2009. "On a dubious theory of cross-country differences in intelligence," Working Papers 200931, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucd:wpaper:200931
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bound, John & Brown, Charles & Mathiowetz, Nancy, 2001. "Measurement error in survey data," Handbook of Econometrics, in: J.J. Heckman & E.E. Leamer (ed.), Handbook of Econometrics, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 59, pages 3705-3843, Elsevier.
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    Keywords

    intelligence; measurement error; international comparisons;
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