Running head: The Bell Curve

Assertions of Intellectual Superiority in The Bell Curve

Olivia L. Snyder
PSY 366: Abnormal Psychology
Arizona State University

The Bell Curve

2
Assertions of Intellectual Superiority in The Bell Curve

Part 1: The Bell Curve.

A. Brief Summary.
The Bell Curve, written by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray, was published in 1994
with the intent to explain the genetic influence on the patterns of variations in intelligence in the
US. The analysis of data was based on a few major assumptions about intelligence. The first
assumptions are that there is a general intelligence factor, and IQ tests are the preferred means of
measuring this factor. The next assumptions are that IQ scores will corroborate intelligence
labels (Such as smart, dumb, etc.), and IQ scores are stable throughout a persons lifetime. The
last assumptions made are that IQ tests are not biased against various groups, and that cognitive
ability is between 40-80% heritable (Plucker & Esping, 2014). Using these assumptions,
Hernstein and Murray draw conclusions about the establishment of a Cognitive Elite, and the
impact of intelligence on social standing, race, and social policy.
The first conclusion drawn by Herrnstein and Murray was that those deemed intelligent, with
the higher IQ scores, have been corralled toward the peak of society, while the unintelligent
continue falling behind (Lemann, 1997). Essentially, the intelligence gap has been steadily
increasing because the Cognitive Elite have pursued higher education and received degrees,
which gave them access to specialized and higher paying jobs, and eventually they are able to
afford better housing and education (Plucker & Esping, 2014). Hernstein and Murray determined
that all of these factors pushed people with similar cognitive abilities closer together
geographically, which resulted in people being more likely to associate with those who have
similar ranges of cognitive ability.

The Bell Curve

The second conclusion drawn from their analysis was that lower IQ scores correlates with the
individual exhibiting more undesirable behaviors or living in more unfortunate circumstances.
Herrnstein and Murray argued that lower IQ is an indicator of impoverished living, limited
schooling, lack of employment/low income, criminal tendencies, relationship instability, and
social downfalls (Plucker & Esping, 2014). This relates back to the increasing intelligence gap
between social classes.
The third conclusion carries the most genetic implications, stating that there is a direct
correlation between race and cognitive ability, essentially creating a racial hierarchy of cognitive
ability. Herrnstein and Murray also argue that the demographic of those with higher cognitive
abilities is losing diversity as well as numbers since the birth rate amongst higher IQ women was
dropping drastically (Plucker & Esping).
The last conclusion drawn had to do with the treatment of people at various cognitive levels
and a need for adjustment in the definition of equality. One argument made was that attempts
made in the past to improve cognitive ability have been largely unsuccessful so achieving a
positive outcome is unlikely, the only logical form of intervention is to remove children born into
risky environments and place them into more cognitively beneficial environments (Herrnstein &
Murray, 1994). In addition to that, Hernstein and Murray believed that too many resources were
devoted to disadvantaged and underperforming students when they should be more focused on
gifted students. This translated into their stance on Affirmative Action in both higher education
and the workplace, their thought process following the belief that people brought into a school or
workplace with the help of affirmative action consistently underperform, and that ability to
perform correlated heavily with race (Plucker & Esping, 2014). Essentially, resources are wasted

The Bell Curve

on attempts to elevate the cognitive abilities of those with lower IQ scores because they are not
easily changed, and forced integration of these groups creates more problems than solutions.
B. Controversy
Much of the controversy surrounding The Bell Curve stems from the authors definition and
measuring of intelligence not being universally accepted by the scientific community. Defining
and measuring intelligence is still a highly contested debate within the realm of scientific study,
however, the most thorough approach to viewing intelligence at this time can be seen in
Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Parker, 2008). Here there are many variations in
intelligence that are not limited to a general factor measured by a standard test. In addition to
that, while the data was not necessarily incorrect, the general consensus is that the authors didnt
have enough evidence to justify their conclusion about genetic influence on intelligence. The
evidence used is more likely to lean towards environmental factors like income and parenting
style having more of an effect on learning (Lemann, 1997). This appears to be an issue of
interpretation brought on by confusion about the difference between correlation and causation
(Plucker &Esping, 2014). Lastly, the book had not been submitted for peer review, instead it had
just been published (Lemann, 1997).
C. About the Authors
Richard Herrnstein was an accomplished psychologist, having earned his Ph.D. in
psychology from Harvard University and having worked with B. F. Skinner. Aside from his
controversial contributions to The Bell Curve, Herrnstein was also well known for his Matching
Law, which he developed out of his research on behavior and reinforcement (Heyman, Maher,
White, & Wilson, 1998).

The Bell Curve

Charles Murray, on the other hand, earned his Ph.D. in political Science from Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, and was first recognized in the 1980s after the publication of Losing
Ground, his first book on American social policies. Since The Bell Curve, Murray has authored 6
books, the most recent published in 2015 (Charles Murray, n.d.). Most of the books he has
published appear to be an extension of his previous works, centered largely around social failures
in regards to education, morality, and general governing of ourselves. It is arguable that his
interpretations and assertions are heavily rooted in his Libertarian ideology and conservative
upbringing.
The Bell Curve was funded by Pioneer Fund, a non-profit whose main goal is the study of
heredity. This foundation has repeatedly come under fire for racist and controversial
tendencies, including its involvement in Minnesota and Texas Twin/Adoption Studies. Beyond
funding, the publisher of this book was led by a prominent neoconservative and had been
branching out into more controversial territory when the work was published.
Part 2: Other Factors that Contribute to Intellectual Disparities
A. Intellectual Disabilities and Autism
Intellectual disabilities are characterized as deficits in intellectual functions and adaptive
behavior in early childhood, this can be exhibited in a range of disorders. While scores on
intelligence tests, such as the WISC-IV, WAIS-IV, and IQ, are factored into a diagnosis of
intellectual disability, their reliability as true indicators is still questionable (Oltmans & Emery,
2015). This is mainly due to prominent cultural bias and limited flexibility. There is sufficient
evidence to suggest that biological factors are largely responsible for the development of
intellectual disorders, with some evidence to support the influence of environmental and social
factors. However, evidence for such factors has more to do with resources allotted to the child

The Bell Curve

and cognitive stimulation throughout their development. The most prominent social factors rely
heavily on parental involvement.
B. Childhood Disorders
When it comes to predicting behavior issues, the focus needs to be on how well children are
socialized to accept and operate within societal norms. Some of the strongest predictors of
behavior issues are Family Risk Factors. These include low income, overcrowding, depression or
antisocial behavior in parents, conflict within the household, and the separation of the child from
the home (Oltmans & Emery, 2015). The culmination of these factors create a high risk
environment which could result in stunted cognitive development as well as other intellectual
disparities (Sternberg, Grigorenko, & Kidd, 2005).
C. Life-Cycle Transitions
The inability to respond to various life-cycle transitions in a healthy way can affect an
individuals psychological well-being (Oltmans & Emery, 2015). These can come across as
intellectual disparities because people who havent been able to make healthy adjustments in life
or develop proper adaptive skills will not always react to situations in the same way that others
would. Leading to those around them, or perhaps evaluating their behavior, to see the cause of
their behavior as an issue of general intelligence as opposed to overwhelming stress.
Part 3: Critique
As I had briefly mentioned in Part 1, the conclusions drawn by Charles Murray and
Richard Herrnstein didnt appear to be the result of mal-intent or careless data collection. The
main issue with The Bell Curve fell on the study itself, the criteria for intelligence within the
study was not universally accepted by their peers, specifically due to the complexity of
intelligence and any attempt to measure it needing to be on par in terms of complexity and

The Bell Curve

flexibility (Lemann, 1997). Murray and Herrnstein relied on very limited criteria for intelligence
that would allow them to measure it with IQ scores. While this may have been easier in terms of
collecting data, the long term effects make the study seem just as limited and borderline
incomplete. The evidence that was presented did show that members of certain socioeconomic
groups would consistently score lower/higher than another group, but in my opinion, the analysis
was limited to only delving so deep as to draw the most superficial and broadest of conclusions.
This could be due to the authors implicit bias, they would not feel the need to do further analysis
because they had the answer they were looking for. Murray and Herrnstein needed to include
more in depth analysis that incorporated environmental and historical factors, especially if they
wanted to make assertions about intelligence based on race (Sternberg, Grigorenko, & Kidd,
2005). I dont doubt that there is some element of heritability when it comes to intelligence,
however, I am not convinced that this book proved it without a doubt.

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References

Charles Murray. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2016, from

https://www.aei.org/page/2/
Herrnstein, R. J. and Murray, C., (1994). The Bell Curve. New York, NY: The
Free Press.
Heyman, G.M., Maher, B.A., White, S.H. & Wilson, J.Q. (1998). Richard J.
Herrnstien. Faculty of Arts and Sciences Memorial Minute; The
Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from:
http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/03.12/FacultyofArtsan.html
Lemann, N. (1997). The bell curve flattened. Slate. Retrieved from
http://www.slate.com/articles/briefing/articles/1997/01/the_bell_curve_fl
attened.html
Oltmanns, T.F., & Emery, R.E. (2015). Abnormal psychology (8th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Parker, C. (2008). An examination of the interrelationship between social demographic factors
and multiple intelligences among college students. Morgan State University. Retrieved
from http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/621737079?accountid=4485
Plomin, R., & Spinath, F. M. (2004). Intelligence: Genetics, genes, and genomics. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 86(1), 112-129. Retrieved from
http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/620221526?accountid=4485

The Bell Curve

Plucker, J. A., & Esping, A. (Eds.). (2014). The bell curve. Human intelligence: Historical
influences, current controversies, teaching resources. Retrieved from
http://www.intelltheory.com.
Sternberg, R. J., Grigorenko, E. L., & Kidd, K. K. (2005). Intelligence, race, and
genetics. American Psychologist, 60(1), 46-59. Retrieved from
http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/620635589?accountid=4485