What is the relationship of intelligence to genetics?

Intelligence, heredity and the relationship between them, a long history of disagreements about the nature of intelligence and its determinants. Since its establishment as an independent science in 1879, psychology has witnessed several theories, each of which expresses a different opinion. These theories can be divided, according to the "Oxford Handbook", into two schools of thought. The first assumes that there is only one general intelligence ability. Some of them say that it is fixed and related to the genetic inheritance of the individual, as most of the owners of this school believe that this intelligence can be measured by general tests applied everywhere and in all cases. The second school assumes that there are multiple forms of intelligence, which are not fixed and most cannot be measured by these traditional methods.

The three-dimensional theory of intelligence, formulated by Robert Sternberg of Yale University in the late XNUMXth century, belongs to the second school. It is based on three dimensions, and each dimension relates to a special kind of intelligence. This intelligence is translated through successes in daily life associated with specific and changing conditions and environments. Therefore, according to his view, most of them cannot be measured and examined by general standards; But there are many standards and not fixed. That is, it depends on “the individual’s ability to be aware of his strengths and weaknesses and how to enhance strengths and mitigate weaknesses,” he says. The three dimensions are:

1. The practical dimension, which relates to the individual's ability to deal with the problems he faces in daily life; For example, at home, work, school and university. Often, this ability is implicit, and is reinforced over time through practice. There are people who spend a lot of time on a particular job and get relatively little tacit knowledge. As for those with practical intelligence, they have a greater ability to adapt to any new environment, and how to choose new methods to deal with it, and influence it.

2. The innovative dimension is the invention of unfamiliar and previously known solutions, concepts and theories. Being new, creativity is inherently fragile and incomplete because it is new. Thus it cannot be subjected to scrutiny and evaluation accurately. Sternberg also concluded that creative people are creative in certain areas rather than others; Innovation is not universal at all.

3. The analytical dimension, related to the ability to analyze, evaluate, compare and contrast, and these abilities are usually acquired, either from others in daily life, or in school and university, and can be subjected to evaluation by some traditional methods.