Regarding the status of research on the genetic basis for intelligence

If, as most people tend to do, one searches the massive Google advanced scholar database for the exact phrase genotypic IQ from 2000 to 2024, one gets a puny 122 hits. That indicates that linking genes to IQ or intelligence was not a hot research topic in those ~24 years. 

The limited volume of research suggests to all of us that the whole concept of finding genes linked to intelligence or stupidity is not highly regarded among experts. Having an enquiring mind, i.e., being a nosey busybody, I checked with Perplexity the Learned to see what it has to say. It said this about that:

Q: Is the concept of genotypic IQ an accepted concept in social science research?

A: The concept of "genotypic IQ" or the idea that differences in intelligence across populations can be significantly explained by genetic factors is a controversial and highly debated topic in social science research. Based on the search results, there are differing perspectives on this issue:

The book "Intelligence: A Unifying Construct for the Social Sciences" by Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen argues that differences in average intelligence across nations (national IQs) can help explain various social phenomena and inequalities, suggesting a genetic basis for intelligence differences. However, this view is contentious and not universally accepted.

These articles (article 1, article 2) from reputable scientific journals acknowledge that intelligence is heritable to some degree, but also highlight the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. They do not explicitly endorse the concept of "genotypic IQ" as a primary explanation for group differences.

This study attempted to replicate associations between specific genetic variants and general cognitive ability but found little evidence to support such links, casting doubt on simplistic genetic explanations for intelligence differences.

That accords with my suspicion that something is hinkey and stinkey, or funky and monkey, about research on linking genes to intelligence or lack thereof. Anyway, that triggered another enquiry in my enquiring mind. Does this kind of research raise issues of racism, bigotry or whatnot other forms of science naughtiness? That led to this follow-up:

Q: Do criticisms of genotypic IQ include racism, bigotry or eugenics?

A: Yes, the concept of "genotypic IQ" and attempts to link intelligence differences across populations to genetic factors have been heavily criticized for promoting racism, bigotry, and eugenic ideologies. The search results highlight several key points regarding these criticisms:

Connections to Eugenics and Scientific Racism

The race and intelligence controversy has a long history intertwined with the pseudoscientific eugenics movement, which promoted discriminatory policies like forced sterilization based on the false belief that certain races or groups were genetically inferior.

The eugenics movement was fueled by prejudiced and inaccurate understandings of genetics, including the idea that complex traits like intelligence were solely inherited in a simple Mendelian fashion. Eugenicists used such flawed theories to justify racist agendas of "racial improvement" through selective breeding.

Research attempting to link genetics to group differences in intelligence, such as the controversial book "The Bell Curve," has been criticized for rehashing claims that inequalities stem from immutable, inherited intelligence differences across races and classes. Such claims have been used to oppose social interventions and promote discriminatory policies.

Perpetuating Racism and Prejudice 

The implementation of eugenic practices has caused widespread harm, particularly to marginalized populations like people of color, those with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The search results note that eugenic beliefs and policies continue to manifest in modern-day forms of discrimination. 

Studies have found that support for eugenic policies is more strongly predicted by racial resentment and prejudiced attitudes than by beliefs about genetic attributions of traits. This suggests that attempts to link group differences to genetics may be rooted in and perpetuate racist ideologies.

Overall, while the role of genetics in intelligence is still debated, the concept of "genotypic IQ" and efforts to attribute group differences primarily to genetic factors have been widely criticized for promoting racist, discriminatory, and unscientific eugenic agendas rooted in prejudice rather than empirical evidence.

So there we have it ladies and germs, there are some reasons why there isn't a lot of research on linking genes to intelligence or lack thereof.

By Germaine: Not a racist or bigoted scientist-lite

A eugenics experiment gone 

barely, slightly awry