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Some history of heredity-vs-environment, genetic inferiority at Harvard(?), andThe (incredible)Bell Curve

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Abstract

This article discusses some historical and intellectual roots of American behaviorism in psychology and its antiheredity, environmentalist bias, as well as the early ‘justification’ for pure line theory in genetics and some interrelations between the two fields. Next, I discuss the heritability concept, its promotion, its critique and the importance of distinguishing it from, rather than confusing or conflating it with, the heredity concept. Then, briefly I consider some of the history and problems associated with the intelligence concept, as well as the capital importance of biological controls in studies of human heredity. And finally, I document the incredibility ofThe Bell Curve and the appalling inadequacy of its reception.

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  1. Departments of Psychology and Ecology, Ethology and Evolution, University of Illinois, 61820, Champaign, IL, USA

    Jerry Hirsch

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Hirsch, J. Some history of heredity-vs-environment, genetic inferiority at Harvard(?), andThe (incredible)Bell Curve . Genetica 99, 207–224 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02259524

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