Scholars of intelligence have sometimes commented about the mismatch between the public's knowledge of intelligence and the findings that scholars produce when studying the topic (e.g., Gottfredson, 2009; Warne, Astle, & Hill,... [ view full abstract ]
Scholars of intelligence have sometimes commented about the mismatch between the public's knowledge of intelligence and the findings that scholars produce when studying the topic (e.g., Gottfredson, 2009; Warne, Astle, & Hill, 2018). However, there are no published peer-review studies of the general public's knowledge about important topics within the field of intelligence research.
To address the hole in the research, we are currently conducting an online survey of Americans' perceptions and beliefs about human intelligence. This 82-question survey covers (a) basic characteristics of intelligence, (b) intelligence testing, (c) education and life outcomes, (d) development, (e) environmental and genetic influences, (f) educational policy, (g) effectiveness of interventions to raise IQ, (h) sex differences, and (i) racial/ethnic group differences. Most respondents are members of the general American public, though we are also seeking out a subsample of K-12 teachers.
While the study is not completed at the time of submission to the conferences, we fully expect that it will be in July. We expect to gain important insights into the degree to which the public's perceptions matches or deviates from the mainstream findings of knowledgeable researchers.
This study has important implications for educational policy, social policy, and the degree to which empirical research is incorporated into the public consciousness. We believe that researchers would benefit from understanding public misconceptions in order to shape messages in the media and online that can increase the likelihood that public opinion will be based on sound science.
