A distinctive cognitive style showing high verbal—low spatial analysis ability emerged on intelligence test performances of Jewish male subjects of Eastern European extraction. This style is somewhat different from that of the normative population. It is hypothesized that genetic factors making for differential development of the cerebral hemispheres in these subjects interact with subcultural emphasis on verbal skills to produce the evidenced differences.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AdevaiG.SilvermanA. J.McGoughW. E.Ethnic differences in perceptual testing. International Journal of Social Psychology, 1970, 16, 237–239.
2.
BackmanM. E.Patterns of mental abilities; ethnic, socio-economic and sex differences. American Educational Research Journal, 1972, 9, 1–12.
3.
BockR. D.KolakowskiD.Further evidence of sex-linked major-gene influence on human spatial visualizing ability. American Journal of Human Genetics, 1973, 25, 1–14.
4.
BockR. D.VandenbergS. G.Components of heritable variation in mental test scores. In VandenbergS. G. (Ed.), Progress in human behavior genetics. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1968. Pp. 233–260.
5.
DeFriesJ. C.AshtonG. C.JohnsonR. C.KuseA. R.McClearnG. E.MiM. P.RashadM. N.VandenbergS. G.WilsonJ. R.Parent-offspring resemblance for specific cognitive abilities in two ethnic groups. Nature, 1976, 261, 131–133.
6.
DershowitzZ.Jewish subcultural patterns and psychological differentiation. International Journal of Psychology, 1971, 6, 223–231.
7.
DershowitzZ.FrankelY.Jewish culture and the WISC and WAIS patterns. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1975, 43, 126–134.
8.
GazzanigaM. S.the bisected brain. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1970.
9.
GoldbergJ.MeredithW.A longitudinal study of spatial ability. Behavior Genetics, 1975, 5, 127–135.
10.
GrayzelS.A history of the Jews. New York: Jewish Publ. Society of America, 1968.
11.
GuilfordJ. P.The nature of human intelligence. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.
12.
HakstianA. R.CattellR. B.The checking of primary ability structure on a broader basis of performance. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 1974, 44, 140–154.
13.
KaufmanA. S.Verbal-performance IQ discrepancies on the WISC-R. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1976, 44, 739–744.
14.
LesserG. S.FiferG.ClarkD. H.Mental abilities of children from different social class and cultural groups. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1965, 30, Whole No. 102.
15.
LevinsonB. M.Cultural pressure and WAIS scatter in a traditional Jewish setting. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1958, 93, 277–286.
16.
LevinsonB. M.Traditional Jewish cultural values and performance on the Wechsler tests. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1959, 50, 177–181.
17.
LevinsonB. M.A research note on subcultural differences in WAIS between aged Italians and Jews. Journal of Gerontology, 1960, 15, 197–198. (a)
18.
LevinsonB. M.Subcultural variations in verbal and performance ability at the elementary school level. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1960, 97, 149–160. (b)
19.
LevinsonB. M.Subcultural values and IQ stability. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1961, 98, 69–82.
20.
LevinsonB. M.Jewish culture and WAIS performance among Jewish aged. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1962, 100, 55–68.
21.
LezakM. D.Neuropsychological assessment. New York: Oxford Univer. Press, 1976.
22.
MaccobyE. E.JacklinC. N.The psychology of sex differences. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Univer. Press, 1974.
23.
MarjoribanksE.Ethnic and environmental influences on mental abilities. American Journal of Sociology, 1972, 78, 323–337.
24.
MatarazzoJ. D.Wechsler's measurement and appraisal of adult intelligence. (5th ed.) Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1972.
25.
MourantA. E.The blood groups of Jews. Jewish Journal of Sociology, 1959, 1, 155–176.
26.
PiercyM.The effects of cerebral lesions on intellectual functions: A review of current research trends. British Journal of Psychiatry, 1964, 110, 310–352.
27.
RothC.A history of the Jews. New York: Schocken Books, 1970.
28.
SaldanhaP. H.BeçakW.Taste thresholds for phenylthiourea among Ashkenazik Jews. Science, 1959, 129, 150–151.
29.
ShapiroH. L.The Jewish people: A biological history. Paris: UNESCO, 1960.
30.
StaffordR. E.Sex differences in spatial visualization as evidence of sex-linked inheritance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1961, 13, 428.
31.
WendtR. A.BurwellE.Test performance of Jewish day-school students. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1964, 105, 99–103.
