Question

The Buraku people of Japan, who are looked down upon by other Japanese and whose IQ scores are 10 to 15 points below mainstream Japanese, illustrate the fact that:

a) IQ scores are a highly accurate measure of intelligence
b) Socioeconomic factors can significantly impact IQ scores
c) Intelligence is primarily determined by genetics
d) Culture has no influence on cognitive abilities

Answer 1

The Buraku case in Japan demonstrates that socioeconomic factors can have a significant impact on IQ scores, challenging the idea that intelligence is primarily genetically determined.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Buraku people of Japan, who face social discrimination and have IQ scores 10 to 15 points below the mainstream Japanese population, illustrate that socioeconomic factors can significantly impact IQ scores. Studies have indicated that children living in poverty, experiencing daily stress, and dealing with worries about safety, shelter, and food can negatively affect brain functions and development, leading to lower IQ scores. This is in line with the findings by Mark Kishiyama and his colleagues, where they observed reduced prefrontal brain functioning in children living in poverty, comparable to children with damage to the lateral prefrontal cortex.

Furthermore, historical and modern research refutes genetic determinism related to race and intelligence, underscoring that any generally lower IQ among a racial group is more a reflection of environmental factors than genetics. This aligns with conflict theorists who argue that IQ tests can be biased towards certain cultural knowledge and do not fully account for the varying backgrounds and experiences of individuals. Therefore, the notion that the differences in IQ scores among ethnic or social groups reflect purely innate intelligence is widely challenged and discredited.