The IQ Controversy, the Media and Public Policy

By Stanley Rothman

Revised

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0887388396
• ISBN13: 9780887388392
• Release Date: August 1970
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 323 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Careful survey of academic views and how the media paints a different picture

This is a fascinating study. The authors surveyed over 600 academics involved in IQ research to obtain their views about what the tests measure, too what extent is intelligence hereditary and so on. They then review the media coverage of IQ testing research. Snyderman & Rothman found the media takes a very one sided view of the research. Researchers like Jensen, who argue that a significant amount of the differences within a population are due to hereditary factors, tend to be portrayed as fringe figures. Actually, the majority of researchers agree that differences are not purely environmental and hereditary factors play a significant role. The book provides some interesting reasons for why the media has effectively mislead the public over the issue. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in IQ research, and/or how the media can slant opinion in the direction it prefers.