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{{Human intelligence}}
Several [[Epidemiology|epidemiological]] studies have shown a positive correlation between '''height and intelligence''' in human populations.<ref>Wilson DM, Hammer LD, Duncan PM et al. Growth and intellectual development. Pediatrics 1986;78:646–50.</ref><ref>Walker SP, Grantham-McGregor SM, Powell CA, Chang SM. Effects of growth restriction in early childhood on growth, IQ, and cognition at age 11 to 12 years and the benefits of nutritional supplementation and psychosocial stimulation. J Pediatr 2000;
Several [[Epidemiology|epidemiological]] studies have shown a positive correlation between '''height and intelligence''' in human populations.<ref>Wilson DM, Hammer LD, Duncan PM et al. Growth and intellectual development. Pediatrics 1986;78:646–50.</ref><ref>Walker SP, Grantham-McGregor SM, Powell CA, Chang SM. Effects of growth restriction in early childhood on growth, IQ, and cognition at age 11 to 12 years and the benefits of nutritional supplementation and psychosocial stimulation. J Pediatr 2000;
137:36–41.</ref><ref>Tanner JM. Relation of body size, intelligence test scores and social
137:36–41.</ref><ref>Tanner JM. Relation of body size, intelligence test scores and social
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Studies have shown, however, that common [[genetics|genetic factors]] influence variation in both height and intelligence, and are responsible for some of the effect,<ref>{{cite journal | author = Silventoinen K., Posthuma D., van Beijsterveldt T., Bartels M., Boomsma D.I. | year = 2006 | title = Genetic contributions to the association between height and intelligence: evidence from Dutch twin data from childhood to middle age | url = | journal = [[Genes, Brain and Behavior]] | volume = 8 | issue = | pages = 585–595 }}</ref> or that both height and intelligence may be affected by adverse early environmental exposures. Two large recent [[twin study|twin pair studies]] of the height-intelligence relationship showed that both shared environment (59% in both studies) and shared genetics (35% in one study and 31% in the other) are responsible for significant portions of the observed correlation between intelligence and height.<ref name="Beauchamp2011" /><ref name= "Sundet05" />
Studies have shown, however, that common [[genetics|genetic factors]] influence variation in both height and intelligence, and are responsible for some of the effect,<ref>{{cite journal | author = Silventoinen K., Posthuma D., van Beijsterveldt T., Bartels M., Boomsma D.I. | year = 2006 | title = Genetic contributions to the association between height and intelligence: evidence from Dutch twin data from childhood to middle age | url = | journal = [[Genes, Brain and Behavior]] | volume = 8 | issue = | pages = 585–595 }}</ref> or that both height and intelligence may be affected by adverse early environmental exposures. Two large recent [[twin study|twin pair studies]] of the height-intelligence relationship showed that both shared environment (59% in both studies) and shared genetics (35% in one study and 31% in the other) are responsible for significant portions of the observed correlation between intelligence and height.<ref name="Beauchamp2011" /><ref name= "Sundet05" />

== See also ==
*[[Sex and intelligence]]


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 22:21, 19 December 2013

Several epidemiological studies have shown a positive correlation between height and intelligence in human populations.[1][2][3][4] Similar associations have been found in early and late childhood and adulthood in both developed and developing countries, and associations persisted after controlling for social class and parental education. This does not imply that many short people are not intelligent, or that changes in physical height have a direct effect on cognitive ability. The reasons for this association remain unclear, but possible explanations include that height may be a biomarker of nutritional status or general mental and physical health during development, that genetic factors may influence both height and intelligence, or that both height and intelligence may be affected by adverse early environmental exposures.

Correlation

Studies of developing adolescents [5][6][7][8][9] and young adults[10][11] indicate a very small positive correlation between human IQ and height within national populations. The association is supported by studies linking height at eighteen with subsequent scholarly performance.[12]

Correlation coefficients in developing children are typically about 0.2. [13][14] A large study conducted on Norwegian soldiers the correlation between height and general ability was .15.[15] The effect appears to hold into the extremes of stature,[16] but may decrease with age.[17]

The correlation between the two factors is weak, although statistically significant. Consequently, these studies do not imply that variations in stature have a direct effect on cognitive ability. However, similar strength correlations have been found in early and late childhood in both developed and developing countries, even after controlling for social class and parental education. In adults, changes in environment and social status reduce the strength of this correlation.[17]

A recent study by Anne Case and Christina Paxson [18] has attracted media attention.[19][20]

Explanations of the correlation

Further information: Health and intelligence and Heritability of IQ

The reasons for the association between height and intelligence remain unclear, but possible explanations include that height may be a marker of nutritional status, prenatal maternal stress, or general mental and physical health during development.

It has been suggested that the large increases in average height, assumed to be due to improved nutrition, have been accompanied by an increase in brain size which may be one explanation for the Flynn effect.[21]

Studies have shown, however, that common genetic factors influence variation in both height and intelligence, and are responsible for some of the effect,[22] or that both height and intelligence may be affected by adverse early environmental exposures. Two large recent twin pair studies of the height-intelligence relationship showed that both shared environment (59% in both studies) and shared genetics (35% in one study and 31% in the other) are responsible for significant portions of the observed correlation between intelligence and height.[11][15]

References

  1. ^ Wilson DM, Hammer LD, Duncan PM et al. Growth and intellectual development. Pediatrics 1986;78:646–50.
  2. ^ Walker SP, Grantham-McGregor SM, Powell CA, Chang SM. Effects of growth restriction in early childhood on growth, IQ, and cognition at age 11 to 12 years and the benefits of nutritional supplementation and psychosocial stimulation. J Pediatr 2000; 137:36–41.
  3. ^ Tanner JM. Relation of body size, intelligence test scores and social circumstances. In: Mussen PH, Largen J, Covington M (eds). Trends and Issues in Developmental Psychology. New York: Holt, Rinehard and Winston Inc., 1969.
  4. ^ Pearce MS, Deary IJ, Young AH, Parker L. Growth in early life and childhood IQ at age 11 years: the Newcastle Thousand Families Study. Int J Epidemiol 2005;34:673–77.
  5. ^ Wilson DM, Hammer LD, Duncan PM; et al. (1986). "Growth and intellectual development". Pediatrics. 78 (4): 646–50. PMID 3763275. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Walker SP, Grantham-McGregor SM, Powell CA, Chang SM. Effects of growth restriction in early childhood on growth, IQ, and cognition at age 11 to 12 years and the benefits of nutritional supplementation and psychosocial stimulation. J Pediatr 2000; 137:36–41. Abstract
  7. ^ Tanner JM. Relation of body size, intelligence test scores and social circumstances. In: Mussen PH, Largen J, Covington M (eds). Trends and Issues in Developmental Psychology. New York: Holt, Rinehard and Winston Inc., 1969.
  8. ^ Pearce MS, Deary IJ, Young AH, Parker L. "Growth in early life and childhood IQ at age 11 years: the Newcastle Thousand Families Study." Int J Epidemiol 2005;34:673–77.Article
  9. ^ Humphreys L. G., Davey T. C., Park R. K. (1985). "Longitudinal correlation analysis of standing height and intelligence". Child Development. 56 (6): 1465–1478. doi:10.2307/1130466. JSTOR 1130466. PMID 4075869.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Tuvemo T., Jonsson B., Persson I. (1999). "Intellectual and physical performance and morbidity in relation to height in a cohort of 18-year-old Swedish conscripts". Hormone Research. 52 (4): 186–191. doi:10.1159/000023459. PMID 10725784.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b Beauchamp J. P., Cesarini D., Johannesson M., Lindqvist E., Apicella C. (2011). "On the sources of the height–intelligence correlation: New insights from a bivariate ACE model with assortative mating". Behavior Genetics. 41 (2): 242–252. doi:10.1007/s10519-010-9376-7. PMC 3044837. PMID 20603722.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ [1] Patrik Magnusson, Finn Rasmussen et Ulf Gyllensten, International Journal of Epidemiology, 2006
  13. ^ Humphreys, L. G., Davey, T. C., & Park, R. K. (1985). "Longitudinal correlation analysis of standing height and intelligence". Child Development. 56 (6): 1465–1478. doi:10.2307/1130466. JSTOR 1130466. PMID 4075869. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Donald B. Egolf and Lloyd E. Corder (1991). "Height differences of low and high job status, female and male corporate employees". Sex Differences. 5–6 (5–6): 365–373. doi:10.1007/BF00288309. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  15. ^ a b Sundet JM, Tambs K, Harris JR, Magnus P, Torjussen TM. Resolving the genetic and environmental sources of the correlation between height and intelligence: a study of nearly 2600 Norwegian male twin pairs. Twin Res Hum Genet. 2005 Aug;8(4):307-11
  16. ^ Teasdale, TW (1991). "Intelligence and educational level in adult males at the extremes of stature". Hum Biol. 63 (1). Wayne State University Press: 19–30. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  17. ^ a b Teasdale T. W., Srensen T. I. A., Owen D. R. (1989). "Fall in association of height with intelligence and educational level". British Medical Journal. 298 (6683): 1292–1293. doi:10.1136/bmj.298.6683.1292. PMC 1836522. PMID 2500201.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Anne Case and Christina Paxson : Stature and Status: Height, Ability and Labor Market OutcomesArticle
  19. ^ [2] Success Is Relative, and Height Isn’t Everything, by Stephen S. Hall, New York times, November 28, 2006
  20. ^ [3] or [4]Taller People Are Smarter, Reuters, August 25, 2006
  21. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1037/0003-066X.51.2.77, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1037/0003-066X.51.2.77 instead.
  22. ^ Silventoinen K., Posthuma D., van Beijsterveldt T., Bartels M., Boomsma D.I. (2006). "Genetic contributions to the association between height and intelligence: evidence from Dutch twin data from childhood to middle age". Genes, Brain and Behavior. 8: 585–595.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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