EVIDENCE AGAINST RUSHTON - THE GENETIC LOADING OF WISC-R SUBTESTS ANDTHE CAUSES OF BETWEEN-GROUP IQ DIFFERENCES

Rushton ranks WISC-R subtests both for genetic loading and the magnitu de of the black-white score gap. He finds a positive correlation and t herefore, infers that the genetic contribution to the black-white IQ g ap is robust. Rushton's method was applied to five independent data se ts showing IQ gains over time. Because these gains are known to be env ironmental in origin, it should have given robust negative correlation s. In fact: for the totality of Wechsler subtests, it implies a nil co rrelation; for verbal subtests, it gives positive correlations ranging from 0.300 to 0.900; for performance subtests, it gives a mix of posi tive and negative. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.