Size matters? More on brain size and IQ

Another research study suggesting that "bigger is better" when it comes to brain size. This studyis unique as it is based on brain autopsies.

Intelligence scholars have had a long-standing interest in this research. I've never paid much attention as I don't see much in the way of practical implications...assessment psychologists are NOT going to start measuring the heads of clients.!!!!!!!! The correlations (proportion of IQ variance explained) is of theoretical/statistical significance, but has little practical significance. But....it is interesting cocktail converstation material.

I find it personally interesting given that my brother (and his friends) used to tease me about the size of my head when I was a kid (they thought mine was too big). Now I have ammunition to fight back!!

I just ran a search of my private reference database. All of the records below make some kind of mention of "brain size" in the article...for those who want to know more...happy reading:)


Brain size references

• Bakalar, P. (2004). The IQ of gypsies in central Europe. Mankind Quarterly, 44(3-4), 291-300.
• Colom, R., & GarciaLopez, O. (2002). Sex differences in fluid intelligence among high school graduates. Personality and Individual Differences, 32(3), 445-451.
• Colom, R., JuanEspinosa, M., Abad, F., & Garcia, L. F. (2000). Negligible sex differences in general intelligence. Intelligence, 28(1), 57-68.
• Colom, R., & Lynn, R. (2004). Testing the developmental theory of sex differences in intelligence on 12-18 year olds. Personality and Individual Differences, 36(1), 75-82.
• Deary, I. J. (2001). Individual differences in cognition: British contributions over a century. British Journal of Psychology, 92, 217-237.
• Garlick, D. (2002). Understanding the nature of the general factor of intelligence: The role of individual differences in neural plasticity as an explanatory mechanism. Psychological Review, 109(1), 116-136.
• Haier, R. J., Chueh, D., Touchette, P., Lott, I. et al. (1995). Brain size and cerebral glucose metabolic rate in nonspecific mental retardation and Down syndrome. Intelligence, 20(2), 191-210.
• Jensen, A. R. (2002). Galton's legacy to research on intelligence. Journal of Biosocial Science, 34(2), 145-172.
• Lubinski, D. (2000). Scientific and social significance of assessing individual differences: ''Sinking shafts at a few critical points''. Annual Review of Psychology, 51, 405-444.
• Lynn, R., Allik, J., & Irwing, P. (2004). Sex differences on three factors identified in Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices. Intelligence, 32(4), 411-424.
• Lynn, R., Allik, J., & Must, O. (2000). Sex differences in brain size, stature and intelligence in children and adolescents: some evidence from Estonia. Personality and Individual Differences, 29(3), 555-560.
• Lynn, R., & Irwing, P. (2004). Sex differences on the progressive matrices: A meta-analysis. Intelligence, 32(5), 481-498.
• Moutafi, J., Furnham, A., & Paltiel, L. (2005). Can personality factors predict intelligence? Personality and Individual Differences, 38(5), 1021-1033.
• Neubauer, A. C., & Fink, A. (2003). Fluid intelligence and neural efficiency: effects of task complexity and sex. Personality and Individual Differences, 35(4), 811-827.
• Rushton, J. P. (2004). Placing intelligence into an evolutionary framework or how g fits into the r-K matrix of life-history traits including longevity. Intelligence, 32(4), 321-328.
• Rushton, J. P. (1991). "Mongoloid^Caucasoid differences in brain size from military sample": Reply. Intelligence, 15(3), 365-367.
• Rushton, J. P. (1991). Mongoloid^Caucasoid differences in brain size from military samples. Intelligence, 15(3), 351-359.
• Rushton, J. P. (1997). Cranial size and IQ in Asian Americans from birth to age seven. Intelligence, 25(1), 7-20.
• Templer, D. I., & Tomeo, M. E. (2002). Mean Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score and gender distribution as function of academic discipline. Personality and Individual Differences, 32(1), 175-179.
• Voracek, M. (2004). National intelligence and suicide rate: an ecological study of 85 countries. Personality and Individual Differences, 37(3), 543-553.
• Willerman, L. (1991). "Mongoloid-Caucasoid differences in brain size from military samples": Commentary. Intelligence, 15(3), 361-364.
• Willerman, L., Schultz, R., Rutledge, J. N., & Bigler, E. D. (1991). In vivo brain size and intelligence. Intelligence, 15(2), 223-228.
• Willerman, L., & Schultz, R. T. (1995). Comments on "Brain size and cerebral glucose metabolic rate in nonspecific mental retardation and Down syndrome.". Intelligence, 20(2), 211-216.

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