That would definitely make more sense than using the entire human race. I still think it might be interesting to use multiple-child families for one of the studies. There would be confounding factors that would have to be accounted for, such as first-sibling bias and I don't know what else, but there might be advantages too: availability of modern standard tests, rough equivalence of environment, closest genetic matching, etc.

Yes... but doesn't that mean that the tests have to be re-normed because the 2010 testers scored higher on the same test than the 1980 testers?

In other words, the later generation is testing higher on the older test? As in, if the test was left alone, the later generation would test as having higher IQ's? (I think the average increase is 7 points per generation).

Am I not understanding it correctly? Please correct me if I'm on the wrong track.

(Mind you, I'm guessing this is also a reflection of environment, which is not what this thread is about...sorry)

It was just hard for me to swallow given my family pattern - I am pretty sure my IQ measures above both of my parents, and I'm positive my son is at least 10 points above mine. Of course, one family does not a study make, but the bias it creates in my head is hard to ignore

I'm pretty sure that I'm significantly more intelligent than both my parents and my children.

However, I would estimate that I am at the level of my cousins and my uncle.

You need to look further out in your family.

A new study has found genes that are correlated with academic achievement even after controlling for IQ.

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/07/genes.aspx
July 2, 2012
Genes May Play Role in Educational Achievement, Study Finds

Three genes identified as possible markers for academic success
WASHINGTON—Researchers have identified genetic markers that may influence whether a person finishes high school and goes on to college, according to a national longitudinal study of thousands of young Americans. The study is in the July issue of Developmental Psychology, a publication of the American Psychological Association.

“Being able to show that specific genes are related in any way to academic achievement is a big step forward in understanding the developmental pathways among young people,” said the study’s lead author, Kevin Beaver, PhD, a professor at the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University.

The three genes identified in the study – DAT1, DRD2 and DRD4 – have been linked to behaviors such as attention regulation, motivation, violence, cognitive skills and intelligence, according to the study. Previous research has explored the genetic underpinnings of intelligence but virtually none has examined genes that potentially contribute to educational attainment in community samples, said Beaver.

He and his colleagues analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, also known as Add Health. Add Health is a four-wave study of a nationally representative sample of American youths who were enrolled in middle or high school in 1994 and 1995. The study continued until 2008, when most of the respondents were between the ages of 24 and 32. The participants completed surveys, provided DNA samples and were interviewed, along with their parents. The sample used for this analysis consisted of 1,674 respondents.

The genes identified in this research are known as dopamine transporter and receptor genes. Every person has the genes DAT1, DRD2 and DRD4, but what is of interest are molecular differences within the genes, known as alleles, according to Beaver. Subjects who possessed certain alleles within these genes achieved the highest levels of education, according to the findings.

...

A recent president of the Behavior Genetics Association (which hosts an online group of which I am part) saw the same press release, and commented,

"Dopaminergic Polymorphisms and Educational Achievement:
Results From a Longitudinal Sample of Americans

"Here is my question: if a linear combination of three environmental measures-- books in the home, air quality and hours spent watching TV-- correlated -.12 with educational achievement, would anyone take it seriously?"

There seems to be a lot of grasping at straws in current genetic studies of human behavior. The more genes are investigated across more individuals, the less each gene appears to have to do with any behavior of interest.

Apple. Fall. Tree.

Whether by nature or nurture....

My husband and I have different kinds of smart (both demonstrably from several generations of that kind of smart). We appear to have passed both kinds to our children. They are a little bit scary.

Don't keep us in suspense!

What "kinds of smart" have you given them?

On my husband's side of the family there does seem to be a gene for exceptional memory. Some of the people have it, some don't and it is crystal clear who has it and who doesn't. My husband has it, my oldest daughter has it, my other daughter does not. Ask my husband any birthday or anniversary date on either side of our very large and extended family - no problem. Ask him to put together a piece of IKEA furniture and we are in trouble.