I'm mainly a lurker but this forum seems like as good a place as any to ask this question I've often wondered about.
In rodent studies environmental enrichment is related to better performance on learning and memory tasks and larger brain volumes. Everyone also knows intelligence is highly heritable and that factors such as nutrition and environment are also influential.
My question is - what environmental factors do you think positively influence IQ?
I assume that most environmental factors (being read to, use of baby sign language early in life) would have small effects, only increasing IQ a few points and not in a clinically significant way. Abuse and neglect would probably have much larger negative influences on IQ than any single positive influence.
Does a combination of positive environmental factors have an additive effect on IQ or is there an interaction effect of multiple environmental factors?
What are your thoughts?
