What makes someone good at science? Are scientists just smarter than other people? And what does "smart" really mean, anyway? In this episode, Jocelyn and Bradley discuss the complexity of intelligence and our longstanding cultural obsession with measuring it. In addition to the socioeconomic, racial, gender, and "specialty" biases that plague IQ tests, the hosts discuss the utility of these tests—or, rather, their lack of utility—as a predictor of future achievement, and why "innate" intelligence is not a thing. They also take on the myth that scientists are smarter than other people, arguing that this (mis)perception adversely affects everyone, including scientists at all levels who are vulnerable to imposter syndrome.


Sources & Links:

•https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/iq-tests-are-fundamentally-flawed-and-using-them-alone-to-measure-intelligence-is-a-fallacy-study-8425911.html?amp
•https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/g-unnatural-selection
•http://www.nea.org/home/73288.htm


Contact Science! With Friends (especially if you’re a scientist interested in a lively conversation about your science and science story) at Gmail or Twitter!

•Gmail: [email protected]
•Twitter @SciWithFriends

The Science! With Friends Podcast is created and hosted by Jocelyn Bosley (@SciTalker) and Bradley Nordell (@bradleynordell)

The Science! With Friends Podcast is Produced by the Basement Creators Network. You can find them at https://www.basementcreators.network/
Sound Editing by Vince Ruhl