"The Bell Curve" by Richard Herrnstein and Charles E. Murray has created a great deal of controversy because of its assertion that the key to explaining inequality and social problems in the United States is stratification by a unitary entity called intelligence, or cognitive ability, as measured by the intelligence quotient (IQ). Their…

This paper reviews the book "The Bell Curve" by Harvard psychologist Richard J. Herrnstein and political scientist Charles Alan Murray. The paper asserts as the book's main points and implications: (1) one's socioeconomic place in life is now determined by IQ rather than family wealth and influence; (2) ruling white elites, who have…

Few books have generated as much controversy as the recently published "The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life." The tremendous polarization on the issue of the relationship between intelligence quotient (IQ) to race and social class, reinforced by the book, and the potential this book has for undermining…

Collection of reviews of the controversial book "The Bell Curve" includes an annotated bibliography of 36 reviews in professional journals, edited books, and the popular press; a critique of the book's statistical appendixes; comments from John Goodlad, Howard Gardner, and others; discussion of heritability estimates; and summaries of a…

Urges educators and citizens to ignore the hype surrounding "The Bell Curve" and to grasp the ethnocentrism (or racism) that underlies eugenicist arguments. Both Carnoy and Ladson-Billings offer hope to those supporting educational equity and the appreciation of diversity. (SLD)

Discusses R. Herrnstein's and C. Murray's attempt to persuade an educated white readership that they, the readers, are genetically, socially, and intellectually superior. The most effective criticisms are those that rely on scientific evidence about the manipulation of data and flawed analyses rather than the display of moral outrage. (SLD)

This book, a critique of "The Bell Curve" by R. Herrnstein and C. Murray, explores what "inequality" in society means, how it arises, and how it can be measured or dealt with quantitatively. It also considers how societal and other variables work to increase or decrease inequality. The book argues that "The Bell…

Reviews the 1989 report, "A Common Destiny: Blacks and American Society," which examines the anticipated and unanticipated consequences of initiatives since 1940 to improve the Blacks' social position. Criticizes the report for omitting evidence concerning racial differences in intelligence and criminal activity at the individual level. (FMW)

It is argued that the statements and accusations made by Stephen Jay Gould about the use of factor analysis are incorrect and unjustified and that tests properly designed for the purpose can adequately measure a "general" or "g" factor of intelligence, particularly in view of the developments in testing since "The…

This book focuses on topics germane to cognitive abilities viewed from a "minority psychology" perspective. The most contentious chapters concern test bias and heredity, with culture, socioeconomic status, and case viewed as the chief explanations for test score differences between social classes and racial and ethnic groups. The reviewer…