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Topic: Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime (Read 913 times) |
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rhinoceros
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Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
« on: 2004-05-26 11:07:01 » |
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I am forwarding this snip from another mailing list. Any comments?
<begin quote>
There is ANOTHER hypothesis for the time course of Black-White differences in standardized test scores leading to a quite noticeable change by 1990. It is well known that uptake of lead lowers IQ scores and school performance (as I've confirmed with town data on MCAS standardized tests in multiple subjects and grades). Equally evidence, Blacks -- due to lactose intolerance as well as diets poor in calcium and old housing with lead paint -- tend to have higher lead levels than whites in the same environment.
What is NOT generally known is that lead has especially harmful prenatal effects, and that lead can be a factor in loss of impulse control and violent crime. My published data show that sales of leaded gas are highly correlated with the decline in U.S. county level rates of violent crime that peaked in 1991. But BEWARE: sales in the same year as the crime is recorded are not correlated. In contrast, if violent crime is lagged 18 years or 19 years, the correlation is about 0.97. Prenatal exposure to lead is therefore a plausible hypothesis for changes in Black performance.
roger d masters
<end quote>
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JD
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RE: virus: Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
« Reply #1 on: 2004-05-26 11:51:11 » |
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This is interesting, but as the author points out correlation does not
establish cause, also, we need to see evidence that Blacks have higher lead
levels, the Flynn effect affects all groups, the score differences are also
found in the UK where black immigrants were often housed in the same if not
superior housing as whites.
I am certain the explanation is environmental or cultural, but I think this
one is a long shot.
Regards
Jonathan
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-virus@lucifer.com [mailto:owner-virus@lucifer.com] On Behalf Of
rhinoceros
Sent: 26 May 2004 16:07
To: virus@lucifer.com
Subject: virus: Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
I am forwarding this snip from another mailing list. Any comments?
<begin quote>
There is ANOTHER hypothesis for the time course of Black-White differences
in standardized test scores leading to a quite noticeable change by 1990. It
is well known that uptake of lead lowers IQ scores and school performance
(as I've confirmed with town data on MCAS standardized tests in multiple
subjects and grades). Equally evidence, Blacks -- due to lactose intolerance
as well as diets poor in calcium and old housing with lead paint -- tend to
have higher lead levels than whites in the same environment.
What is NOT generally known is that lead has especially harmful prenatal
effects, and that lead can be a factor in loss of impulse control and
violent crime. My published data show that sales of leaded gas are highly
correlated with the decline in U.S. county level rates of violent crime that
peaked in 1991. But BEWARE: sales in the same year as the crime is recorded
are not correlated. In contrast, if violent crime is lagged 18 years or 19
years, the correlation is about 0.97. Prenatal exposure to lead is
therefore a plausible hypothesis for changes in Black performance.
roger d masters
<end quote>
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71>
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rhinoceros
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My point is ...
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Re:Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
« Reply #2 on: 2004-05-26 13:59:08 » |
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[Jonathan Davis]
This is interesting, but as the author points out correlation does not establish cause
[rhinoceros]
Of course it doesn't. Masters talks about a 0.97 correlation between violent crime and leaded gas sales 18-19 years before. He says "parenatal exposure to lead is a plausible hypothesis".
Agreed, a high statistical correlation does not establish a cause. Take, for example, the number of cars. Logically, the number of cars would go together with gas sales and would have the same correlation with violent crime as long you don't pay attention to the use of leaded or unleaded gas (assuming the author's hypothesis is correct). Also, there can be other unrelated real causes which just happen to go together with leaded gas sales.
On the other hand, a high statistical correlation does tell you where to look for causes. This is what we have here, when Masters looked into the physiological effects of toxic metals.
[Jonathan Davis]
also, we need to see evidence that Blacks have higher lead levels, the Flynn effect affects all groups, the score differences are also found in the UK where black immigrants were often housed in the same if not superior housing as whites.
[rhinoceros]
This theory is prof. Masters' pet peeve. I cannot retrieve the full study he posted from the files folder of the Evolutionary Psychology yahoo group -- there must be a technical problem. This one seems to be related:
http://www.crime-times.org/97d/w97dp1.htm
From what I can see in the few lines he posted, his argument is that the same lead exposure (same environment) had different physiological effects on what he calls "Blacks".
[Jonathan Davis]
I am certain the explanation is environmental or cultural, but I think this one is a long shot.
[rhinoceros]
I can see why this hypothesis looks suspect: It does not cohere with the paradigms we usually follow when talking about matters of criminality and race (whatever that means). However, I have yet to see any "bad science" in the hypothesis. This is from the link posted above:
<quote>
Masters et al. stress that "neurotoxicity is only one cause among many, at most functioning as a catalyst which, in addition to poverty, social stress, alcohol or drug abuse, individual character, and other social factors, increases the likelihood that an individual will commit a violent crime." But reducing even this one risk among many is an important goal, they say, "given the extraordinary level of violence that persists in urban America and the failure of traditional policies to meet it."
<end quote>
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JD
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RE: virus: Re:Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
« Reply #3 on: 2004-05-26 14:46:37 » |
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-virus@lucifer.com [mailto:owner-virus@lucifer.com] On Behalf Of
rhinoceros
Sent: 26 May 2004 18:59
To: virus@lucifer.com
Subject: virus: Re:Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
[rhinoceros]
I can see why this hypothesis looks suspect: It does not cohere with the
paradigms we usually follow when talking about matters of criminality and
race (whatever that means). However, I have yet to see any "bad science" in
the hypothesis. This is from the link posted above:
<quote>
Masters et al. stress that "neurotoxicity is only one cause among many, at
most functioning as a catalyst which, in addition to poverty, social stress,
alcohol or drug abuse, individual character, and other social factors,
increases the likelihood that an individual will commit a violent crime."
But reducing even this one risk among many is an important goal, they say,
"given the extraordinary level of violence that persists in urban America
and the failure of traditional policies to meet it."
<end quote>
[Jonathan 2] Sold. :-)
Regareds
Jonathan
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simul
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I am a lama.
 
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Re: virus: Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
« Reply #4 on: 2004-05-26 15:30:54 » |
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-----Original Message-----
From: "Jonathan Davis" <jonathan.davis@lineone.net>
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 16:51:11
To:<virus@lucifer.com>
Subject: RE: virus: Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
This is interesting, but as the author points out correlation does not
establish cause, also, we need to see evidence that Blacks have higher lead
levels, the Flynn effect affects all groups, the score differences are also
found in the UK where black immigrants were often housed in the same if not
superior housing as whites.
I am certain the explanation is environmental or cultural, but I think this
one is a long shot.
Regards
Jonathan
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-virus@lucifer.com [mailto:owner-virus@lucifer.com] On Behalf Of
rhinoceros
Sent: 26 May 2004 16:07
To: virus@lucifer.com
Subject: virus: Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
I am forwarding this snip from another mailing list. Any comments?
<begin quote>
There is ANOTHER hypothesis for the time course of Black-White differences
in standardized test scores leading to a quite noticeable change by 1990. It
is well known that uptake of lead lowers IQ scores and school performance
(as I've confirmed with town data on MCAS standardized tests in multiple
subjects and grades). Equally evidence, Blacks -- due to lactose intolerance
as well as diets poor in calcium and old housing with lead paint -- tend to
have higher lead levels than whites in the same environment.
What is NOT generally known is that lead has especially harmful prenatal
effects, and that lead can be a factor in loss of impulse control and
violent crime. My published data show that sales of leaded gas are highly
correlated with the decline in U.S. county level rates of violent crime that
peaked in 1991. But BEWARE: sales in the same year as the crime is recorded
are not correlated. In contrast, if violent crime is lagged 18 years or 19
years, the correlation is about 0.97. Prenatal exposure to lead is
therefore a plausible hypothesis for changes in Black performance.
roger d masters
<end quote>
----
This message was posted by rhinoceros to the Virus 2004 board on Church of
Virus BBS.
<http://virus.lucifer.com/bbs/index.php?board=61;action=display;threadid=303
71>
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<http://www.lucifer.com/cgi-bin/virus-l>
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First, read Bruce Sterling's "Distraction", and then read http://electionmethods.org.
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DrSebby
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...Oh, you smell of lambs!
    
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RE: virus: Re:Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
« Reply #5 on: 2004-05-26 17:18:26 » |
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...we freely grant truth to the concept that different ethnic regions will
produce slight differences in phenotype, so why is it such a stretch to
imagine that minor mental differences would exist as well? keep in mind
that in an instrument as incredibly complex as the human brain - which then
creates even more complex 'output' on multiple fronts over many decades;
even miniscule differences would, in the end product, become extrapolated
into rather visible differences. not necessarily in potential, but
certainly in methodology of learning, or even different orientation (e.g.
spatial, logical, math, etc..) ordering.
...following this, we must keep in mind that the modern industrialized world
of today has pretty much been created by "the white man" and his culture.
when europe went into africa and took it and its people apart...they left it
with their religion, their government philosophy, even their borders drawn
up by wealthy aristocrats with no regard to local african tribal treaties
and conflicts.
...all this taken into account plus the fact that the american black
population has long been the victim of economic and educational inequality,
diet, and persistant jim crow laws, it is no wonder they have continuing
problems today...it was just a couple decades ago that they were officially
2nd class citizens.
DrSebby.
"Courage...and shuffle the cards".
----Original Message Follows----
From: "rhinoceros" <rhinoceros@freemail.gr>
Reply-To: virus@lucifer.com
To: virus@lucifer.com
Subject: virus: Re:Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 11:59:09 -0600
[Jonathan Davis]
This is interesting, but as the author points out correlation does not
establish cause
[rhinoceros]
Of course it doesn't. Masters talks about a 0.97 correlation between violent
crime and leaded gas sales 18-19 years before. He says "parenatal exposure
to lead is a plausible hypothesis".
Agreed, a high statistical correlation does not establish a cause. Take, for
example, the number of cars. Logically, the number of cars would go together
with gas sales and would have the same correlation with violent crime as
long you don't pay attention to the use of leaded or unleaded gas (assuming
the author's hypothesis is correct). Also, there can be other unrelated real
causes which just happen to go together with leaded gas sales.
On the other hand, a high statistical correlation does tell you where to
look for causes. This is what we have here, when Masters looked into the
physiological effects of toxic metals.
[Jonathan Davis]
also, we need to see evidence that Blacks have higher lead levels, the
Flynn effect affects all groups, the score differences are also found in the
UK where black immigrants were often housed in the same if not superior
housing as whites.
[rhinoceros]
This theory is prof. Masters' pet peeve. I cannot retrieve the full study he
posted from the files folder of the Evolutionary Psychology yahoo group --
there must be a technical problem. This one seems to be related:
http://www.crime-times.org/97d/w97dp1.htm
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"courage and shuffle the cards..."
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simul
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Gender:
Posts: 614
Reputation: 7.06
Rate simul
I am a lama.
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Re: virus: Re:Leaded gas, racial differences, IQ, and crime
« Reply #6 on: 2004-05-28 16:59:26 » |
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Mental differences? Yes. Superior/inferior intellect? No. IQ tests designed by a certain kind of intellect will, of course, rate other people with that same kind of intellect highly.
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First, read Bruce Sterling's "Distraction", and then read http://electionmethods.org.
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