1. Read the first sentence in this chapter carefully (cf with how this material is expressed in the chapter's precis). What does this sentence mean, and how will most readers (mis) interpret it?

2. Why is it important to remember that intragroup differences are greater than intergroup differences?

3. Do Asians have higher IQ's than Whites? Why do H&M "hedge" on their answer to this question, when they are so passionate about Black/White differences?

4. Does Christianity make you stupid? Explain. How do H&M rank Latinos and women on their great IQ continuum?

5. Are Whites smarter than Blacks? Explain your answer carefully.

6. Are IQ tests biased against blacks? (Explain both external and internal bias). What question do H&M not ask?

7. What two arguments do H&M give for dismissing motivation as an explanation for black/white IQ differences?

8. What would Stephen Gould say is wrong with this sentence from p. 283 of THE BELL CURVE? "The digit span is especially informative regarding test motivation not just because of the low cultural loading of the items but because the backward form is twice as g-loaded as the forward form, it is a much better measure of general intelligence"

9. How do Jenson's studies on reaction time evoke Spearman's "g' metaphors?

10. What is "Uniform Background Bias" and what two reasons do H&M give for dismissing this, too, as an explanation for black/white IQ differences?

11. Are Black/White IQ differences explained at all by SES? Explain H&M's answer carefully.

12. H&M seem to think that their analysis of IQ differences between Black-Africans and Black-Americans supports their position. Explain their argument, and show how the same data could be used to support the opposite conclusion.

13. What curious conclusions do M&M draw from data regarding convergence of B/W IQ? What other conclusions could be drawn?

14. What three arguments did Gould give for dismissing a genetic explanation for race-based IQ differences? How do H&M respond?

15. H&M estimate that race difference in IQ would be explained by the environment if "the mean environment of whites is 1.58 standard deviations better than the mean environment of blacks". How does H&M's evaluation of this possibility make manifest their bias?

16. What is "Spearman's Hypothesis", and how has Jenson supported it? What (mis) interpretation of "g" is required by this conclusion?

17. What is Jane Mercer's explanation for the black/white IQ difference? What by-now familiar argument to H&M use to dismiss this?

18. Compare Mercer's basic conclusion about "between-group differences in IQ" (p.306) with H&M's characterization of the position of most environmentalists (p.304). What rhetorical trick does this comparison illuminate?

19. Explain the "Flynn Effect". What surprising explanation do H&M give for ignoring the obvious implications of this effect for group IQ differences?

20. H&M summarize data from Scarr and Weinberg as supporting a racial ordering of IQ. Explain this argument, and then examine footnotes #124 and #130 to see how H&M are prone to hide data that disagrees with their argument.

21. Although H&M make little comment, summarize and discuss the significance of the study of German children fathered by African-American soldiers during the occupation of Germany after WWII.

22. H&M claim that even if black/white IQ differences were 100% explained by genes it would make no difference. Can you think of any differences?

23. Why do H&M argue that even if black/white IQ differences were 100% environmental they still would be difficult to change? What classic example of reification do your authors give in making this argument?