Controversies

There are systematic group differences in psychological traits. For example, neuroticism differences between men and women. Also, race differences in personality and intelligence. Origin of group differences are often attributed to biological or genetic factors, leading to assumptions that the are innate and fixed.

Templer & Arikawa (2006): higher IQ scores for ethnic groups in cold climates than ethnic groups in warmer climates. Skin colour reflects sun, the lighter the more sun can penetrate. Darker skin adaptive to hotter climates, lighter skin to colder climates. Correlated nations' IQ with nation's average temperature. National IQ scores correlated with skin colour. Concluded that darker skin colour = lower IQ. However - study was not nationally representative. They estimated IQ's for 104 countries, based on 81 known IQ's by geographical proximity. Also temperatures were obtained from Fodor's World Weather Guide, which covers many cities in larger countries but only one or two in small countries.

Finding: individual differences in intelligence are heritable (true), therefore

Interpretation: intelligence is innate and fixed (false)

Heritability is not about biological determinism, its a statistical estimate that refers to a proportion of variance in a population that is attributable to genetic differences in this population. Heritability may differ in different environmental circumstances. 

Intelligence can change within people, for example development of knowledge in adulthood or cognitive aging. Intelligence can change between people, that is, rank-order changes over time (i.e interpersonal change).

Intelligence is neither innate nor fixed but changes over time, and this change is associated with environmental factors. Beliefs about the nature of intelligence have far-reaching consequences for society, perhaps even more than the actual behaviour genetics findings. The interpretation of scientific findings has great societal impact.

Sex differences in personality

Feingold (1994) concluding from 4 meta-analyses: males were more assertive and had higher self-esteem than females. Females were higher than males in extraversion, anxiety, trust and tender-mindedness. Evolutionary/biological model of individual differences and human bheaviour: survival of the fittest and natural selection, must reproduce as much as possible to maximise contribution to gene pool. Men seek to spread their semen and women invest more selectively in precious eggs. Sex differences in reproductive biology are often thought to underlie individual differences in cognition, affect and behaviour. Problems with the evolutionary model: in the modern day, humans' behaviour is not solely guided by strategies for having offspring.

Findings about the origins of individual differences are often misintepreted, making them controversial when in fact they are not. Most often, controversies in science are about misinterpretations and errors in scientific conduct, not about the findings themselves.