7: Galton Flashcards
What was Galton’s view on Darwin’s work?
Supported it but argued that Darwin hadn’t looked into variation within populations
What was Galton’s anthropometry?
Collaborated with Cattell on a project where people went to scientific exhibitions to have their reaction times tested and discover where they fell on a normal distribution curve of the population
They argued that reaction times indicated intelligence as those with the most efficient brains also had the most efficient nervous systems.
Who did Galton collaborate with in his anthropometry?
Catell
What did Cattell and Galton argue about intelligence?
It was indicated by reaction times as they have the most efficient brains
Women are less intelligent
What area of psycholgy did Galton study?
Differential psychology (Individual differences)
What were Galton’s writings?
Inquiries into human faculty
Hereditary genius
What were the main ideas of Inquiries into Human Faculty?
Intellectual capacity: The power of quickly seizing and manipulating abstract ideas
It’s impossible to think as another does
Mental imagery of number: Found that normal people vary in how vividly they imagine things
Composite picture: Argued that we could read a person’s characteristics by the shape of their face
What is the idea of intellectual capacity outlined in Galton’s work Inquiries into Human Faculty?
The power of quickly seizing and easily manipulating ideas of an abstract nature
What is the idea of mental imagery of number outlined in Galton’s work Inquiries into Human Faculty?
Found that normal people vary in their mental imagery and how vividly they imagine things
What is the idea of composite picture outlined in Galton’s work Inquiries into Human Faculty?
Argued that we could read a person’s characteristics by the shape of their face
What were the main points of Galton’s work, Hereditary genius?
Eminence: Greatness that runs in families, arguing that intelligence is inherited
The most eminant families are dying out
What is eminence according to Galton?
This is greatness and the potential to go onto do great things and be intellectual. He thought it ran in families so argued intelligence is inherited.
According to Galton, which families are eminent?
Normally the richest with members who have done great things.
Could include his own family as Darwin was his cousin
Why is Galton’s idea of eminence critisized?
It doesn’t take into account other factors that stop people from acheiving greatness such as class or race
Did Galton have a nature or a nurture view?
Nature
