Posted by Bill on May 24, 2001 at 14:30:43:
In Reply to: Classical music- Increases IQ? posted by tubanator on May 24, 2001 at 10:48:51:
Here is what I have found about IQ and genius from a few years of research and being married to one and producing one. Guys, I am sorry, but genius is matralineally inherited. While some researchers hold that genius is a mutually dominant gene, it is a sex linked one and passes from the female side. IQ, as we measure it, is a measure of conventional education achievement; if a time component is included, it is more than casually related to genius. Every child born in Georgia is given a cassette or CD of Mozart, Haydn and other classical music. Georgia is not about to be overwhelmed with genius, as the SAT scores prove time and again (Georgia is in the bottom 10 states, every year). Senator Zell Miller, sometimes Democrat and former governor of Georgia started this practice of giving classical music to newborns several years ago specifically to increase educational performance in the state.
The link is that classical music tends to be appreciated by people who can afford educational opportunities for children and who tend be able to give very young children stimulating environments. These factors tend to produce children with better educational abilities and those children score better on standard tests of intelligence. Classical music does not cause the increase; it is associated with the other factor that are also present with the increase.
Classical music does, however, cause chickens to lay more and better eggs. I am sure of that.