TY  - EJOU
AU  - Turkheimer, T. Eric
AU  - Harden, H. K. Paige
TI  - Controversy Requires Competence: Comment on Rindermann et al. (2024)
T2  - Journal of Controversial Ideas

PY  - 2024
VL  - 4
IS  - 2
SN  - 2694-5991

AB  - Rindermann, Klauk, and Thompson (2024) purport to give evidence regarding the determinants of intelligence test scores among refugees who have immigrated to Germany from different countries of origin, and they speculate these intelligence test score differences have negative implications for future economic development in Germany. We describe critical flaws in their measurement, statistical analysis, and interpretation of individual- and country-level differences among the immigrant participants, particularly regarding the authors’ specious reference to “evolutionary ancestry.” We contrast their pseudoscientific approach with valid scientific methods. Human intelligence and human evolution are controversial areas of scientific inquiry that require the highest levels of scientific rigor and editorial discretion, which are absent here.
KW  - intelligence
KW  - immigration
KW  - pseudoscience
KW  - factor analysis
KW  - human evolution
DO  - 10.35995/jci04020015