5 ms·

Gene for memory and IQ gives students low grades

15 points by prat 17y ago

strlen 17y ago
This is far too early and I wish to see more conclusive results, but this might provide information as to why some really bright people don't fare well until they're at a university or in graduate school/the industry. Perhaps employers could use this information: e.g. if a candidate fits a certain pattern, they could structure the interview process to be less stressful (to avoid situations where they may be passing up on some of the brighest people). That could be also why really smart hackers tend to flock to startups, R&D/"platform" teams (as opposed to product development/customer facing teams) and graduate schools: ability to set your own schedule, greater say in setting the overall technical direction and timing/deadlines.
- kiba 17y ago
  Wouldn't startup be more stressful?
  - strlen 17y ago
    For an employee (not a founder), a funded (series A or above) start-up might not be. Much less management, much more flexibility in terms of schedule and work description.
tokenadult 17y ago
"Alternatively, the results could be a statistical fluke, resulting from a small sample. 'This is very common among these kinds of studies because the genetic effects on cognition are so tiny that you need perhaps thousands of people to get a good estimate of the effect,' she says." That was very good of the reporter to mention this possibility. That kind of issue always has to be evaluated when looking at new scientific studies. http://norvig.com/experiment-design.html http://norvig.com/experiment-design.html It's an intriguing finding that should probably be looked at further in a different cultural context (is taking the SAT in America like taking the Taiwan college entrance exam in Taiwan?) and definitely should be looked at with a larger sample.
- req2 17y ago
  Norvig's article on experiment design is valuable, and a more targeted discussion of sample size with respect to the size of the effect being studied can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_power http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_power, and in some of the references contained within.
- roc 17y ago
  "because the genetic effects on cognition are so tiny" Did that quote stun anyone else? 'Tiny' implies a comparison. The only other thing to compare these effects with, would be more well-studied factors, such as nutrition, environment and sleep. And if effects such as those dwarf the effects of genetics... well that's just not something that I can recall ever being hinted at.
  - tokenadult 17y ago
    Oh, you need to check the article I submitted in the last twenty-four hours, just published by leading researchers on the issue you ask about. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=838534 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=838534
derefr 17y ago
Could I propose that this whole thing is causated in the reverse direction to the one the article proposes: that the gene is for increased sensitivity to pressure and stress, and that kids try to escape the feeling of stress by fleeing into logic and hypothetical situations and memories, things that don't hold the same pressure as the present moment, but also thereby increase their IQ and memory with repeated "practice?"
- biohacker42 17y ago
  Could I propose that what the article saves for last, because it's such a kicker, is that the sample size was tiny and thus the study is fundametally flawed. And this is almost always the case with these types of studies.
deleted 17y ago
[deleted]

15 points by prat 17y ago

This is far too early and I wish to see more conclusive results, but this might provide information as to why some really bright people don't fare well until they're at a university or in graduate school/the industry. Perhaps employers could use this information: e.g. if a candidate fits a certain pattern, they could structure the interview process to be less stressful (to avoid situations where they may be passing up on some of the brighest people). That could be also why really smart hackers tend to flock to startups, R&D/"platform" teams (as opposed to product development/customer facing teams) and graduate schools: ability to set your own schedule, greater say in setting the overall technical direction and timing/deadlines.

kiba 17y ago
Wouldn't startup be more stressful?
- strlen 17y ago
  For an employee (not a founder), a funded (series A or above) start-up might not be. Much less management, much more flexibility in terms of schedule and work description.

tokenadult 17y ago

"Alternatively, the results could be a statistical fluke, resulting from a small sample. 'This is very common among these kinds of studies because the genetic effects on cognition are so tiny that you need perhaps thousands of people to get a good estimate of the effect,' she says." That was very good of the reporter to mention this possibility. That kind of issue always has to be evaluated when looking at new scientific studies. http://norvig.com/experiment-design.html http://norvig.com/experiment-design.html It's an intriguing finding that should probably be looked at further in a different cultural context (is taking the SAT in America like taking the Taiwan college entrance exam in Taiwan?) and definitely should be looked at with a larger sample.

req2 17y ago
Norvig's article on experiment design is valuable, and a more targeted discussion of sample size with respect to the size of the effect being studied can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_power http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_power, and in some of the references contained within.
roc 17y ago
"because the genetic effects on cognition are so tiny" Did that quote stun anyone else? 'Tiny' implies a comparison. The only other thing to compare these effects with, would be more well-studied factors, such as nutrition, environment and sleep. And if effects such as those dwarf the effects of genetics... well that's just not something that I can recall ever being hinted at.
- tokenadult 17y ago
  Oh, you need to check the article I submitted in the last twenty-four hours, just published by leading researchers on the issue you ask about. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=838534 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=838534

derefr 17y ago

Could I propose that this whole thing is causated in the reverse direction to the one the article proposes: that the gene is for increased sensitivity to pressure and stress, and that kids try to escape the feeling of stress by fleeing into logic and hypothetical situations and memories, things that don't hold the same pressure as the present moment, but also thereby increase their IQ and memory with repeated "practice?"

biohacker42 17y ago
Could I propose that what the article saves for last, because it's such a kicker, is that the sample size was tiny and thus the study is fundametally flawed. And this is almost always the case with these types of studies.

deleted 17y ago

[deleted]