Includes bibliographical references and index.

To see 'g' or not to see 'g': How many types of intelligence are there? -- Ageing and intelligence: senility or sagacity? What happens to mental abilities as we grow older? -- Brainy? Why are some people cleverer than others? -- 'They f- you up your Mum and Dad' (Larkin): Are intelligence differences a result of genes or environments or both? -- The (b)right man for the job: Does intelligence matter? -- The lands of the rising IQ: Is intelligence changing generation by generation? -- Eleven (not-so-) angry men (and women): Psychologistsactually agree about human intelligence differences.

For people with little or no knowledge of the science of human intelligence, this volume takes readers to a stage where they are able to make judgments for themselves about the key questions of human mental ability. Each chapter addresses a central scientific issue but does so in a way that is lively and completely accessible. Issues discussed include whether there are several different types of intelligence, whether intelligence differences are caused by genes or the environment, t e biological basis of intelligence levels, and whether intelligence declines as we grow older.