Peterson Claims No Evidence IQ Can Be Increased Despite Decades of Attempts
"We don't really know how to increase IQ. We don't know...People have tried for a very long time...if you practice the little exercise, you get way better at it, but it doesn't generalize. And that's like, you just can't believe how solid a finding that is."
About this episode
In this episode of Answer the Call, Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikayla Peterson field live questions from callers on navigating the modern education system, with Peterson delivering several controversial assessments about American schooling and human intelligence. Peterson stated that the K-12 education system is likely irredeemably corrupt, citing rising incompetence combined with ideological pathology, and advised parents to take greater responsibility in assessing educational quality. Throughout the conversation, Peterson made striking claims about IQ research, asserting there is no reliable evidence that intelligence can be increased despite decades of attempts, and citing the failure of programs like Head Start to produce lasting cognitive gains. He described research showing identical twins' IQs converge with age regardless of environment, and stated there is zero correlation between intelligence and moral character traits like conscientiousness. The episode addressed multiple callers considering homeschooling, with Peterson and Mikayla emphasizing the importance of socialization, character development over pure academic achievement, and parental involvement in children's education. Peterson argued most teachers have no idea why they teach what they teach, particularly recalling his own experience with mathematics educators who could not explain the purpose of their lessons. He stressed that effective teaching requires setting a motivational frame and dramatizing why material matters, comparing great teachers to performers who act out moral commitment to their subject. The conversation ranged from practical homeschooling advice and recommendations for alternative schools like Acton Academy to philosophical discussions about the nature of learning, the role of beauty and art in education, and the relationship between intelligence, character, and human development. Peterson emphasized that intelligence is a responsibility rather than a virtue, warning that high IQ without character can be destructive.
Key takeaways
- Peterson stated the K-12 education system is likely irredeemably corrupt due to incompetence magnified by ideological pathology.
- Peterson claimed no reliable evidence exists that IQ can be increased, citing failed programs like Head Start and cognitive training studies.
- Research shows identical twins separated at birth have increasingly similar IQs with age, reaching near-identical scores by 60 regardless of environment.
- Peterson asserted there is zero correlation between intelligence and moral character traits like conscientiousness and agreeableness.
- Peterson revealed his personal experience with teachers who could not explain why students needed to learn material they were teaching.
- Mikayla Peterson recommended parents tour schools and check for equity language as indicators of ideological capture in education systems.
- Peterson emphasized effective teaching requires dramatizing commitment to subject matter and setting motivational frames rather than just imparting information.