This genetic "lottery ticket," as she calls it, may then lead to an overall level of fitness that seems to affect all aspects of a person, including brain and sexual organ function. "Sometimes people are surprised that intelligence can be measured because it seems to be such a diverse quality," she said. "But beauty is a diverse quality too. The celebrated beauty of the actors Gong Li or Angelina Joli stand out, but their loveliness is not just in the nose or the angle of the cheekbones." Like beauty, Arden believes intelligence is both a fitness and a summary trait, meaning that our perception of it is comprised of many different components. Braininess is additionally influenced by a person's environment, quality of education, health care, dedication to studies, accidents and illness that could impair thinking and more. "It's crucial to understand that nobody claims intelligence is all that counts," she said. "Intelligence, like beauty, may be 'bundled' with avarice, vanity and deceit. Lack of intelligence may be 'bundled' with compassion, virtue and generosity. Neither biological fitness nor intelligence capture all of what we value and esteem about others." David Buss, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, told Discovery News that the new study is "fascinating" and may be "the first of its kind." Related Links: How Stuff Works: Is emotional intelligence a better indicator of brain health than IQ? |
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