Audio Interview with Richard Haier on the Nature of Human Intelligence

Dr Scott Barry Kaufman interviews Richard Haier on the Psychology Podcast.

Dr. Richard Haier is Professor Emeritus in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine. His research investigates structural and functional neuroanatomy of intelligence using neuroimaging. He created an eighteen lecture video course called The Intelligent Brain and he is author of The Neuroscience of Intelligence. Dr. Haier is co-editor of The Cambridge Handbook of Intelligence and Cognitive Neuroscience and is editor-in-chief of Intelligence, a scientific journal. Dr. Haier received the lifetime achievement award from the International Society for Intelligence Research (ISIR).

 

Timings
[00:35] Introduction of Richard Haier
[01:47] Richard shares his initial study on brain efficiency’s link to intelligence
[04:50] Sex differences in neural efficiency
[09:37] Scott and Richard reminisce on Nicholas Mackintosh and Earl “Buz” Hunt’s works
[14:35] Richard shares why he avoids discussing race differences
[17:12] The value of compensatory education to develop intelligence
[21:38] Addressing the elephant in the room
[26:26] Understanding individual intelligence on a neurobiological level to increase intelligence and solve social problems
[31:25] Future molecular biology research programs for understanding intelligence and treating mental disorders like Alzheimer’s disease
[34:57] Impact of environmental factors in developing intelligence
[37:08] Intelligence vs. kindness
[39:06] The g factor
[41:05] Richard on whether IQ scores can predict academic and life success
[49:44] On effective communication of science to the public
[53:54] Abuses of IQ tests
[1:00:29] The impact of IQ on human value
[1:02:37] On trading off IQ points for other traits
[1:05:36] On reductionism
[1:06:52] Richard reflects on his experience as an admissions office
[1:13:43] Richard’s final message