Intelligence tests with higher g-loadings show higher.pdfVIP

Intelligence 33 (2005) 203–213 Intelligence tests with higher g -loadings show higher correlations with body symmetry: Evidence for a general fitness factor mediated by developmental stability Mark D. Prokosch, Ronald A. Yeo, Geoffrey F. Miller* Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1161, United States Received 29 April 2004; received in revised form 20 July 2004; accepted 22 July 2004 Available online 5 October 2004 Abstract Just as body symmetry reveals developmental stability at the morphological level, general intelligence may reveal developmental stability at the level of brain development and cognitive functioning. These two forms of developmental stability may overlap by tapping into a bgeneral fitness factor.Q If so, then intellectual tests with higher g -loadings should show higher correlations with a composite measure of body symmetry. We tested this prediction in 78 young males by measuring their left–right symmetry at 10 body points, and by administering five cognitive tests with diverse g -loadings. As predicted, we found a significant (z =3.64, p b0.003) relationship between each test’s rank order g -loading and its body symmetry association. We also found a substantial correlation (r=0.39, p b0.01) between body symmetry and our most highly g -loaded test (Ravens Advanced Progressive Matrices). General intelligence is apparently a valid indicator of general developmental stability and heritable fitness, which may partly explain its social and sexual attractiveness. D 2004 Published by Elsevier Inc. Keywords: Intelligence; g -loadings; Body symmetry 1. Introduction Developmental stability refers to an organism’s ability to develop the appropri