Lots of families debate on the topic of who did the kids inherit their intelligence from.
Many moms and dads like to joke that the positive traits their kids have come from them, for example, sports skills, musical ability, or good looks.However, there’s actually a scientific reason kids inherit their intelligence from their mothers instead of their fathers. According to multiple studies, the X chromosome is responsible for carrying intelligence.
Women have two XX chromosomes, and men have XY chromosomes, which means that women are twice as likely to pass down their intelligence to their children than their fathers are.
This theory has been proven by multiple studies over the years, and a study conducted by the Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit in Glasgow revealed that kids’ IQ tends to be similar to their mothers’.
Kids have been interviewed by the researchers every year from the age of 14 to 22, and various factors like education and socioeconomic status have been taken into account. What they found was that the best predictor of their intelligence was their mothers IQ.
Not all scientists agree on this basic X chromosome principle, however.
According to other researchers, genetics is not the only factor in determining a child’s intelligence.
Psychology Spot says that only 40-60% of the intelligence is hereditary, and the rest comes from our environment.
Accordingly, moms and dads can both play an important role in the emotional and intellectual development of their child, and that is by teaching them new skills and encouraging their confidence.