Sandra Scarr

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Sandra Wood Scarr (born August 1936) is an American psychology professor.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Born in Maryland, her family followed her father, who was stationed at the United States Army's largest chemical weapon facility through much of her childhood. Scarr earned her Ph.D. in psychology in 1965 from Harvard University, where she majored in behavior genetics.

Though she initially had a difficult time finding a job because she had a child, she eventually taught at the University of Maryland, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Minnesota, and Yale University. In 1983 she accepted a position as chair of the psychology department at the University of Virginia, where she remained until retirement. O'Connell AN (2001). [1]

In the 1960's, Scarr studied identical and fraternal twins' aptitude and school achievement scores. The study revealed that intellectual development was heavily influenced by genetic ability, especially among disadvantaged children. It also showed that on average, black children demonstrated less genetic and more environmental influence on their intelligence than white children. Scarr also collaborated with Margaret Williams on a clinical study which demonstrated that premature birth infants who receive stimulation gain weight faster and recover faster than babies left in isolation (the practice at that time).

After moving to Minnesota, Scarr started working with a colleague, Richard A. Weinberg, on the Minnesota Transracial Adoption Study. This study concluded that "rather than the home environment having a cumulative impact across development, its influence wanes from early childhood to adolescence." This work is frequently cited in debates about race and intelligence.

Scarr served as President of the Behavior Genetics Association from 1985 to 1986. She was then elected to the American Psychological Association's Board of Directors in 1988, but resigned in 1990 Scarr was also a founding member of the American Psychological Society and was chief executive officer of KinderCare Learning Centers from 1994 to 1997.

In 1995, she was a signatory of a collective statement titled "Mainstream Science on Intelligence", written by Linda Gottfredson and published in the Wall Street Journal. [2] She also wrote a favorable review of The Bell Curve. [3]

Scarr retired to Hawaii where she grows kona coffee, quilts and raises Labrador Retrievers.

[edit] Publications

  • Scarr S. Understanding Development. Harcourt (1986) ISBN 0-15-592864-3
  • Scarr S. Understanding Psychology. Random House Inc (T); 5th edition (1987). ISBN 0-07-555247-7
  • Scarr S. Socialization (Merrill sociology series). C. E. Merrill Pub. Co (1973). ISBN 0-675-09039-3
  • Lande JS, Scarr S. Caring for Children: Challenge to America. Lea (1989). ISBN 0-8058-0255-X
  • Scarr S. Mother care/other care (A Pelican book). Penguin Books; 2nd ed edition (1987). ISBN 0-14-022760-1
  • Scarr S. Psychology and Children: Current Research and Practice. Amer Psychological Assn; Reprint edition (1979). ISBN 0-912704-59-4
  • Scarr S. Genetic effects on human behavior: Recent family studies (Master lectures on brain-behavior relationships). American Psychological Association (1977). ASIN: B0006Y2RV0
  • Scarr S. Genetics and the development of intelligence. University of Chicago Press (1975). ISBN 0-226-35354-0

[edit] References

  1. ^ Models of Achievement: Reflections of Eminent Women in Psychology, Vol.3. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  2. ^ Gottfredson, Linda (December 13, 1994). Mainstream Science on Intelligence. Wall Street Journal, p A18.
  3. ^ Scarr's review of The Bell Curve

[edit] External links