A Brief Analysis of the Relationship between Intelligence and Achievement

For over a hundred years, social scientists have been measuring intelligence in human beings in order to predict academic achievement and occupational success. Indeed, intelligence is the best single predictor of major socioeconomic outcomes, both favorable (good education, occupation, income) and unfavorable (adult poverty, incarceration, chronic welfare use) (Gottfredson, 2002). This literature review examines the relationship between intelligence and key life outcomes, including academic achievement and occupational success. The paper discusses concepts such as general cognitive ability (g), general mental ability (GMA), the influence of genetics and environment via the bioecological model, and the role of confounding factors like socioeconomic status (SES), years of education, and delinquency. It concludes that intelligence is a strong predictor of success, while also acknowledging the ongoing debate about the influence of SES on educational testing and outcomes.