Date sent: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 14:21:51 -0500 From: "J. P. Rushton" Rushton Replies to Michael Peters who wrote about [Earlier Birthing in Blacks]: > Would it not be [scientifically correct] to also cite Ho et al.’s 1981 paper > ...of brain size differences for newborns ? On page 245, Ho et al. report > that premature births comprise 75 % of black male and 80 % of black female > newborns as opposed to 48 % of white male and 50 % of white female newborns. REPLY: Silly numbers on their face Michael. They must refer to Ho et al's own data not to populations generally. Surely! Regardless, African and Black babies are typically born a week to ten days earlier than European and white babies (and east Asian babies) but this isn't necessarily evidence of "prematurity." In America, 51% of Black children have been born by week 39 of pregnancy compared with 33% of White children. In Europe, babies from Black Africa, even of professional mothers, are also born earlier than White babies. These Black babies are not born premature. They are born sooner, but biologically they are more mature. The length of pregnancy depends on the genes. Amniotic fluid shows that although Blacks are born earlier than Whites, they are more developed. The faster pace of growth among Blacks goes on through childhood. Black babies have greater muscular strength and can reach for objects better. Their neck muscles are often so developed that they can lift their heads up when they are only nine hours old. In a matter of days they can turn themselves over. Black children sit, crawl, walk, and put on their own clothes earlier than Whites or Orientals. The findings are measured by such tests as Bayley's Scales of Mental and Motor Development and the Cambridge Neonatal Scales. Oriental children, on the other hand, mature more slowly than do White children. Oriental children often do not walk until 13 months. Walking starts at 12 months for White children and 11 months for Black children. X-rays show bones grow faster in Black children than in White children. Whites develop bones faster than Orientals. Brain wave patterns develop faster in Black than in White newborns. Blacks have faster dental development than Whites, who mature faster than Orientals. Blacks reach sexual maturity sooner than Whites, who in turn mature sooner than Orientals. Thus, when Black and White babies are matched for gestational age, the head size differences between them can be minimized or even made to disappear. But when all Black babies are compared with all white babies in a cohort the brain size differences between the races are found at birth. This is true in Ho et al's autopsy data. It is true even using a tape measure to take a head circumference. Asian babies have larger haed circumferences at birth than do Whites. These differences remain throughout life. See to be sent figure from Rushton's article in peer-reviewed journal INTELLIGENCE. -- J. Philippe Rushton Department of Psychology University of Western Ontario London, Ontario Canada N6A 5C2 Telephone: (519) 661-3685 http://www.sscl.uwo.ca/psychology/faculty/rushton.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To subscribe/unsubscribe/select DIGEST go to: http://www.egroups.com/group/evolutionary-psychology/info.html Evolutionary Medicine http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195103564/darwinanddarwini/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get what you deserve with NextCard Visa! ZERO! Rates as low as 0.0% Intro APR, online balance transfers, Rewards Points, no hidden fees, and much more! Get NextCard today and get the credit you deserve! Apply now! Get your NextCard Visa at: http://click.egroups.com/1/966/3/_/3786/_/951294240/ -- Easily schedule meetings and events using the group calendar! -- http://www.egroups.com/cal?listname=evolutionary-psychology&m=1