# Children inherit their intelligence from their mother not their father **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 7, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849 "2016-10-07T15:02:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/1 "2016-10-07T15:02:16Z")
Children inherit their intelligence from their mother not their father, say scientists. _Genes for cleverness are carried on the X chromosome and may be deactivated if they come from the father._ > **[Children inherit their intelligence from their mother](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/children-intelligence-iq-mother-inherit-inheritance-genetics-genes-a7345596.html)** > > Genes for cleverness are carried on the X chromosome and may be deactivated if they come from the father ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/2 "2016-10-07T15:15:04Z")
Is there a debate here? Otherwise I’m sending this elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/3 "2016-10-07T15:17:54Z")
Anecdotally, my kids inherited my intelligence, as well as my good looks. Their mom contributed eye color. Cite: I have the punnet square right here. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/4 "2016-10-07T15:20:29Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Anecdotally, my kids inherited my intelligence, as well as my good looks. > > Their mom contributed eye color. > > Cite: I have the punnet square right here. There’s your debate. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/5 "2016-10-07T15:29:45Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > There’s your debate. No-that’s an opening statement/link, followed by someone else’s anecdote. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/6 "2016-10-07T15:35:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No-that’s an opening statement/link, followed by someone else’s anecdote. It was a joke. I couldn’t care less where this lands. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/7 "2016-10-07T16:05:23Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > It was a joke. > > I couldn’t care less where this lands. Resolved: Apathy is one of the most horrible problem facing millennials today. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/8 "2016-10-07T16:09:05Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Resolved: Apathy is one of the most horrible problem facing millennials today. I wish I was a millennial! ---
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/9 "2016-10-07T20:05:29Z")
It’s not even true: > **[No, Research Has Not Established That You Inherited Your Intelligence From...](https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2016/09/16/no-research-has-not-established-that-you-inherited-your-intelligence-from-your-mother/#56efac604551)** > > Intelligence is layer upon layer of interacting pieces. So no. Not just your mother. Not just the X chromosome. Not even just genes. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/10 "2016-10-07T20:19:24Z")
I always told my mother that I got my intelligence from her, because Dad still _had_ his. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/11 "2016-10-07T20:43:04Z")
> [@Turpentine](#): > > It’s not even true: > > [No, Research Has Not Established That You Inherited Your Intelligence From Your Mother](http://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2016/09/16/no-research-has-not-established-that-you-inherited-your-intelligence-from-your-mother/#56efac604551) Your mother must be proud! ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/12 "2016-10-07T21:26:04Z")
> [@Turpentine](#): > > It’s not even true: > > [No, Research Has Not Established That You Inherited Your Intelligence From Your Mother](http://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2016/09/16/no-research-has-not-established-that-you-inherited-your-intelligence-from-your-mother/#56efac604551) Good job. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/13 "2016-10-07T21:33:47Z")
> [@Turpentine](#): > > It’s not even true: > > [No, Research Has Not Established That You Inherited Your Intelligence From Your Mother](http://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2016/09/16/no-research-has-not-established-that-you-inherited-your-intelligence-from-your-mother/#56efac604551) > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Your mother must be proud! Why? He’s using her intelligence after all. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/14 "2016-10-07T21:46:45Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/15 "2016-10-08T16:20:19Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I always told my mother that I got my intelligence from her, because Dad still _had_ his. 😛 My mother always said I got my patience from my dad because she still had hers… ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-inherit-their-intelligence-from-their-mother-not-their-father/767849/16 "2016-10-08T16:29:27Z")
Well, at any rate, kids could get (assuming this posit) intelligence potential from their mother. I know a woman with Down Syndrome mosaicism, who graduated in my class in high school, who I always felt had a germ of intelligence, in spite of how much she struggled academically. She took basic and remedial courses, and just the bare minimum to qualify for graduation, and had lots of resource classes, but she had a basic grasp of _something_ I can’t think of a word for. Anyway, she also had a sister who was very bright, and then went on to have a daughter who was also very bright, so I think she had the genetic potential to be bright, just something wrong with her brain because she had Down Syndrome, that interfered with her brightness in practice, but she still somehow had an intelligent personality, if that makes any sense. [/hijack]