The G Factor: The Science of Mental Ability

Mere thanks to all of those who have helped me in a variety of ways that eventually led to my writing this book, and indeed provided the conditions that made it possible, seems hardly enough. Many persons are owed my gratitude-- my graduate research assistants and postdoctoral fellows at Berkeley who helped me in conducting many of the studies cited herein, my distinguished colleagues and friends who generously offered their expertise in specialized areas by reading portions of the manuscript with a critical eye and providing advice for improving it, and those experts in fields relevant to certain topics in this book who were always willing to engage in helpful and encouraging discussions about my inquiries, often providing reprints and references. Especially deserving of credit for supporting much of the empirical research I have done on the g factor and its educational, social, and biological correlates, at a time when few foundations or granting agencies would consider supporting research aimed at exploring the nature and implications of g in areas considered politically sensitive, are The Pioneer Fund and its admirably intrepid president, Harry F. Weyher, whose mission has been to lend support to pioneering efforts in scientific research areas that in academe are often considered unpopular or even taboo, at least initially. Similarly, I am grateful to the publishers of this book, particularly Dr. James Sabin, Director, Academic Research and Development, and Professor Seymour Itzkoff, the series editor, for supporting this book on a topic that other firms may have thought unwise or unprofitable to consider publishing.

Finally, and above all, I must acknowledge how very indebted I am to my remarkable wife, Barbara, who has not only been of direct assistance in my work, but whose superior capability, ingenuity, and efficiency in managing all of the practical and financial responsibilities of daily life have completely freed me from every chore and care that is not directly germane to my research work.

For granting permission to reprint the figures or graphs in this book (indicated in parentheses), I am grateful to the following publishers: Ablex Publishing

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