ABILITY AND SEASON OF BIRTH

The evidence available suggests that an association between season of birth and subsequent ability can occur for a number of reasons. In the present study, groups of subnormal and supernormal ability are used to examine one relevant factor. This hypothesis is that climatic temperature changes during foetal development are associated with subsequent ability at all levels, and not only with subnormal subjects. The hypothesis is confirmed, although for climatic environments different from that of the British Isles the particular relationships between climate and ability might vary. The investigation of such relationships, however, might provide a mode of examining the processes whereby ability develops from its genetic origins.