The determinants of parents' beliefs about the intelligence their children: A study from Hong Kong

TLDR

Prior studies show that parents, especially males, tend to overestimate their own and their children's intelligence, with sons often perceived as brighter than daughters. The study surveyed 193 Hong Kong parents using structured interviews to assess self‑ and child‑estimated overall and multiple intelligences, and compared the findings with British studies. Parents in Hong Kong estimated lower overall IQs than Western samples; males rated their own math and spatial abilities higher, but no son‑daughter bias was found; factor analysis identified academic intelligence as the strongest g‑indicator, and child age plus parents’ self‑rated IQ best predicted child IQ, with higher education, prior IQ testing, and belief in inheritance associated with higher self‑ratings.

Abstract

O ne hundred and ninety‐three Hong Kong parents (mean age 42.2 years) were given a structured interview / questionnaire concerning their own and their children's self‐estimated overall and multiple intelligence. Previous research suggested that males tend to give higher overall “g” estimates to their children and themselves than do females, as well as higher scores on mathematical and spatial intelligence (Furnham, 2001). Further, studies in the West suggest that parents think their children are significantly brighter than they are and that their sons are brighter than their daughters. Estimates were lower than those found in Western populations but, even so, males rated their own mathematical and spatial intelligence higher than did females. Hong Kong Chinese parents did not think their sons were brighter than their daughters. The seven multiple intelligences factored into three clear factors for self and children, and regressions indicated that it was “academic” intelligence (verbal, mathematical, spatial) that was most “g” loaded. The child's age and the self‐rated overall IQ of both the parents were the best predictors of the child's overall estimated IQ. Less than a third of the parents had taken an IQ test or believed they measured IQ very well. Those who were more likely to be better educated, had taken an IQ test, and believed intelligence was inherited were more likely to award themselves higher overall IQ scores. Results are compared with the British studies in the same area.