Can Low-IQ Parents Have a High-IQ Child: IQ Heritability

Although intelligence is largely determined by genetics, examples of low-IQ parents having a high-IQ child aren’t unheard of. In fact, it’s precisely thanks to these cases that we know that intelligence doesn’t depend entirely on good genes.

However, we wanted to understand the parent-child IQ correlation in more depth, so we consulted our IQ experts. In this article, we review their findings on IQ heritability, other factors that affect intelligence, and the signs of high IQ.

So, let’s dive in.

Key Takeaways

• Parents with low IQs can have a high-IQ child since intelligence doesn’t depend only on genetics but rather on many factors that work together.
• IQ is both genetic and learned—more than half of intelligence is inherited from parents, but the environment, education, and nutrition also play a huge role in determining IQ.
• Low IQ can run in families as a result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. However, there are many exceptions.
• Highly intelligent children exhibit insatiable curiosity, the ability to quickly learn new information, a constant need for mental stimulation, and emotional sensitivity.

Can Parents With Low IQs Have High-IQ Children?

Parents with low IQs can have high-IQ children because genetics isn’t the only factor that influences intelligence. Although it’s a significant one, environmental factors play a rather important role as well.

So, for instance, if a child grows up surrounded by people who support their academic pursuits and nurture their intelligence, their IQ is likely to be higher than it would be otherwise. That is true whether the parents have a high or low IQ.

In fact, intelligence results from the interplay between numerous genes and gene combinations inherited by parents, the environment, education, nutrition, and several other factors.

As a result, IQ is very unpredictable, and there are no rules set in stone. Sometimes, parents with low IQs have highly intelligent children; other times, the opposite can happen, and gifted parents might have children with lower IQs.

However, we should note that, due to genetic influences, it is more common for parents with high IQs to have highly intelligent children and vice versa. Still, other combinations aren’t impossible.

How Much Of Parental Intelligence Is Inherited?

Approximately 50–80% of intelligence is inherited genetically—or so the research says. Although this shows that intelligence is a highly heritable trait, it doesn’t necessarily mean your IQ will be exactly the same or even in the same range as that of your parents.

Namely, intelligence is also a highly polygenic trait, with over 1,000 genes affecting it in one way or another. Most of these genes have a small effect on intelligence, but their contributions become significant in combination with other genes.

These so-called “intelligence genes” are what we inherit from our parents. However, since we inherit some genes from the father and some from the mother, our intelligence won’t be exactly the same as either parent’s.

After all, gene combinations and their overall effect on IQ are unpredictable and may result in much higher intelligence.

Do Children Inherit Intelligence from Their Mothers?

Intelligence isn’t inherited only from the mother, although many online sources claim that is the case.

This popular belief does have some scientific basis, though. Apparently, “intelligence genes” are largely carried over on the X chromosome, of which women have two while men have only one.

However, research on the correlation between genetics and intelligence is far from conclusive, so we can’t claim with absolute certainty that this is true.

And even if it were, it would indicate that only boys inherit IQ from their mothers, as they get their X chromosome from their mother. In that case, if they had a high-IQ father and a low-IQ mother, they would end up with lower intelligence as well.

On the other hand, girls receive one X chromosome from the mother and the other from the father, so both parents would contribute to their IQ in any case.

IQ: Environmental vs. Genetic Factors

As we’ve already mentioned, both environmental and genetic factors affect IQ to an extent, with genes possibly playing the most prominent role in determining IQ.

The heritability of IQ was tested in numerous twin studies, and many found that the brain regions responsible for cognition and language were highly heritable.

Namely, identical twins, who share identical genes, exhibited a 95–100% correlation in these areas, meaning they were essentially the same.

On the other hand, fraternal twins, who share approximately 50% of the genes, had a correlation of 60–70%. In other words, these brain regions were highly influenced by genetics.

However, IQ as a whole is also affected by environmental factors, in particular:

• Parenting. If parents prioritize education and intellectual pursuits, providing enough resources and support for their child’s cognitive development, the child’s IQ will likely be higher.
• Education. Education teaches students to think critically, memorize, and solve problems, improving both their crystallized and fluid intelligence, which are important aspects of general intelligence.
• Nutrition. Without sufficient nutrition, the brain can’t operate at its full capacity and focuses on survival rather than cognitive development. As a result, countries with food shortages tend to have lower IQ averages.

Does Low IQ Run in Families?

Low IQ can run in families, but that isn’t always the case. As we’ve seen, IQ is a hereditary trait, but genes aren’t the only factor that affects intelligence.

Still, even if we disregard genetics, parents with low IQs are more likely to raise children with diminished cognitive abilities. That’s because they frequently don’t prioritize education or can’t provide enough intellectual stimulation for their children as they grow. As a result, the children’s cognition can only develop so far.

On the other hand, parents with high IQs often come from strong academic backgrounds themselves, so they put education and intellectual pursuits first. Even when their own education isn’t stellar, they tend to encourage their children to prioritize education and provide the necessary support.

When we consider these tendencies in addition to hereditary aspects of IQ, we can say that low IQ runs in families.

However, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule—many parents with low IQ also encourage the development of their children’s intelligence, support their intellectual endeavors, or, if they can’t help themselves, put them in environments (schools or universities) that can.

4 Signs of High IQ in a Child

Telltale signs of high IQ in a child include insatiable curiosity, the ability to quickly learn new things, a need for mental stimulation, and emotional sensitivity.

Below, we examine each of these traits of high intelligence in more depth to help you recognize them.

#1. Insatiable Curiosity

If your child is asking questions about everything and anything to the point of exhaustion, it could be that you’re raising a little genius. Children with high IQs are very curious about the world and won’t rest until they learn as much as possible, either by questioning their parents, reading, or exploring.

In addition, you may be surprised by some of the questions they start asking at a young age. Many of them might be well beyond your ability to answer, such as “What happens when we die?” and “How did the world begin?”

All of this indicates that their cognition is well-developed and will likely continue its steady growth as time goes by. So, even if you find the questions exhausting sometimes, try to answer them to the best of your ability—and give your child new material to chew on.

#2. Ability to Learn New Things Quickly

Children with high IQs have a superb ability to pick up new information and learn new skills after only a few tries. As a result, they are often far more advanced than their peers in school and may even skip a grade or two.

An excellent example of their ability to quickly pick up new skills is that they usually learn to read much earlier than children with average IQs. Typically, children start reading at the age of six or seven, around the time they begin attending school. However, gifted children may start as early as three years old.

#3. Constant Need for Mental Stimulation

Despite their high IQs and ability to learn things quickly, many gifted children don’t do nearly as well in school as one would expect. In fact, their performance can be far from impressive, especially in the first few grades.

So, how do we explain this phenomenon? Well, to put it bluntly, they are bored. Skills such as reading, writing, and counting, usually taught in the first few grades, are nothing new to them. As a result, they may not feel motivated enough to participate in classes.

In other words, children with high IQs need constant mental stimulation. They need some sort of challenge—something to chew on and get the cogs in their brains spinning. Otherwise, they won’t stay interested, and the more irritable among them may even lash out and become disruptive.

#4. Emotional Sensitivity

Children with high IQs may be surprisingly sensitive—far more than their peers. Their emotional intelligence tends to be on a higher level, too, and many of them exhibit emotional depth and nuance that may not be expected of someone their age.

For instance, they may be very sensitive to injustice and react with frustration to any situation they perceive as such. Similarly, they may have a hard time watching sad films and TV shows or reading books with similar content.

However, that emotional sensitivity isn’t coupled with good emotional regulation; like any other child, children with high IQs may react quite intensely to situations that frustrate or sadden them. As a result, parents must help them learn to navigate their feelings in a healthy manner.

Find Out If Your Child Is Gifted

Although you might choose to rely on personality traits to determine whether your child is gifted, that method isn’t particularly accurate. Instead, let them take our professionally designed IQtest.net, which measures various aspects of cognition and determines IQ level with superb precision.

If you’re not happy with your child’s performance on the IQ test, you can encourage them to train their cognition by playing our brain games specifically designed to train memory, processing, logical thinking, and pattern recognition. They’re fun, too, and sure to keep your child entertained!

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Final Thoughts

Although intelligence depends on your parents to some extent, nothing is set in stone. Whether your father and mother have high or low IQs, your own IQ could be completely different from theirs, depending on the environment you grew up in, your education, and numerous other factors.

In other words, it is quite possible for low-IQ parents to have a high-IQ child, as long as they provide the necessary support and education and ensure that the child’s environment is conducive to intellectual growth.

Also Read:

Men vs. Women IQ

Does IQ Change With Age?

Different Types of IQ Tests