Are we smarter than our grandparents, and if so, in what ways? Is it possible to compare the mental abilities of African aborigines and representatives of Western civilization? What are the shortcomings of existing intelligence assessment systems, and does school make us smarter? These and many other questions are answered by Richard Nisbett, one of the most prominent modern social psychologists. Analyzing research materials, statistics of adoptive families, and the results of school experiments, Nisbett refutes the concept of genetic predetermination of intelligence and shows the role and possibilities of the cultural environment and education.