According to research by Nisbett, which factor is suggested to modify intelligence?

Research by Richard Nisbett emphasizes that intelligence is influenced by a variety of environmental factors, and prenatal factors are recognized as significant influences. Prenatal factors encompass the conditions and experiences that a fetus undergoes while in the womb, including maternal health, nutrition, and exposure to toxins or stress. These elements can have lasting effects on brain development, thus impacting cognitive abilities and intelligence.

Nisbett's work highlights the importance of how early life experiences, beginning even before birth, can shape cognitive outcomes. This contrasts with other factors such as socioeconomic status, dietary habits, or urban versus rural upbringing, which, though impactful in their own rights, do not hold the same level of prenatal significance in the context of modifying intelligence as presented in Nisbett's research. By understanding the role of prenatal influences, educators and psychologists can better grasp how intelligence is not purely a genetic trait but also shaped significantly by early environmental factors.