Debate Outline: IQ Grit Related Debate Essay

This debate outline discusses the connection between brain plasticity, grit, and IQ, and how they can enhance each other. It explores the importance of self-determination and perseverance in achieving goals, as well as the role of IQ in cognitive development.

Running head: DEBATE OUTLINE
IQ GRIT RELATED DEBATE ESSAY
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1DEBATE OUTLINE
Brain plasticity is the concept as per which, the human brain has the ability to mould in
its own thinking and abilities and hence this extraordinary ability of human brain is effective in
maintaining the structure and functionality of brain without affecting the internal or external
environment of human body (Oden 1968). As many psychologists including Terman (1954)
believes that the intelligence in malleable and could be improved through the course of life, brain
plasticity therefore could change or increase the IQ level of individual. Further, Grit is the aspect
of personality that helps people to stay motivated or driven for a longer time period so that they
could eventually achieve their target with non-cognitive trait and powerful motivation.
Therefore, the connection between the brain plasticity, the grit and IQ could be easily understood
from this aspect (Rimfeld et al. 2016). Hence, this debate would be discussing about the ways
these aspects are connected to each other and the way one can enhance the achievement of
another.
Further, the primary aim of this paper would be discussing the process of demonstration
and evaluation of the skills so that the differences related to IQ and GRIT learning could be
understood. Further, the positive and negative aspects of two learning would also be provided.
The statement of focus of this debate would be as follows:
 Angela lee Duckworth: as per her, Grit is the most important personality trait
which is responsible for the growth and development for the human and its traits.
As per her research, grit helps people to achieve their long term goals through
sustainable interest.
 Melita Oden: she mentioned thorugh her research that individual with strong
determination power are able to achieve successful themselves and hence it was

2DEBATE OUTLINE
shown in her research that Grit provides the power of perseverance to the
individuals.
 Lewis Terman: On the other hand, this researcher mentioned that people who has
acquired increased IQ are able to reach height of success hence, IQ is given more
importance.
 David Hambrick: as this psychologists mentioned that in the absence of grit is not
equivalent to the IQ and hence, he also opposed the importance of Grit in the
development of personality.
Position 1 statement: Self determination or perseverance is an important aspect and
in the presence of this grit associated characteristic evolves.
As per Angela Lee Duckworth, intelligence is the ability which could be acquired
through the properly developed personality and in this aspect the psychologist conducted the
research with the students in her university so that students and their ability to achieve academic
and non academic goals could be assessed (Cherry 2016). In the research, she provided the
students with IQ test so that the difference in students who had IQ and performed good could be
compared with the students who studied hard to achievement of greater goals. After the
conduction of the research it was seen that majority of students that had higher level of grit or
self determination, were able to achieve effective academic goal for the process. She mentioned
in the research that with grit people are able to control their emotions, intentional impulses as
well as their diversions (Cherry 2016). Hence, it is mentioned that majority of the students that
showed increased ability of self determination, were able to achieve great academic and non
academic goal. She further mentioned that grit has the tendency of sustaining the long term goals
so that with sustainable goals people could overcome their primary concerns. Hence, their

3DEBATE OUTLINE
motivation and their ability to achieve any impossible target were developed for the presence of
grit in their personality.
Melita Oden on the other hand mentioned about the importance of grit as a personality
trait with another reason. She mentioned that people with self determination are able to achieve
success in life due to their long term goals and their sustainable development. Further, it was
mentioned that majority of the successful personality are seen to have tenacity and power as their
primary aspects of personality due to which they were able to overcome their complications and
achieve success. Hence, this was the trait that influenced the power of grit over intelligence
(Rimfeld et al. 2016).
I also agree with the above-mentioned statements as it is important for any individual to
have strength and courage so that they could overcome any difficulty in their life without any
complications.
Position 2 statement: IQ is always associated with talent and associated of brain
plasticity is connected with IQ because of its importance in cognitive development.
Two psychologists mentioned about the associated of IQ and the talent and hence, Lewis
Tarman and David Hambrick should be discussed in this aspect. Lewis Tarman mentioned that
IQ iss more important to achieve good results in life and it was seen that people with good IQ
were posted in higher authorities than the Grit associated individuals who were provided lower
authorities. Further, it was also seen that majority of the students with higher IQ were provided
with better opportunity that the other group of students with high grit. David Hambrick on the
other hand mentioned about IQ is more important for growth and development than grit
( Rimfeld et al. 2016).

4DEBATE OUTLINE
Hence, it was observed that people with higher grit were not provided with enough
opportunities whereas, IQ helped individual to achieve in life.
The strength of this debate is associated with the research of Angela Lee Duckworth as
she mentioned thorugh a proper research and research finding that Grit helps person to achieve
success in life and hence it provided the point in favor of grit strongly. On the other hand,
weakness of this argument is the statement of Hambrick as he did not provide any crucial and
critical point in favour of the topic. Hence, through the evaluation of the debate, grit associated
arguments are found to be strong and effective. Therefore, I agree with the point of Angela Lee
Duckworth, as grit helps individual to develop strong goals through which they develop critical
aspects and achieve success.
While concluding the paper, it would be stated that grit and IQ are two sides of a same
page however with absence or presence of any one of it affects the brain plasticity of the humans.
While grit provides the strength and courage to achieve impossible, IQ helps to develop mental
ability to take critical and crucial steps. However, the arguments related to grit was found to be
stronger in the debate paper and hence, it should be practiced by each of the individual
effectively.

5DEBATE OUTLINE
References
Cherry K. 2019. Are People With High IQs More Successful? Very well mind. Retrieved from:
https://www.verywellmind.com/are-people-with-high-iqs-more-successful-2795280
Oden, M.H., 1968. The fulfillment of promise: 40 year follow up of the Terman gifted
group (Vol. 77). Stanford University Press.
Rimfeld, K., Kovas, Y., Dale, P.S. and Plomin, R., 2016. True grit and genetics: Predicting
academic achievement from personality. Journal of personality and social psychology, 111(5),
p.780.
Terman, L.M., 1954. The discovery and encouragement of exceptional talent. American
psychologist, 9(6), p.221.