New study links low I.Q. with racism and conservatism

[Maraya1969]

Last edited Sat Mar 10, 2012, 02:04 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-providence/new-study-links-low-intelligence-with-racism-and-conservatism

The study, which was published in Psychological Science, demonstrated that people who score low on I.Q. tests in childhood are more likely to become conservative in their adult life and develop racial prejudices.

Also known as intelligence quotient testing, I.Q. scores are gathered through standardized testing. Experts indicate that I.Q. testing often underestimates actual intelligence and psychologists disagree as to whether they reveal true intelligence at all.

Despite the debate, Dr. Gordon Hodson, a professor of psychology at Brock University and lead researcher on the study, contends that the data is legitimate.

Hodson argues that he is not stating that liberals are smarter than conservatives or vice versa, but rather that there is a connection between racism, strong conservatism and intelligence levels.



Original article

http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/01/04/0956797611421206.abstract

[DippyDem]

1. So the Frothy Theory is vindicated.

[fascisthunter]

2. Makes sense... not knowing or understanding something can foster fear

and from that fear, create hatred of what that person may fear.

[dembotoz]

3. k and r

makes sense to me

[YoungDemCA]

4. Of course correlation does not equal causation

But I can see the validity to the study's point.

People on the more liberal side of things tend to be more open to new ideas and new experiences, and more accepting of changes to their belief system, than conservatives.

[whistler162]

5. Lets see how many gullibles buy the psuedo science!

[jwirr]

6. Hmmm. I think that should be said the other way around. To be able to believe the ideology of racism

and conservatism you first need a low IQ or a very poor education.

[Vincardog]

7. Said another way: Racists and Bigots are generally dim bulbs. You don't have to be stupid to

believe that shit, but it sure help.

[bart95]

8. and 4 out of 5 dentists recommend trident

you really do have to wonder what's going on with that 5th dentist

all kidding aside, as someone who grew up around university faculty, and overheard the gossip, i can assure you that the first thing written in many studies is 'the conclusion', and they work backward from there

i think it's more than a coincidence, that the title of the article would come across as an insult to a group the reasearchers presumably do not belong to

i'll never forget being in a required sociology course for business school, where the prof blatently stated that 'he didnt think much of business students (even though we were paying part of his salary), and that sometime, he would explain why'

but he never did. raw opinionated arrogance, that those students would never get away with toward those that would someday THEIR salary

what i remember about that course, was that all of the tests were about memorizing what name got credit for 'discovering theories' that most 4 year olds could figure out for themselves

(i remember catching that professor and a more junior prof or assistent having it out over something, what a bazzare exchange of psycho-babble put downs the prof was dishing out, really scary that society was looking to these clowns for 'insight')

[lunatica]

11. I think you're talking about snobbery and arrogance, not intelligence quotients

But I know plenty of intelligent people who are racists and anti-semitic. I also know a lot who are snobs and arrogant.

[Rex]

9. I will file this under No Shit Sherlock.

nt

[LeftishBrit]

10. My guess is that the common factor here is education.

There is an association, in both directions, between IQ and education (people with higher IQs are more likely to choose and to be accepted for high levels of education, and education helps to increase measurable intelligence).

There have been studies that show that highly educated people are less racist and more socially liberal.

Education probably makes people less accepting of highly authoritarian views - which is why people like Santorum are suspicious of college education. It is perfectly possible to be highly educated and still hard-right, but it is not extremely common. Nick Griffin is a Cambridge graduate, but most of his followers in the BNP probably aren't.

I doubt that it's a simple matter of 'you have to be thick to be far-right', tempting as it is to think so.

[Johonny]

14. +1

Just a quick read of the article. I thought well yah kids that score lower on these tests are less likely to get pushed academically, are more likely to have learning disabilities, and more to the point these tests determine if they get into schools. I believe this is particularly true in the UK. IQ can be a useful academic tool, but is so abused in the popular literature to prove racism etc...

[polichick]

12. And Republican fear mongering works great on lizard-brained...

...unfortunates.

[Jamaal510]

13. The RNC should see this.

[Still Sensible]

15. They already did... in about 1980. n/t