Study: Liberals and atheists have higher IQs than conservatives

Evolutionary psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa at the the London School of Economics and Political Science correlated data on these behaviors with IQ from a large national U.S. sample and found that, on average, people who identified as liberal and atheist had higher IQs. This applied also to sexual exclusivity in men, but not in women. The findings will be published in the March 2010 issue of Social Psychology Quarterly.

The study takes the American view of liberal vs. conservative. It defines "liberal"in terms of concern for genetically nonrelated people and support for private resources that help those people. It does not look at other factors that play into American political beliefs, such as abortion, gun control and gay rights.

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What are your thoughts on this?

Heard it before. Same argument as before, correlation =/= causation

"Bailey also said that these preferences may stem from a desire to show superiority or elitism, which also has to do with IQ. In fact, aligning oneself with "unconventional" philosophies such as liberalism or atheism may be "ways to communicate to everyone that you're pretty smart," he said.

Oh you atheists just want to look smart, don't you?

Heard it before. Same argument as before, correlation =/= causation

daqua_99

Glad to see it's CNN and not hp for once. Anyway, I had heard that those with higher degrees like masters and doctorates vote democratically, but I don't know how education relates to IQ so I don't know if there's a correlation.

Oh this won't end well...I just have a feeling :P

I am highly suspiciousof the direct causal link that the article suggests. A much more obvious - although more boring - link would be (in my view) between a higher IQ and both college education and wealth. Those who are college educated tend to be both more liberal and more atheist than the average person, and those who are wealthy tend also to be more atheist than the average person. In both cases, it is the socioeconomic position afforded by one's higher IQ that leads to liberalism and atheism, not the higher IQ itself.

I'm interested about the male sexual exclusivity, though; that's an interesting one that doesn't seem to fit into the above.

[QUOTE="daqua_99"]

Heard it before. Same argument as before, correlation =/= causation

xaos

The report might not, but I bet a lot of posters will argue that.

[QUOTE="xaos"][QUOTE="daqua_99"]

Heard it before. Same argument as before, correlation =/= causation

daqua_99

The report might not, but I bet a lot of posters will argue that.

I'm interested about the male sexual exclusivity, though; that's an interesting one that doesn't seem to fit into the above.GabuEx

[QUOTE="daqua_99"]

[QUOTE="xaos"] This is not implying causation; correlation is sufficiently lulzyxaos

The report might not, but I bet a lot of posters will argue that.

"Bailey also said that these preferences may stem from a desire to show superiority or elitism, which also has to do with IQ. In fact, aligning oneself with "unconventional" philosophies such as liberalism or atheism may be "ways to communicate to everyone that you're pretty smart," he said.

Oh you atheists just want to look smart, don't you?

cybrcatter

that fits the atheists on OT

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]

"Bailey also said that these preferences may stem from a desire to show superiority or elitism, which also has to do with IQ. In fact, aligning oneself with "unconventional" philosophies such as liberalism or atheism may be "ways to communicate to everyone that you're pretty smart," he said.

Oh you atheists just want to look smart, don't you?

Harisemo

that fits the atheists on OT

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]"Bailey also said that these preferences may stem from a desire to show superiority or elitism, which also has to do with IQ. In fact, aligning oneself with "unconventional" philosophies such as liberalism or atheism may be "ways to communicate to everyone that you're pretty smart," he said.Oh you atheists just want to look smart, don't you?Harisemo

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]

"Bailey also said that these preferences may stem from a desire to show superiority or elitism, which also has to do with IQ. In fact, aligning oneself with "unconventional" philosophies such as liberalism or atheism may be "ways to communicate to everyone that you're pretty smart," he said.

Oh you atheists just want to look smart, don't you?

Harisemo

that fits the atheists on OT

[QUOTE="Harisemo"]

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]

"Bailey also said that these preferences may stem from a desire to show superiority or elitism, which also has to do with IQ. In fact, aligning oneself with "unconventional" philosophies such as liberalism or atheism may be "ways to communicate to everyone that you're pretty smart," he said.

Oh you atheists just want to look smart, don't you?

cybrcatter

that fits the atheists on OT

And suddenly OT starts to make a lot more sense.

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]

[QUOTE="Harisemo"]

that fits the atheists on OT

xaos

I've seen studies that show just the opposite.UT_Wrestler

Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true! I've seen studies that show just the opposite. You can make any type of study you want and then find ways to make the results show what you want them to show.UT_Wrestler

Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true! I've seen studies that show just the opposite. You can make any type of study you want and then find ways to make the results show what you want them to show.UT_Wrestler

Of course for teh lulz

Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true! I've seen studies that show just the opposite. You can make any type of study you want and then find ways to make the results show what you want them to show.UT_Wrestler

Ha ha ha ha, :lol:. No you havn't.

[QUOTE="daqua_99"]

[QUOTE="xaos"] This is not implying causation; correlation is sufficiently lulzyxaos

The report might not, but I bet a lot of posters will argue that.

I remember this article from a while back, from a thread back in March. I remember the arguments made then.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]I've seen studies that show just the opposite.xaos

Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true! I've seen studies that show just the opposite. You can make any type of study you want and then find ways to make the results show what you want them to show.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="xaos"][QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]I've seen studies that show just the opposite.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="xaos"][QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]I've seen studies that show just the opposite.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="xaos"] citation neededDroidPhysX

[QUOTE="xaos"][QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]I've seen studies that show just the opposite.UT_Wrestler

I think you're having a difficult time understanding the concept of citation.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="xaos"] citation neededToppledPillars

Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true!UT_Wrestler

I believe I saw it on Fox News a while back.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="xaos"][QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]I've seen studies that show just the opposite.UT_Wrestler

Nuh uhhhh. This is just a fairy tale.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="xaos"] citation neededWasntAvailable

I think you're having a difficult time understanding the concept of citation.

[QUOTE="ToppledPillars"][QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"] I believe I saw it on Fox News a while back. See, the bias of the people conducting the study tends to manipulate the results to what they want you to believe, and the study of this topic is no exception.UT_Wrestler

Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true! I've seen studies that show just the opposite. You can make any type of study you want and then find ways to make the results show what you want them to show.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"] I believe I saw it on Fox News a while back. See, the bias of the people conducting the study tends to manipulate the results to what they want you to believe, and the study of this topic is no exception.UT_Wrestler

i'm an atheist and i have the lowest IQ you could ever imagine.how do you explain this.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true!semantics_meh

I believe I saw it on Fox News a while back.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="WasntAvailable"]

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"] I believe I saw it on Fox News a while back. See, the bias of the people conducting the study tends to manipulate the results to what they want you to believe, and the study of this topic is no exception.UT_Wrestler

I think you're having a difficult time understanding the concept of citation.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="DroidPhysX"] A channel that is notorious for glorifying the far right? Why on earth would they say the opposite?;)

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"] That's my point. CNN has a liberal bias, Fox News has a conservative bias. All you're doing is helping me make my point.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]Well you saw it on TV, so it must be true!semantics_meh

I believe I saw it on Fox News a while back.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"] That's my point. CNN has a liberal bias, Fox News has a conservative bias. All you're doing is helping me make my point.UT_Wrestler

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="WasntAvailable"]

I think you're having a difficult time understanding the concept of citation.

ToppledPillars

Okay, how about an actual worldwide statistic? American Christians only make up about 10% of the total Christians in the world.