Study Shows Conservatism And Cognitive Ability Are Negatively Correlated

[jpeyton]

Abstract

[L=Full article (PDF) removed]

Conservatism and cognitive ability are negatively correlated. The evidence is based on 1254 community college students and 1600 foreign students seeking entry to United States' universities. At the individual level of analysis, conservatism scores correlate negatively with SAT, Vocabulary, and Analogy test scores. At the national level of analysis, conservatism scores correlate negatively with measures of education (e.g., gross enrollment at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels) and performance on mathematics and reading assessments from the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) project. They also correlate with components of the Failed States Index and several other measures of economic and political development of nations. Conservatism scores have higher correlations with economic and political measures than estimated IQ scores.

In the paper, they mention in detail the factors they studied in individuals to determine if they were conservative. I also found this passage linking conservatism and religion interesting:

Conservativism at both individual and country level is strongly linked to religiosity ? both Alpha (religious sources of authority) and Delta (personal spiritualism) scales (Saucier 2000) have high loadings on individual- and country-level factors of Conservatism. A recent review by Lynn, Harvey, and Nyborg (2007) reports that in a sample of 137 countries the correlation between national IQ and belief in God is r=-.60.

Having seen the path our country went down during the tenure of our born-again Evangelical Christian Republican president, and now witnessing the relentless "sky is falling" routine from the GOP in their desperate bid to regain some power in our government, I can fully support the findings of this paper.

---

This thread is devoid of any meaningful discussion and has turned into a pissing match, a rather stupid one at that.

Anandtech Senior Moderator
Red Dawn

 

[Schadenfroh]

(from the same journal as the article in the OP)

It follows that conservatives have lower quality semen

We found significant positive correlations between intelligence and 3 key indices of semen quality

 

[Atreus21]

Sigh.

 

[Sacrilege]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Abstract

Full article (PDF)

Conservatism and cognitive ability are negatively correlated. The evidence is based on 1254 community college students and 1600 foreign students seeking entry to United States' universities. At the individual level of analysis, conservatism scores correlate negatively with SAT, Vocabulary, and Analogy test scores. At the national level of analysis, conservatism scores correlate negatively with measures of education (e.g., gross enrollment at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels) and performance on mathematics and reading assessments from the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) project. They also correlate with components of the Failed States Index and several other measures of economic and political development of nations. Conservatism scores have higher correlations with economic and political measures than estimated IQ scores.

In the paper, they mention in detail the factors they studied in individuals to determine if they were conservative. I also found this passage linking conservatism and religion interesting:

Conservativism at both individual and country level is strongly linked to religiosity ? both Alpha (religious sources of authority) and Delta (personal spiritualism) scales (Saucier 2000) have high loadings on individual- and country-level factors of Conservatism. A recent review by Lynn, Harvey, and Nyborg (2007) reports that in a sample of 137 countries the correlation between national IQ and belief in God is r=-.60.

Having seen the path our country went down during the tenure of our born-again Evangelical Christian Republican president, and now witnessing the relentless "sky is falling" routine from the GOP in their desperate bid to regain some power in our government, I can fully support the findings of this paper.

The bolded explains the "do as I say, not as I do mentality."

Add to these findings, the conservative's inability to generate humor.

 

[Phokus]

Water is wet, the sky is blue, and conservatives are dumb as bricks. Shocking news at 11.

 

[JS80]

1254 community college students and 1600 foreign students seeking entry to United States' universities

lol how is that in any way a valid sample?

 

[Phokus]

I mean, the only real shocking thing about universal conservative stupidity is the fact that they are unaware that they're dumb as hell.

 

[Sacrilege]

Originally posted by: JS80

1254 community college students and 1600 foreign students seeking entry to United States' universities

lol how is that in any way a valid sample?

All the smart conservatives go to Liberty University.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: Sacrilege

Originally posted by: JS80

1254 community college students and 1600 foreign students seeking entry to United States' universities

lol how is that in any way a valid sample?

All the smart conservatives go to Liberty University.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Dari]

Is this supposed to be a serious thread or a clearinghouse for laughter?

 

[Moonbeam]

How wouldsay, being thrifty financially and not wanting to spend too much, which some pretend is a conservative value, be related to intelligence in any negative way?

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: JS80

1254 community college students and 1600 foreign students seeking entry to United States' universities

lol how is that in any way a valid sample?

Step 1: Question the sample size.
Step 2: Accuse institution of liberal bias.
Step 3: Profit?

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
How wouldsay, being thrifty financially and not wanting to spend too much, which some pretend is a conservative value, be related to intelligence in any negative way?

I assumed, so I could be wrong, that the study is referring to social conservatism, not fiscal conservatism. Although what you are describing is neither.

 

[cyclohexane]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
(from the same journal as the article in the OP)

It follows that conservatives have lower quality semen

We found significant positive correlations between intelligence and 3 key indices of semen quality

Thank god, at least natural selection will eventually weed them out.:thumbsup:

 

[lupi]

if we're posting our email contents, I got something about a russian bride if anyone is interested.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: cyclohexane

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
(from the same journal as the article in the OP)

It follows that conservatives have lower quality semen

We found significant positive correlations between intelligence and 3 key indices of semen quality

Thank god, at least natural selection will eventually weed them out.:thumbsup:

I dunno, if they out breed the rest of us, we could be looking at an "Idiocracy" situation. I think we need the government to start a program to sterilize all conservatives just to be sure.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: cyclohexane

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
(from the same journal as the article in the OP)

It follows that conservatives have lower quality semen

We found significant positive correlations between intelligence and 3 key indices of semen quality

Thank god, at least natural selection will eventually weed them out.:thumbsup:

Good luck with that. Poor people seem to reproduce at a much higher rate than wealthy people, so it's a race between the rural poor (conservative) and urban poor (liberal).

The conclusion of the study is meaningless with regard to the merits of conservative and liberal ideologies. That an unintelligent person adheres to an idea does not detract from the idea. This is nothing more than one big ad hominem attack.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: lupi
if we're posting our email contents, I got something about a russian bride if anyone is interested.

^--- Oh hey, one of the paper's test subjects. But please, tell us how a university research paper is equivalent to an email chain letter.

 

[Phokus]

Damnit, i'm going to have to update my sig yet again, damn you jpeyton!

 

[BarrySotero]

That is like how the USSR and ChiComs used to accuse people of mental illness when they wouldn't accept Marxism. These people probably also cook up studies about the benefits of gay adoption.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: BarrySotero
That is like how the USSR and ChiComs used to accuse people of mental illness when they wouldn't accept Marxism. These people probably also cook up studies about the benefits of gay adoption.

Damn ivory tower elites with their THINKING and their EDUCATION, UGH

*buries head in Intelligent Design book*

 

[Rockinacoustic]

So this is what those Sociology Majors do with their lives :laugh:

 

[MotF Bane]

:laugh:

 

[MovingTarget]

Originally posted by: Rockinacoustic
So this is what those Sociology Majors do with their lives :laugh:

Of course! What else would you do after your career on the Auburn football team?

I kid, I kid. Anyway, I don't think one should put much stock into this study. Each side has their idiots. I think everyone here, even the most partisan of hacks can name a few intelligent members of the other side.

 

[dali71]

Originally posted by: Phokus

Originally posted by: BarrySotero
That is like how the USSR and ChiComs used to accuse people of mental illness when they wouldn't accept Marxism. These people probably also cook up studies about the benefits of gay adoption.

Damn ivory tower elites with their THINKING and their EDUCATION, UGH

*buries head in Intelligent Design book*

Because they could never be wrong about anything, right? I'm sure you were going along with James Watson when he made his controversial remarks back in 2007, since he was a Nobel Prize winning scientist and all.