novelty

Intelligent people have 'unnatural' preferences and values

February, 2010

Findings from a survey of adolescents provides support for a theory that more intelligent people are more likely to adopt evolutionarily novel preferences and values, and that these values include liberalism, atheism, and, in men, monogamy.

A new theory suggests that more intelligent people are more likely than less intelligent people to adopt evolutionarily novel preferences and values, and that these values include liberalism (caring about numerous genetically unrelated strangers they never meet or interact with), atheism, and, in men, monogamy. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) provide support: Young adults who self-identify as "very liberal" have an average IQ of 106 while those who self-identify as "very conservative" have an average IQ of 95; young adults who self-identify as "not at all religious" have an average IQ of 103, while those who self-identify as "very religious" have an average IQ of 97. The study follows on from a previous study showing that more intelligent individuals were more nocturnal, waking up and staying up later than less intelligent individuals. Being nocturnal is evolutionarily novel for humans.

Reference: 

[184] Kanazawa, S.
(2010).  Why Liberals and Atheists Are More Intelligent.
Social Psychology Quarterly. 73(1), 33 - 57.

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