Fri, 03 Feb 2012

Right-wingers less intelligent than left-wingers - study

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What do you make of a study that suggests that right and left-wing ideologies are linked to intelligence?

A paper, published in Psychological Science, claims that people with ring-wing views tend to be less intelligent than those on the left. It claims that people of lower-intelligence tend towards right-wing views as they make them feel 'safe'.

Academics analysed two large UK studies, from 1958 and 1970, comparing childhood intelligence with their adulthood political views in more than 15,000 people, reports The Mail. Children on the study were assessed for innate intelligence aged 10 or 11, then assessed politically at the age of 33.

The study asked the adults whether they agreed with statements like 'I wouldn't mind working with people from other races' and 'I wouldn't mind if a family of a different race moved next door'. It also analysed their responses to statements based on socially conservative politics such as, 'Give law breakers stiffer sentences' and 'Schools should teach children to obey authority'.

It found that people with a low childhood intelligence gravitated towards racist and anti-gay views as they grew up.

Does low-intelligence breed right-wing views?

23 opinions

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Opinion:

By Paul

Notice how any left wing persons on this forum berate and insult "right wingers" without making a single coherent argument. Only insults. How about we perform an analysis on the IQ of these individuals from a standardised IQ Test? I think the results would overwhelmingly confirm that they are in the lower ranges. I have been tested and confirmed to have an IQ of 148 and I vote for the Liberal party in Australia because they support small business and practice fiscally solvent government. The number of votes for right-wing or more correctly centre-right parties in most of the Western world is concentrated amongst the more affluent members of the community. Are we to believe that somehow these people have succeeded in life and business whilst suffering from sub normal IQ's? Does that make sense? Does it make sense to ask questions about racial sensitivity in an IQ test? That is NOT an IQ Test question from any IQ Test I have ever seen from a reputable source. I would think given the crime rates amongst minorities in the UK that not wanting to live amongst crime riddled communities would be an intelligent decision for your families well being. Look at the population of San Francisco (a bastion of left wing idealogy) and you will note a strong exodus of their African American community. It seems "American liberals" don't even want to live in black communtities.

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By Paul

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By Reality

Despite Will Jackson's opinion, we don't really have either right wingers, or left wingers in our Parliament. Our politicians almost without exception are centrist, and have a lot more in common that they have at odds with each other. Anyone here who votes for personal responsibility is labelled a redneck right winger, and anyone who advocates welfare, or the environment is a leftie. This political bullshit is actually nothing more than rhetoric to 'extremise' the opposite party. It is an insult to anyone who has read history, and people show their ignorance by giving these labels. So, keep it up folks, the real joke is on you.

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By Tony Pietersma

Very subjective. I think that in the fullness of time, the study will turn out to be flawed. Some of the questions were not looking for right wingers so much, as they were looking for racists. But if you want to hold up some very fine left wing examples you could perhaps look at the Popata brothers or even the average occupy protester. Like everything, there are smart people in all walks of life. let's just hope that we can keep a NZ a place where different views can be appreciated and tolerated by all. Perhaps the "Left and Right" actually need to be tolerant of each other as well.

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By steven

Didnt banks make his millions selling alcohol,how many drunk drivers how much family violence how intelligent that?

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By David Schuker

It has always been true and accounts for the redneck vote ('cause tho dumber the rightwingers are still brighter than the rednecks) - plenty of USA research on this. Retail politicians like Banks survive on the redneck vote (often rich, often poor, always stupid)

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By Takere

For most of us .. it's not rocket science! It's true and will always be so!

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By pearl

Have long thought it is self evident. Only surprised it's taken so long for some research to be published on this phenomenon.

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