To anyone growing up in the south this should come as no surprise. We have all had run-ins with our fellow Southerner's whose racism is only eclipsed by their "kicked in the head" stupidity. Still, it's nice to get validation of my experience.
A new study published in Psychological Science shows people who score lower on IQ tests in childhood are more likely to become bigoted as adults. The same holds true for conservative beliefs.
Why? Well, I had postulated that it was because conservative ideologies tend to see the world in simple. black and white terms. That rigid structure appeals to the intellectually incuroious, and the study bears that out as well.
Dr. Brian Nosek, a University of Virginia psychologist said in an interview, "Reality is complicated and messy. Ideologies get rid of the messiness and impose a simpler
solution. So, it may not be surprising that people with less cognitive
capacity will be attracted to simplifying ideologies."
So next time you are arguing with a conservative, be sure to use small words and simple sentences, otherwise they will just look at you with a blank expression.
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