Nations with lots of heathens have higher IQs

[bpesta22]

In press in the journal, Intelligence

Average intelligence predicts atheism rates across 137 nations
Richard Lynna, , , John Harveyb and Helmuth Nyborg


Abstract

Evidence is reviewed pointing to a negative relationship between intelligence and religious belief in the United States and Europe. It is shown that intelligence measured as psychometric g is negatively related to religious belief. We also examine whether this negative relationship between intelligence and religious belief is present between nations. We find that in a sample of 137 countries the correlation between national IQ and disbelief in God is 0.60.

[Darth Rotor]

In press in the journal, Intelligence

Average intelligence predicts atheism rates across 137 nations
Richard Lynna, , , John Harveyb and Helmuth Nyborg


Abstract

Evidence is reviewed pointing to a negative relationship between intelligence and religious belief in the United States and Europe. It is shown that intelligence measured as psychometric g is negatively related to religious belief. We also examine whether this negative relationship between intelligence and religious belief is present between nations. We find that in a sample of 137 countries the correlation between national IQ and disbelief in God is 0.60.

How is an atheist a heathen?

[bpesta22]

Sorry, it's a term of endearment I use for atheists. Somebody else called me on this awhile back. Is this an across the pond thing? It doesn't seem like too many american atheists I know would be upset being called heathens.

[Irony]

How is an atheist a heathen?

Don't ask us. Ask the people who are constantly calling us that.

[Darth Rotor]

Don't ask us. Ask the people who are constantly calling us that.
I realize there is more than one meaning for heathen, but I was under the impression that the core connotation is not only of non belief, but also of general backwardness and non civilized character.

(Webster)
heathen/noun
Date: before 12th century
1 : an unconverted member of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible
2 : an uncivilized or irreligious person

I am fully aware of the joke involved, since I cracked more than once to my wife that I was amazed that the Catholic Priest who married us, she's a Catholic, I am not, had allowed a precious daughter of Mother Church to fall into the clutches of a heathen. (Using this to depict "non Catholic" as an extension of heathen, due to internal assumption of Catholic Church as The One True Church. :D )

On further review, it appears that the definition number one fully answers my question. :)

DR

[bpesta22]

I retract heathen and instead substitute baby eater!

[Gurdur]

How is an atheist a heathen?

Easily (http://www.heathen-hangout.com/forum1/index.php), very easily. (http://www.heathen-hub.com/)

[Beerina]

2 : an uncivilized or irreligious person

One could argue an irreligious person is more civilized than a religious person because they've given up an errant, false lifeguide that may take them off a cliff or behave badly with respect to other people.

So it's like saying:

2. An uncivilized or highly civilized person

which isn't being very clear.

[Darat]

bpesta22 - to get back to you opening post, can you provide any more details about the study?

[bpesta22]

bpesta22 - to get back to you opening post, can you provide any more details about the study?

Gotsta go to work. I plan on downloading it, reading it, and if anyone's interested, summarizing it here.

Right now it's in limbo where getting anymore than the abstract costs $50.00 or so, unless you subscribe to the journal. But I think a summary of it here would be cool without CR issues.

[INRM]

What does the 0.60 figure mean? 60% of non believers are more intelligent?

[bpesta22]

What does the 0.60 figure mean? 60% of non believers are more intelligent?

It's aggregate data which is why the correlation is so large: The percentage of atheists in a country correlates .60 with that country's estimated Mean IQ.

[Tailgater]

It should go "nations with high IQs have lots of heathens" though. Being athiest doesn't give you a higher IQ.

[bpesta22]

Interesting, the article starts:

"Dawkins' (2006) recent book the God Delusion suggests that it is not intelligent to believe in the existence of God."

Argues there's about a -.30 correlation between IQ and religious belief among college students (incidentally I have data showing about this on a sample of christians-- IQ inversely predicts biblical literalism and openness to change).

Cites some data showing females are more likely to be religious than males.

Shows how religious beliefs correlate with Nation IQ.

Argues that the difference is in g.

Tries to explains the sore thumb in the data-- the USA (IQ = 98; 89.5% theist; too many catholics and immigrants muck things up).

For contrast:

Belgium iq=99 (43% atheist)
Netherlands iq=100 (42% atheist)
Denmark iq=98 (48% atheist)
France iq = 98 (44% atheist)
UK iq=100 (42% atheist)

Using "atheist" above for the shorthand of "not believing in a god".

Incidentally, the smartest countries are all Asian.

This is just a brief overview. If anyone's interested in specifics, let me know.

If anyone wants to know their country's mean IQ, let me know!

[Silentknight]

Tries to explains the sore thumb in the data-- the USA (IQ = 98; 89.5% theist; too many catholics and immigrants muck things up).

For contrast:

Belgium iq=99 (43% atheist)
Netherlands iq=100 (42% atheist)
Denmark iq=98 (48% atheist)
France iq = 98 (44% atheist)
UK iq=100 (42% atheist)

Using "atheist" above for the shorthand of "not believing in a god".

Incidentally, the smartest countries are all Asian.

This is just a brief overview. If anyone's interested in specifics, let me know.

If anyone wants to know their country's mean IQ, let me know!

I'd actually be interested in the state by state statistics for the USA. I've seen a few so-called studies that attempt to prove that certain states have a higher IQ than others, but they vary so greatly from study to study that I doubt their reliability.

[bpesta22]

I'd actually be interested in the state by state statistics for the USA. I've seen a few so-called studies that attempt to prove that certain states have a higher IQ than others, but they vary so greatly from study to study that I doubt their reliability.

This one has passed peer-review (fwiw I've got one pub with the author, but it's not on IQ):

http://www.people.vcu.edu/~mamcdani/Publications/McDaniel%20(2006)%20Estimating%20state%20IQ.pdf

[bpesta22]

Alabama 95.7
Alaska 99.0
Arizona 97.4
Arkansas 97.5
California 95.5
Colorado 101.6
Connecticut 103.1
Delaware 100.4
Florida 98.4
Georgia 98.0
Hawaii 95.6
Idaho 101.4
Illinois 99.9
Indiana 101.7
Iowa 103.2
Kansas 102.8
Kentucky 99.4
Louisiana 95.3
Maine 103.4
Maryland 99.7
Massachusetts 104.3
Michigan 100.5
Minnesota 103.7
Mississippi 94.2
Missouri 101.0

Montana 103.4
Nebraska 102.3
Nevada 96.5
New Hampshire 104.2
New Jersey 102.8
New Mexico 95.7
New York 100.7
North Carolina 100.2
North Dakota 103.8
Ohio 101.8
Oklahoma 99.3
Oregon 101.2
Pennsylvania 101.5
Rhode Island 99.5
South Carolina 98.4
South Dakota 102.8
Tennessee 97.7
Texas 100.0
Utah 101.1
Vermont 103.8
Virginia 101.9
Washington 101.9
West Virginia 98.7
Wisconsin 102.9
Wyoming 102.4


State IQ correlates:

-.38 with pupil/teacher ratio
.39 with $ spent per student
-.51 with % of blacks in the state
-.27 % asian
-.34 % hispanic
-.71 % low birth rate
-.58 violent crime rates.