Liberals and Atheists Are More Intelligent?

by Patrick Appel

A study (pdf) has found that monogamy (only in men), liberalism and atheism are correlated with IQ. PZ Myers isn't buying it. Joyner exercises appropriate caution:

The causality issue aside, the correlation seems to remain. But let’s not get terribly excited about what all this means. The vast majority of Americans including high IQ Americans and well educated Americans are religious. For that matter, the vast majority of Americans including those of below average intelligence are in monogamous relationships or strive to be. We’re talking about small differences in aberrant behavior, not a chasm.

It’s also noteworthy that the correlation is between intelligence measured at adolescence and ideology, religiosity, and monogamy as young adults.  It would be interesting to see if the correlation strengthens or fades with time. This particular cohort is being studied on through 2002; I don’t know if they’ll continue to be tracked.

Ilya Somin levels further criticism.