For decades, psychologists and political scientists have examined the relationship between cognitive ability, political ideology, and social attitudes such as authoritarianism and prejudice. Across countries, age groups, and methodologies, a consistent though often controversial pattern has emerged where a lower measured cognitive ability in childhood is associated with more socially conservative and prejudiced attitudes in adulthood.
This finding does not hinge on a single study or political opinion. It appears repeatedly in large-scale, longitudinal research that tracks individuals over many years, allowing researchers to test directionality rather than mere correlation.
What to Know…
Longitudinal research shows that lower measured cognitive ability in childhood predicts more socially conservative and prejudiced attitudes in adulthood, rather than the reverse.
Conservative ideology often mediates the relationship between early cognitive ability and later prejudiced views, suggesting a sequential pathway rather than coincidence.
Higher cognitive ability is associated with greater open-mindedness, lower authoritarianism, and stronger support for equal rights across diverse groups.
Correlation vs. Causation: The Central Question
Critics often respond by saying, “Correlation does not equal causation.” While that is correct, it’s also incomplete.
The key issue is not whether intelligence and ideology correlate (they do), but which comes first. Longitudinal studies are uniquely valuable here because they measure intelligence before political attitudes have fully formed.
Across this research, three broad explanations are possible:
- Conservative ideology reduces cognitive ability
- Lower cognitive ability increases the likelihood of adopting conservative or prejudiced views
- The relationship is coincidental or driven entirely by outside factors
Long-term data strongly favor the second explanation.
Longitudinal Evidence: Intelligence Comes First
One of the most frequently cited studies comes from the Scottish Mental Survey, analyzed by Deary, Batty, and Gale (2008). Using intelligence test scores collected at age 10 and political attitudes measured at age 30, the researchers found that higher childhood intelligence predicted more socially liberal and anti-authoritarian views in adulthood. The sample included over 7,000 participants, making it unusually robust.
A second major longitudinal study by Hodson and Busseri (2012) examined an even larger dataset. This research found that lower intelligence at ages 10-11 predicted higher levels of racism and prejudice at age 30, and crucially, that this relationship was mediated by socially conservative ideology.
In other words:
- Lower intelligence appeared first
- Conservative social attitudes formed next
- Prejudiced or exclusionary beliefs followed
This sequencing matters because it rules out the idea that adult political ideology somehow causes lower intelligence, and instead suggests that cognitive ability influences how people process social and political complexity.
Why Cognitive Ability Matters for Political Attitudes
The researchers summarize the mechanism clearly:
“Intelligence drives attitude formation, that is, when considering social, moral, and political situations, those with greater cognitive skills can form more individualistic and open-minded attitudes than those of lesser cognitive ability.”
In this context, individualistic does not mean selfish or libertarian; it refers to support for equal rights, civil liberties, and the fair treatment of all individuals regardless of group membership. These traits are consistently associated with:
- Lower authoritarian tendencies
- Greater tolerance of diversity
- Reduced prejudice
- More progressive or liberal social views
People with higher cognitive ability tend to be better at handling ambiguity, integrating conflicting information, and resisting simplistic “in-group vs. out-group” narratives, skills that are especially relevant in modern pluralistic societies.
Important Limitations and What the Research Does Not Claim
It is critical to note what these studies do not say:
- They do not claim that all conservatives have low intelligence
- They do not measure moral worth or human value
- They do not suggest intelligence is immutable
The findings are statistical, not personal. Many factors shape political beliefs, such as education, environment, personality traits like openness, and social context.
However, the absence of equally strong longitudinal evidence showing the reverse relationship is notable. To date, there is no comparable body of data demonstrating that conservative ideology causes lower intelligence, nor that higher intelligence predicts greater prejudice over time.
Why This Research Is So Contentious
These findings provoke strong emotional reactions because political identity is deeply tied to self-image and moral legitimacy. But discomfort alone does not invalidate data.
The research does not argue that people hold conservative views because they are “bad” or “evil.” Instead, it suggests that simpler, more rigid worldviews may be more appealing when cognitive resources for processing complexity are more limited, a pattern seen not only in politics but in attitudes toward science, religion, and social change.
When examined carefully, the research paints a consistent picture: childhood cognitive ability is a meaningful predictor of adult political and social attitudes, particularly those involving authoritarianism and prejudice. While ideology itself is shaped by many forces, the data strongly suggests that cognitive ability plays a foundational role in how people understand, interpret, and respond to an increasingly complex world.
Disagreeing with the conclusions is fair. Ignoring the evidence is not.