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"The results of a 4 year study show that Americans who obtain their news from Fox News channel have an average IQ of 80, which represents a 20 point deficit when compared to the U.S. national average of 100."
"Researchers at The Intelligence Institute, a conservative non-profit group, tested 5,000 people using a series of tests that measure everything from cognitive aptitude to common sense and found that people who identified themselves as Fox News viewers and 'conservative' had, on average, significantly lower intelligent quotients. Fox Viewers represented 2,650 members of the test group."
"Test subjects who received their news from other outlets or reported they do not watch the news scored an average IQ of 104, compared to 80 for Fox News viewers."
"The researchers said that an IQ of 80 is well above the score of 70, which is where psychiatrists diagnose mental retardation. P. Nichols says an IQ of 80 will not limit anyone's ability to lead happy, fulfilling lives."
I've never heard of the The Intelligence Institute before, but their web site is atrocious. I apologize to anyone who actually clicks on that link. It looks like it was made with an Microsoft Office Product, which right there disqualifies this study as anything useful.
Lead researcher, P. Nichols, explains, "Less intelligent animals rely on instinct when confronted by something which they do not understand. This is an ancient survival reaction all animals, including humans, exhibit. It's a very simple phenomenon, really; think about a dog being afraid of a vacuum cleaner. He doesn't know what a vacuum is or if it may harm him, so he becomes agitated and barks at it. Less intelligent humans do the same thing. Concepts that are too complex for them to understand, may frighten or anger them."
"The results of a 4 year study show that Americans who obtain their news from Fox News channel have an average IQ of 80, which represents a 20 point deficit when compared to the U.S. national average of 100."
"Researchers at The Intelligence Institute, a conservative non-profit group, tested 5,000 people using a series of tests that measure everything from cognitive aptitude to common sense and found that people who identified themselves as Fox News viewers and 'conservative' had, on average, significantly lower intelligent quotients. Fox Viewers represented 2,650 members of the test group."
"Test subjects who received their news from other outlets or reported they do not watch the news scored an average IQ of 104, compared to 80 for Fox News viewers."
"The researchers said that an IQ of 80 is well above the score of 70, which is where psychiatrists diagnose mental retardation. P. Nichols says an IQ of 80 will not limit anyone's ability to lead happy, fulfilling lives."
I've never heard of the The Intelligence Institute before, but their web site is atrocious. I apologize to anyone who actually clicks on that link. It looks like it was made with an Microsoft Office Product, which right there disqualifies this study as anything useful.
I never heard of them either and don't know whether their stuff is biased or not. I don't really care.
Even if it is true, it doesn't bother me. I don't care if the average conservative IQ is lower. It really doesn't mean anything. I don't think proving the assertion wrong is the correct approach. Dismissing it as irrelevant is the proper approach in my opinion.
Here's one good reason why - the same people who will come on this thread and gloat over this IQ thing are the very same people will go on a Voter ID thread and protest against requiring a voter to have a picture ID. Now any worthwhile participation in society requires an ID already. So who is it exactly these folks are desperately trying to get to vote? The most apathetic, unproductive, and unengaged segment of society. And are they trying to get them to vote because they will vote Republican? Not likely.
So essentially, anybody who wants to loudly proclaim that Fox News watchers are less intelligent than CNN viewers and then wants to actively encourage people who not only don't work, drive, or have bank accounts but who literally aren't eligible to even get jobs, drive, or open a bank account is disingenuous to begin with.
P. Nichols concludes that he wasn't shocked by the studies' results, rather how dramatic their range. "Several previous studies show that self-identified conservatives are less intelligent than self-identified moderates. We have never seen such a homogeneous group teetering so close to special needs levels."
There is absolutely nothing intelligent about The Intelligence Institute's website.
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