From Psychologies · Guillaume Servant · · 1m 30s
Swedish Researchers Link Intelligence to Voting and Charity
Swedish researchers find higher cognitive scores correlate with increased charitable giving and voting rates among adults.
In brief
Swedish researchers find higher cognitive scores correlate with increased charitable giving and voting rates among adults. Swedish researchers found people with higher cognitive test scores are more likely to donate to charities and vote, even after accounting for education and income. Originally reported by…
Swedish researchers find link
Swedish researchers analyzed over a million Swedes' cognitive test scores from military conscription exams and linked them to charitable giving and voting behavior.
“Les personnes qui vont voter sont-elles plus intelligentes que celles qui s'abstiennent ?”
Cognitive test scores measured
The study used standardized military conscription exams from 1969 to 1997 with scores ranging from 1 to 9 for general intelligence.
Pro-social behaviors tracked
Researchers linked cognitive scores to three pro-social behaviors: charitable donations, participation in European elections, and ownership of eco-friendly vehicles.
Men show stronger links
For men, each additional standard deviation in cognitive score increased donation probability by 40%, voting by 31%, and eco-vehicle ownership by 14%.
Women show similar trends
Women showed similar patterns in charitable giving and voting but with a smaller sample size and less representativeness than men.
Twin analysis confirms link
Twin studies showed cognitive differences between twins predicted charitable behavior and voting, though the effect was weaker than in the general population.
Education explains part of link
Education level accounted for a significant portion of the intelligence-behavior link, suggesting schools teach civic values and cooperation.
No causal relationship proven
The study shows correlation, not causation, and other factors like health and socialization may influence both cognitive scores and pro-social behaviors.
The one thing
Swedish researchers found people with higher cognitive test scores are more likely to donate to charities and vote, even after accounting for education and income.
