Religion
In reply to the discussion: New meta-analysis checks the correlation between intelligence and faith [View all]cbayer
(146,218 posts)The correlation they found could not reasonably be linked to intelligence, but it could be correlated with the results of the intelligence tests which were administered. The graph posted in the OP tells the tale quite well.
If some countries are showing average IQ's in the 65 range, one should really question the validity of those tests as equitably and validly measuring intelligence. IQ tests are notoriously biased.
So, yes they found some correlation with how people do on those tests. They also note that the reasons for this are very, very multifactorial and may not really reflect on an intelligence/religion negative correlation.
But, the fact is, now that yahoo has completely distorted their findings in the headline, this will be trotted out and worn like a banner by those who want to feel superior. That's really too bad. Those that may see themselves as intellectually superior will in most likelihood not look critically at the actual study here and those are the ones I would hope would do so.
But go ahead. If people want to take the position that atheists are smarter than believers based on this, they are free to do so. They don't have good data to back that up, but they can always point to this meta analysis, even though it doesn't conclude that.