Are You Smarter Than Average?

This episode is supported by Skillshare. Do you ever wonder how your brain stack up to those around you? Well, if you are standing tall beside them, you might be smarter!

Researchers have already uncovered that tall people are often higher earners - which was hypothesized to be linked to self-esteem, social dominance, or discrimination against shorter people. However, a 2009 study revealed that taller children have higher average cognitive test scores. Or maybe you are the oldest sibling?

A study of 250,000 Norwegian military personnel found that the first born had an average IQ 2. 3 points higher than younger siblings. This wasn’t genetically based, but rather the benefits of full parental attention.

When you were a baby, were your breast or bottle fed? A Brazilian study tracked over 3000 babies to the age of 30. Researchers found that breastfeeding duration and amount was positively associated with IQ, education and income.

Speaking of drinking, alcohol is bad for your brain, right? Maybe so, but the intelligent among us are more drawn to booze. A study found that intelligent children in both the UK and US were more likely to grow up to consume more alcohol.

Similarly, a study that assessed the IQ of 6713 11 year olds and then followed them to age 42 found the same to be true for drug use like cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines and magic mushrooms. Why would smart people seek substances that could harm them? Known as the Savanna-IQ Interaction Hypothesis, it suggests that more intelligent people have evolved novel values and preferences.

For example, while the majority of us function best during the daytime the novel environment is night time. Therefore the hypothesis predicts that night owls are the more intelligent among us, and an analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health confirmed this prediction. If you find this information worrying, you are likely.

. . pretty bright.

A sample of 126 undergraduate students found verbal intelligence was a unique positive predictor of worry and rumination. However, people who didn’t worry scored higher on tests of nonverbal intelligence. Like daydreaming?

A new study has found that daydreamers may be more intelligent, suggesting that people with efficient brains may have too much brain capacity to stop their minds from wandering. Lefty? A study of 96 left handed and 96 right handed individuals found that lefties scored greater creativity as well as measures of ‘divergent thinking’, the ability to generate new ideas from a single principle.

You have little control over being a lefty or righty, but if you want to take your intelligence into your own hands consider a music lesson. After only 20 days of music training, a study found that 90% of the preschool aged children showed improvements in verbal intelligence. While you are at it, quit smoking.

Unlike other risky behaviours a study of 20,221 18 year old males serving in the Israeli army found IQ scores are lower in male smokers than nonsmokers. Maybe abstinence is key? A study that assessed 12,000 teens from grade 7-12 found that high schoolers with a higher IQ are more likely to be a virgin.

A separate survey found this extends into later years as well. By age 19, 80% of US males and 75% of females have lost their virginity and 87% of college undergraduates have lost their virginity. However, when assessing elite colleges this number becomes much lower.

56% of Princeton undergraduates have had sex, 59% at Harvard, and 51% at MIT. Finally, do you find this picture funny? Congratulations, your dark sense of humour is positively associated with intelligence regardless of age and gender.

It is important to remember correlation doesn't equal causation, but it is interesting to investigate the variables related to intellect. So how many categories did you fit into? Let us know in the comments, and tell us if it matches up with your experience of smart people that you know.

If you want to become smarter than average you need to check our amazing sponsor for this video Skillshare. And they're giving away three months for only 0. 99 cents if you sign up in January.

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Thanks for watching and subscribing and we will see you all next Thursday for a new science video.