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Furthermore, IQ tests correlate imperfectly with latent general intelligence (leaving aside the arguments over the distinction between 'intelligence' and ''g''). A person who scores exceptionally high on one test is expected to regress substantially on another test on average, which also contributes to the error involved in the predictive validity of IQ on the individual level.<ref>http://miyaguchi.4sigma.org/gradytowers/societies.html</ref> Childhood ratio IQ scores are also different from adult deviation IQ scores (measuring mental development relative to age rather than mental ability relative to others) and often regress substantially with full cognitive development. In conclusion, many IQ tests administered are not broad tests but ones that only measure narrow abilities, and as well as being less accurate measures of ''g'', certain types of these lower-order sub-abilities may predict achievement in certain fields moreso than others. This is displayed in the phenomenon of 'ability tilt', where for example a person may have a high verbal IQ but a relatively mediocre non-verbal IQ and would thus be expected to do better in realms that rely more on verbal ability. | Furthermore, IQ tests correlate imperfectly with latent general intelligence (leaving aside the arguments over the distinction between 'intelligence' and ''g''). A person who scores exceptionally high on one test is expected to regress substantially on another test on average, which also contributes to the error involved in the predictive validity of IQ on the individual level.<ref>http://miyaguchi.4sigma.org/gradytowers/societies.html</ref> Childhood ratio IQ scores are also different from adult deviation IQ scores (measuring mental development relative to age rather than mental ability relative to others) and often regress substantially with full cognitive development. In conclusion, many IQ tests administered are not broad tests but ones that only measure narrow abilities, and as well as being less accurate measures of ''g'', certain types of these lower-order sub-abilities may predict achievement in certain fields moreso than others. This is displayed in the phenomenon of 'ability tilt', where for example a person may have a high verbal IQ but a relatively mediocre non-verbal IQ and would thus be expected to do better in realms that rely more on verbal ability. | ||
== IQ and physical attractiveness == | == IQ and physical attractiveness == | ||
There is a strong relationship between ''perceived'' intelligence and physical attractiveness,<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/2112099?seq=1</ref> in line with the general 'what is beautiful is good' stereotype (that is, the [[halo effect]] that exists for beauty). | There is a strong relationship between ''perceived'' intelligence and physical attractiveness,<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/2112099?seq=1</ref> in line with the general 'what is beautiful is good' stereotype (that is, the [[halo effect]] that exists for beauty). | ||
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Certain evolutionary theories do predict that intelligence and physical attractiveness in humans would be expected to be correlated with each other due to the purported existence of a central 'good genes' factor that unilaterally increases fitness, however, robust empirical evidence for this claim is lacking. | Certain evolutionary theories do predict that intelligence and physical attractiveness in humans would be expected to be correlated with each other due to the purported existence of a central 'good genes' factor that unilaterally increases fitness, however, robust empirical evidence for this claim is lacking. | ||
Though intelligence and looks are not strongly related to each other, intelligence may play an important role in the perceptions of and preferences for looks in opposite sex partners. | ====Research==== | ||
Aesthetic judgement is | |||
While some studies show dramatic links between intelligence and physical attractiveness,<ref>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2010.11.003</ref> these studies often suffer from serious methodological flaws such as using less accurate tests of general intelligence, using low numbers of raters, and the ratings themselves being seriously confounded by potential [[halo effect|halo effects.]] For example, it is quite possible that as such studies employ interview methods, smarter people are rated as more physically attractive due to their demeanor and generally higher social status, as perceptions of higher social status seem to prompt people to evaluate others as being more ''physically'' attractive.<ref>https://incels.wiki/w/Scientific_Blackpill#Photoshopping_a_man_into_a_luxury_apartment_made_women_rate_him_as_30.25_more_attractive</ref> Such studies also use low numbers of raters, making the ratings unreliable. Furthermore, IQ and general intelligence are not entirely the same thing (with IQ being a good, but imperfect measure of g), and it is more important to demonstrate a link between latent general intelligence and looks than between looks and IQ per se. Thus, high quality studies using comprehensive assessments of intelligence and psychometric models are likely needed to clarify any proposed links between general intelligence and physical attractiveness. | |||
In contrast to studies that claim a strong link between IQ and looks, higher-quality studies like Mitchem et al.'s analysis (2015) of 1,753 identical and fraternal twins and their siblings, find no correlations between facial attractiveness and IQ.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4415372/</ref> This study, was however underpowered to detect a potential tiny positive correlation between IQ and looks (''r'' = 0.03) proposed by previous research. | |||
Judge et al. (2009), did find a small (''r'' = 0.16) correlation between looks and general intelligence,<ref>https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-06703-013</ref> however this may have been caused by his sample being middle aged. Intelligence is linked with greater health, and part of this may be attributable to lifestyle factors.<ref>https://www.statnews.com/2017/06/28/high-iq-children-longevity-study/</ref> Thus, the link between IQ and health may only become manifest with greater age due to the tendency of higher-IQ people to age more gracefully. On the other hand, such research may indicate that the weak good genes factor is indeed causing this link between intelligence and health, and that this furthermore promotes a tendency for greater physical attractiveness in more intelligent people, as physical attractiveness is also generally linked to better health. | |||
It may also be the case that IQ is mainly linked to looks in the case of 'bad genes', or neurodevelopmental, chromosomal, or other genetic conditions that both negatively influence physical attractiveness and IQ. Earlier studies did find a significant effect for looks only among unattractive individuals,<ref>https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-00344-009M</ref> though Mitchem et al. did not find any non-linear quadratic or curvilinear effects for IQ and looks. The association was non-significant throughout the entire range of physical attractiveness and IQ examined. The study also examined if the environmental correlation between IQ and looks was negative, i.e if high IQ people are better looking on the genetic but not on the observed level due to the effects of different environmental factors. They discovered no evidence to support this claim. | |||
However, other research has indicated that general intelligence is weakly correlated with facial symmetry,<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289610000310</ref> providing some support for the integration of IQ into the proposed general good genes factor. Other studies have linked greater physical attractiveness to lower reaction time variability,<ref>https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27815988/</ref> a correlate of general intelligence that may indicate that better looking people tend to have sounder nervous system functionality. | |||
====IQ and mate preferences==== | |||
Though intelligence and looks are not strongly related to each other, or related to each other at all in general, intelligence may play an important role in the perceptions of and preferences for looks in opposite sex partners. | |||
Aesthetic judgement is quite strongly correlated with general intelligence (.60),<ref>https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2044-8279.1974.tb02281.x</ref> although this specifically concerns preferences for design and 'good' artistic taste. This strong relationship between intelligence and superior aesthetic discrimination may be applicable to preferences for beauty in other people. One interesting study that may provide some indirect evidentiary support for this hypothesis indicated that the halo effects for beauty concerning certain traits such as intelligence are stronger among more intelligent individuals.<ref>10.1016/j.paid.2016.02.053</ref> | |||
While the increase in biased perceptions found in this study among more intelligent people could be due to them preferentially desiring others they perceive as more intelligent as romantic partners (in line with the general principle of assortative mating) and thus rating these people as more attractive, it is also plausible that the superior aesthetic discrimination found among the intelligent plays some role here, serving to strengthen the halo effect found for beauty. | While the increase in biased perceptions found in this study among more intelligent people could be due to them preferentially desiring others they perceive as more intelligent as romantic partners (in line with the general principle of assortative mating) and thus rating these people as more attractive, it is also plausible that the superior aesthetic discrimination found among the intelligent plays some role here, serving to strengthen the halo effect found for beauty. | ||
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It is also important to note that people who are both exceptionally good-looking and have exceptionally high IQs are rare. As a rough example, assuming a perfect normal distribution for both traits (they aren't in reality, but close enough for example's sake) and that looks and IQ is completely uncorrelated, the likelihood that a person would be exactly two standard deviations above the median for both looks and IQ is around 1:1924.<ref>https://www.omnicalculator.com/statistics/probability</ref> This figure may be off a bit when taking into account potential sex differences in physical attractiveness and greater male variability for IQ, as well as the likely non-normal distribution of these traits at extremes. IQ and looks are obviously also both continuous variables so this example mainly serves to demonstrate how increasingly exponentially rare it is to be high in both traits as they increase. Thus, people that are both very bright and very good-looking are relatively rare, and their rarity goes a long way in explaining why groups of high-IQ individuals rarely have exceptionally good-looking people among them and vice versa, especially when no selection is exerted for both traits simultaneously in a particular field. | It is also important to note that people who are both exceptionally good-looking and have exceptionally high IQs are rare. As a rough example, assuming a perfect normal distribution for both traits (they aren't in reality, but close enough for example's sake) and that looks and IQ is completely uncorrelated, the likelihood that a person would be exactly two standard deviations above the median for both looks and IQ is around 1:1924.<ref>https://www.omnicalculator.com/statistics/probability</ref> This figure may be off a bit when taking into account potential sex differences in physical attractiveness and greater male variability for IQ, as well as the likely non-normal distribution of these traits at extremes. IQ and looks are obviously also both continuous variables so this example mainly serves to demonstrate how increasingly exponentially rare it is to be high in both traits as they increase. Thus, people that are both very bright and very good-looking are relatively rare, and their rarity goes a long way in explaining why groups of high-IQ individuals rarely have exceptionally good-looking people among them and vice versa, especially when no selection is exerted for both traits simultaneously in a particular field. | ||
====Summary==== | |||
In summary, while there is a perceived link between intelligence and physical attractiveness, empirical evidence to substantiate a biological link between the two is inconclusive, tending to favor the conclusion that such a link is non-existent or very weak. Measurement error may play a role in this, and higher quality research is needed. Intelligence does appear to play a role in how individuals perceive attractiveness, possibly due to higher aesthetic discrimination capabilities among more intelligent individuals. However, the nature and extent of this relationship remain subjects for further investigation. Stereotypes, often perpetuated by popular media, contribute to the perception of a dichotomy between looks and intelligence. However, the notion that exceptional gifts in one socially desirable trait must be offset by deficiencies in another, is not empirically supported. This perception may be fueled more by envy and societal expectations and selection effects than by any biological or psychological trade-offs. Furthermore, individuals who are both exceptionally attractive and intelligent are likely statistically rare, despite people expecting highly attractive people to be more intelligent due to the Halo Effect. This may promote the idea that exceptionally good-looking people are actually stupid, due to the clash in perceptions of their initial perceived intelligence and their true level of cognitive ability. | |||
==IQ and height== | ==IQ and height== | ||