Do good-looking people have higher IQ's?

By Hannah Thomas  on Tuesday 18 January 2011

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There appears to be some truth in the saying 'I'm more than just a pretty face' as studies carried out in Britain and America reveal that good looking men and women have an IQ almost 14 points above the norm.

The findings were based on the National Child Development Study and recorded the academic intelligence and physical appearance of 17,419 people throughout their childhood and up to early adulthood. A similar study was conducted using 35,000 Americans.

‘Physical attractiveness is significantly positively associated with general intelligence, both with and without controls for social class, body size and health,’ says Satoshi Kanazawa, a researcher at the London School of Economics.‘The association between attractiveness and general intelligence is also stronger among men than women.’

The study found that in Britain, women who are physically attractive have IQ’s 11.4 points higher than the average, while handsome men have an increased IQ of 13.6 points.

Support for the juxtaposition of beauty and brains is apparent in supermodel Lily Cole and actress Kate Beckinsale both Oxbridge graduates. But Kanazawa insists: ‘Our contention that beautiful people are more intelligent is purely scientific. It is not a prescription for how to treat and judge others.’

Are beauty and brains harmonious attributes? Is it fair that beautiful people are stereotypically branded as unintelligent?
Perhaps you have your own experience of beauty and brains that you'd like to share. Post your comments in the box below.

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Tuesday 18 January 2011

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Given that only unbeautiful people would stereotype beautiful people as unintelligent then, yes, the thesis seems to be proven: ugly (therefore less intelligent) people live in a black/white world full of wild generalisations and prejudice. However ... given the chaotic nature of existence and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I would presume that there's absolutely no correlation either way.
Comment by Flick on January 21 22:33

Cant see how intelligence is attributed to how you look unless you are making intelligent choices on what u wear!! Nuts....down to genetics, family, schooling background whatever...there are some beautiful people with high IQs and some similar ordinary, plain if you will..with the same...
ants are highly intelligent..wouldnt want to look like one though likewise...many insects and animals....instinct is also intelligence..
One can be both of which choice one wants..
Comment by anon on February 11 17:03

Seems obvious, over the years beautiful people have generally been the wealthy ones (as people dont like uglies) so the rich parents have beautiful children and because of their money can bring them up to be cleverer, more well nourished in mind and body.
Comment by Anonymous on February 21 23:29

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