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Intelligence and childlessness.
1Managerial Economics and Strategy Group, Department of Management, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom.
Social Science Research
|August 19, 2014
Summary
More intelligent women are more likely to remain childless, impacting population intelligence. This study explores the link between general intelligence and fertility choices in advanced societies.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Demography
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Debate exists on childbearing in industrialized nations where children represent economic costs.
- Evolutionary psychology posits intelligence influences decisions regarding parenthood.
- Understanding childlessness is crucial for evolutionary and societal analyses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between general intelligence and the decision to remain childless.
- To examine sex differences in the association between intelligence and lifetime fertility.
- To assess the potential impact of intelligence-related fertility patterns on population-level intelligence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the National Child Development Study data.
- Statistical examination of preferences for remaining childless versus actual childlessness.
- Controlling for socioeconomic factors like education and earnings.
Main Results:
- More intelligent individuals of both sexes expressed an early preference for remaining childless.
- Higher childhood general intelligence was significantly associated with increased lifetime childlessness specifically in women.
- A one-standard-deviation increase in general intelligence reduced women's odds of parenthood by 21-25%.
Conclusions:
- Childhood general intelligence is a significant predictor of lifetime childlessness in women, independent of education and earnings.
- The observed pattern of "dysgenic fertility" among women may contribute to a decline in average population intelligence in industrialized nations.
- Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms underlying these fertility differences and their long-term societal implications.
Keywords:
ChildlessnessGeneral intelligenceParenthoodSavanna-IQ Interaction HypothesisThe Lynn-Flynn EffectValue for childrenMore Related Videos
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