>Conservative economic attitudes have been theorized as symptoms of low cognitive ability. Studies suggest the opposite, linking more conservative views weakly

>Conservative economic attitudes have been theorized as symptoms of low cognitive ability. Studies suggest the opposite, linking more conservative views weakly to higher, not lower, cognitive ability, but with very large between-study variability. Here, we propose and replicate a new model linking cognitive ability not to liberal or conservative economics, but to economic extremism: Maybe none of these are indicative of intelligence. It would be neat if our collective political opinions becoming more extreme was because we are really are just so much smarter, but I don't actually see a reason why there should be any relation between the two. Whether it's more intelligent to take a conservative stance or a liberal stance, whether it's more intelligent to take an extreme stance or a moderate stance-- I think really depends on the situation. If anything it would seem to me that the more unintelligent view might be to too heavily identify with any single point of view.