High IQ link to being vegetarian ;-)

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Intelligent children are more likely to become vegetarians later in life, a study says.

A Southampton University team found those who were vegetarian by 30 had recorded five IQ points more on average at the age of 10.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6180753.stm

Comments

[tcpip]

Well that makes sense. One actually has to think about what they're eating in order to become a vegetarian (or any variation thereof). If one simply eats they get what's in the shop.

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Yes I agree that its probably more likely that intelligent people are more aware of health and animal cruelty issues as opposed to a lack of dietry meat actually making you smarter. Still, its nice evidence to counter against those meat ads with Sam Neil that claim meat makes you smarter ;)

[avatharwen]

Indeed, people with above average IQ's are prone to what is referred to as overexcitability which describes an excessive response to stimuli in the five psychic domains: psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational, and emotional; which may occur singly or in combination. Intelligence it would seem is a measure of perceptual sensitivity, both cognitive as well as emotional. It therefore make perfect sense that such individuals would be more cognitively/emotionally aware of where the supermarket meat comes from, and hence would opt for vegetarianism. Whether the choice is ultimately ruled by compassion or reason, or the combination there of, depends on the individual.

[cinematic]

Thanks for the reply. :)

"Intelligence it would seem is a measure of perceptual sensitivity..."

I can't agree that intelligence and perception are inter-dependant. I would say intelligence involves formulating decisions or predictions. You can have intelligence without a sensorium (EG a computer and artificial intelligence). You can also have a sensorium without intelligence. An Amoeba has perceptual apparatti, can interpret information from the physical world, and it doesn't involve mental or emotional processes. It is not intelligent, it's a single-cell organism :)

[avatharwen]

Well I think perception is still very closely interconnected with intelligence, for if intelligence is the capacity for correct predictions and decision making, (which I don't deny btw, it stretches among a rage of faculties) those decisions and predictions use data collected via perception, a more intelligent person will then have a more acute sense of cognitive/emotional perception and will gather more information and will make a better informed prediction/decision.

With the high IQ and vegetarianism, I guess I meant that the overexcitiability (term coined by Kazimierz Dabrowski a psychiatrist, I didn't just make it up I swear :P) of the highly intelligent would in the case of meat for instance make the person be more cognitively aware of where the meat come from, even visualising it, and being flooded with strong compassionate emotions towards the animal afterwards. (This is partly the mechanics behind my own vegetarianism, though not everyone's; not claiming high IQ as a result of it btw, I wish though :P)