Researchers: Men's IQ is Easier to Spot Than Women's
(Newser) - It's easier to guess men's intelligence than women's just by looking at their faces-maybe because we're so distracted by female beauty, according to a new study. Czech researchers gave IQ tests to 80 male and female students, took photos of them, and asked 160 students to rate them in order of attractiveness and perceived intelligence, PsyPost reports.
Generally, students deemed more attractive were also deemed smarter, especially among the women. Little surprise there, but somehow the 160 students were more able to spot men's actual IQ.
Why is that? Maybe signs of higher intelligence are only visible in men's faces "due to some genetic and developmental association," the researchers write. "Another option is that women are pervasively judged according to their attractiveness," which prevents "an accurate assessment of their intelligence." What's more, our ability to quickly identify a person's IQ may have "evolutionary" consequences, the researchers say, the Daily Mail reports.
Neat factoid: The study found that people hold a certain mental image of an intelligent person's face-narrow, with a long nose and thin chin-which didn't correlate to actual IQ.
More From Newser.com:
New Study Reveals Surprising Reason Why Women Fake Orgasms
Your IQ Can Change Dramatically-Up or Down
Your Earwax Says A Lot About You
Weird Sexcapade Ends With Woman at Bottom of Well
The 12 People You Shouldn't Unfriend on Facebook
Photo Credit: flickr, ilana221
