Excerpt: "Study shows that the Americans who watch Fox News have an average IQ of 80, whereas the national average is 100. Researchers were not 'shocked' by findings."
File photo, Fox News logo. (photo: Fox News)
Study: Fox News Viewers Have an IQ 20 Points Below US Average
Satire
09 December 12
PROBLEM WITH THIS STORY! We originally obtained this story from Yahoo News. While we published it in good faith there appears now to be serious doubt that the story is authentic. Even though Yahoo has not removed or retracted the story we advise caution in considering the claims made here. Quoting this report is not recommended. Our sincere apologies.
- RSN Editorial Staff
tudy shows that the Americans who watch Fox News have an average IQ of 80, whereas the national average is 100. Researchers were not "shocked" by findings.
The results of a 4 year study show that Americans who obtain their news from Fox News channel have an average IQ of 80, which represents a 20 point deficit when compared to the U.S. national average of 100. IQ, or intelligence quotient, is the international standard of assessing intelligence.
Researchers at The Intelligence Institute, a conservative non-profit group, tested 5,000 people using a series of tests that measure everything from cognitive aptitude to common sense and found that people who identified themselves as Fox News viewers and 'conservative' had, on average, significantly lower intelligent quotients. Fox Viewers represented 2,650 members of the test group.
One test involved showing subjects a series of images and measuring their vitals, namely pulse rate and blood pressure. The self-identified conservatives' vitals increased over 35% when shown complex or shocking images. The image that caused the most stress was a poorly edited picture of President Obama standing next to a "ghostly" image of a child holding a tarantula.
Test subjects who received their news from other outlets or reported they do not watch the news scored an average IQ of 104, compared to 80 for Fox News viewers.
Lead researcher, P. Nichols, explains, "Less intelligent animals rely on instinct when confronted by something which they do not understand. This is an ancient survival reaction all animals, including humans, exhibit. It's a very simple phenomenon, really; think about a dog being afraid of a vacuum cleaner. He doesn't know what a vacuum is or if it may harm him, so he becomes agitated and barks at it. Less intelligent humans do the same thing. Concepts that are too complex for them to understand, may frighten or anger them."
He continues, "Fox News' content is presented at an elementary school level and plays directly into the fears of the less educated and less intelligent."
The researchers said that an IQ of 80 is well above the score of 70, which is where psychiatrists diagnose mental retardation. P. Nichols says an IQ of 80 will not limit anyone's ability to lead happy, fulfilling lives.
The study did not conclude if Fox News contributed to lowering IQ or if it attracts less intelligent humans.
P. Nichols concludes that he wasn't shocked by the studies' results, rather how dramatic their range. "Several previous studies show that self-identified conservatives are less intelligent than self-identified moderates. We have never seen such a homogeneous group teetering so close to special needs levels."
See Also: Study Finds Fox News Viewers Least Informed of All Viewers
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Comments
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officials.
A similar problem can occur in those who do not eat enough vitamin B-12 (cobalamin), which also causes dementia. Vegetarians should eat some seaweed, the only vegetables that have B-12. So this can also be a problem for the vegetarians too. Elderly that were given B-12 shots retained their mental focus into very old age.
SO TRUE! If there were ever a group to that is believed to have nanobot filled skulls (courtesy of FIXED NOOZ LIES), THEY'RE THAT GROUP!
More pseudo-science. . Kinda like the science "promoted" by Fox News itself??
It's not often life delivers these little pleasures.
Actually, I thought their IQ's average was much lower. Most of them have brain stems and behave like people without fully developed brains, anyway. Small surprise.
Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives.
--John Stuart Mill
"I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it."
I second the motion. "P. Nichols"?
"The Intelligence Institute"?
Alan McConnell, in Silver Spring MD
PRWeb: PRWeb offers online visibility and publicity to organizations big and small through online press release distribution, which is sold .."
Hey, oldleftie, wanna share the action? How about we split it, $500 each? BTW, I am a southerner (kinda sorta; raised there but now live up north), and trust me, we're not all morons.
While I am glad that the system works for you, there are MANY people for whom, despite hard work and through no fault of their own, it does not. Private charity is simply insufficient to address such a structural deficiency. I don't think that you understand that, and doubt that anything I could say would convince you otherwise. But I will say this:
Government at its best restrains excess, individually, corporately and within itself. It also provides a safety net. Most right-wing critics of government simply want to protect their own interests (including those people and institutions they identify with) under the guise of restricting government. Military institutions also function to maintain an economic hierarchy-- advantageous to those with the most influence, but not others-- even more than protect the national interest. The two are not synonymous.
Ha Ha he's a Foximoron
Since you probably beleive all this, you probaly think rape is legitimite.
Are you for real? Or a 1950s caricature?
So, I can accurately say you don't mind legitimate rape, among other Right-wing "proposals.?" I guess an Akin is more your type for "president."
As for W (Witless), he's sure proof that the Right can be so wrong. He can, e.g., be blamed for a $10 trillion dollar debt that extended into Obama's term(s), leaving someone else to clean up the mess. How long will it take? That's a hell of a challenge for anyone, and the "bleeding" won't stop immediately, right? In fact, the "bleeding" not surprisely, has continued and will until there's the appropriate "turnacit" (wrong spelling) to clot it.
Class warfare, race card? So, we'll add these to your conpsiracy too. Are you actually Lyndon LaRouche?
Amazing how righties don't quite know how to use terms like this without their true meanings. For them, any bad word will do.
PRWeb: PRWeb offers online visibility and publicity to organizations big and small through online press release distribution, which is sold ..Quoting Robt Eagle:
Cheers all treat this story as a comic break RSN learned from Shakesperian theatre.
They really do seem to be confused by hard science though. Plus, they never seem to get it when they get it wrong.
Brings a smile to Sunday afternoon.
Both. One feeds on the other.
Article obv a rather poorly done satire -- maybe by a troll wanting then to crow how liberals were "taken in" by7 such blatant fraud?
That was true at one time.
It was also true that they didn't used to accept people straight out of prison, or people taking psych meds.
Now the psych meds are military issue, and the troops keep being rotated back into battle again and again.
Don't look too closely into modern recruiting requirements. The "standards" are now so low as to be practically non-existent.
Ex-cons are quietly, but enthusiasticall y welcomed.
This is truly NOT "your daddy's military" any more, often to the detriment of the entire country.
http://www.whatnowtoons.com/images/fox-news-anniversary-what-now-366.jpg
See more cartoons at www.whatnowtoons.com
One would think that the study probably has some merit - otherwise, if they weren't conservative and didn't watch Fox News, they would have had the intelligence to bury the results about themselves. One doesn't expect a conservative, and by implication a republican, to be honest about realities that go against their self-serving ideals.
Having an IQ of 80 might not limit your ability to have a fulfilling life, but what about watching FOX News?
For some reason this strikes me as hilarious
My Google searches on "The Intelligence Institute" and "P. Nichols" revealed nothing that supported this story. The sample group for this purported study is very small.
Please understand I am not at all a fan of Fox News. I think that Fox "news" is nothing less than a cheer-leading organization for the Republican Party.
So, while it's a lot of fun to have "proof" that Fox News viewers are a lot dumber than Us Cool Kids, I would have to see more detail and better verification than this story has provided to believe it.
The sad fact is that a person's intelligence offers little protection against 1) being factually wrong, 2) having moral views that may seem terrible to others, and 3) being very effectively manipulated by repetitive propaganda.
In those studies, Fox News viewers answered incorrectly more often than NPR and Daily Show viewers. But not only that, they answered incorrectly more often than people who claimed not to watch any TV news.
I think this might be due perhaps not only to a lower IQ but also to the fact that Fox News presents faux news more often than true news. After all, if you are given WRONG answers and believe those answers, you are more likely to respond with WRONG answers.
A low IQ, however, means that you would probably believe wrong answers more readily than a curious mind or open mind or more informed mind.
I think it is also likely that the r
But did any of the sources you cite prove that "Fox News Viewers Have an IQ 20 Points Below US Average", or even address the issue of IQ?
(Sorry you evidently didn't finish your post...)
Au contraire, see http://www.intelligence-institute.com/index.html
See also http://service.prweb.com, the declared author of this piece.
They both appear to offer services to business entities, the former hawking "business intelligence" e.g. market information (did Fox News hire them for this purported study?) and the latter promotional services (who are they working for?).
At the very least it's bad form in this internet age to report a study and not offer a link to let the reader see for him/herself.
It's a prank.
Since then, sites like Daily Kos have noted that the study was likely a hoax. And for good reason.
*The Intelligence Institute does not exist -- It was a name created by Nichols and his team to give the "study" they were releasing some credibility. They didn't even bother to create a fake website as a front for the imaginary group. However, that may change. Nichols said that this study/press release was so effective that now perhaps there was some value to the name of The Intelligence Institute and they might use it for other studies they did or perhaps even create an actual conservative non-profit group.
Just like the Tea Party members, they are pawns manipulated from above.
Nevertheless as such, I wonder what their motives for the survey were (suspicious ol' earwiggin' thug that I am -but I came by it honestly via the US owner-media).
Be interesting to see where ClearChannel monopoly radio listeners (Mush Limp-ball's main outlet) come in?
But seriously, consider the question in a global context and you'll see that after all, you are talking about a country that has how many shopping channels? And soap opera recalls and game shows and vapid, mindless sitcoms.
Fox is lookin' better all the time but the bottom is so far down it's like an elevator pit compared with a penthouse library suite.
Mind you, although I loved my times there, Australian commercial TV was not much better from what I recall-Muck-doc 's influence perhaps?
Interesting corollary; Noam Chomsky, when he last spoke in Portland, OR, stated that he could always tell when a community had a strong Alternative media source or sources (Portland has several, topped off by KBOO 90.7 FM, -which I've programmed for) because of the quality of questions asked and the diversity of their questioners.
There is good stuff out there folks, without having to totally revert entirely to the foreign press.
As someone whose life work involves "intelligence" and its aspects, my "scientist hat" has me appreciating the statement here of how "correlation does not prove causality" (a science axiom). Does 'low IQ' news create dumbed-down viewers, or do already 'limited' thinkers naturally migrate to Fox? Either way....
In terms of "IQ" testing in this study, I've not seen the protocol, how (or if) they standardized and normed the test questions, nor how they drew their sample in the first place. That said, 'traditional' IQ test results emphasize different cognitive skills - attention/memor y and concentration on one hand, and also (importantly) the ability to conceptualize - grasp concepts, and problem solve. Either way... would love to see the study itself!
Heh-heh! Good one.
N.B.: The "Intelligence Institute" is NOT part of Western Illinois University. The WIU organization is "Institute Intelligence".
PRWeb: PRWeb offers online visibility and publicity to organizations big and small through online press release distribution, which is sold ..
Western Illinois University does not have an "Intelligence Institute", but rather a strategy consulting organization named "Institute Intelligence:
http://www.instituteintelligence.com/aboutus
Being dumb does not mean having conservative opinions, being dumb means lacking critical thinking abilities. People holding conservative world views tend to be less critical than people holding progressive views, but unfortunately, there seem to be a good number of progressives who have misplaced their critical thinking abilities. It is also unfortunate that they tend to like to share this lack with the rest of the world by posting comments here and elsewhere.
I can't stand any of these Conservatives.
Great analysis ! *Terrible* insult to 'Brer Fox !
I think the Helix Aspersa is marginally less intelligent.... .
http://publicmind.fdu.edu/2011/knowless/
http://www.examiner.com/article/univ-of-maryland-study-finds-fox-news-viewers-to-be-misinformed-on-key-issues
Please RSN: Be very very prudent. Report and print articles that have substance, truth, with provable facts and basis. Do you want my respect? Do you want my financial support? Print quality, not quantity.
The IQ - FOX article is an example of an article without merit. No substance, other than to kick the hell out of those who watch and embrace Fox.
Not much of a loss if you have no sense of humor.
Impossible, stupid propaganda
-- there are no negative numbers for IQ measurement.
UM, there is no negative number here. While I believe this to be an Onion type story, they are saying 80, not -80. Could be you're one of those referred to, judging by the lack of reading comprehension?
This may be a hoax, but with Right, the possibilities are endless.
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/12/09/study-claims-fox-news-viewers-average-iq-80/
Of course, since it's no more verifiable than the "study" itself, since they chose to use a false name for the "Institute" - at any rate, RSN shouldn't put this out as though they take it at face value. Lowers the credibility of RSN
The lack of such is a glaring characteristic especially of reactionaries and "more lefty-than-ypu" faux progressives.
Loosen up a bit some of you'se; there's a guffaw or two to be had here.
After reading your source, I conclude that this is most assuredly a fake, but it's the kind of thing Rush was talking about in his first book, "the way it oughta be", if it isn't true then the universe is incorrect cause it oughta be true, and so I will send it on to my conservative friends with a straight face.
By all means, making even one more head explode? Worth it. The more insightful will find it amusing evidence that idiocy does not respect ideological boundaries.
Others will amuse us with their loudly scattered brains.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/exclusive-pr-guru-behind_b_2268959.html
Now,don't you feel foolish, Mr/Ms Flamini?
This particular study won't be listed immediately- and it might not be listed at all, since this is a list of examples of their work, and it would be dumb to list such a divisive study there.
Or words to that effect...
Since then, sites like Daily Kos have noted that the study was likely a hoax. And for good reason.
*The Intelligence Institute does not exist -- It was a name created by Nichols and his team to give the "study" they were releasing some credibility. They didn't even bother to create a fake website as a front for the imaginary group. However, that may change. Nichols said that this study/press release was so effective that now perhaps there was some value to the name of The Intelligence Institute and they might use it for other studies they did or perhaps even create an actual conservative non-profit group.
But then again, maybe watching Faux News is what caused their lack of mental acuity?
FWIW, before I became a brain fogged old man I had an IQ of 163 and belonged to Mensa. Not bragging, just saying that of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.
The fact that their source, PRNews, is a self posting article publisher should be well known by RSN staff. Is the staff so ignorant, or just lazy?
If I can no longer trust this site for FACTUAL information, I'm gone.
Just playing on the stereotype people that watch Fox News are just dumb.
RSN should have investigated before launching this, which lowers credibility status for the service. I agree with #Billo.
Snopes reports it is "probably false" but gives info about a previous study wherein it was showed that "people who watch only Fox News are less informed that all other news consumers."
I am struck by the number of people in the emails above who baldly declare this is false just because they baldly declare it is false. I had better hopes for RSN subscribers. I'm disappointed in the vituperation.
Or is it the other way around?
Primary elements of critical thinking on the subject are in evidence here;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/exclusive-pr-guru-behind_b_2268959.html
RSN is on their list of who swallowed the hook and line with this sinker, but they have acquitted themselves responsibly in hindsight.
Or, as some would say; Burn her! Burn the witch!
Seriously, some of us need a bit of practice using our noggins. Never swallow anything bigger than your head, no matter how delectable it is. Your lower intestines will Thank You.
A friend of mine today was trying to inform me of whats going on in the world by quoting Fox news. I finally couldnt take it and had to end the conversation because they honestly think they are well informed and tried to tell me its what they heard on MSNBC also, I knew it was a pile of manure and said I got to run talk to you later. This person is so sure they are right they wont consider any alternative thought or facts except for what they saw on Hannity's America. I said well I guess our views differ, because it just depends on what News your watching and said goodbye. Its horrible but I try as hard as I can to never talk about politics with this person. Their views are so absurd its hard to even try to discuss anything. As I have stated before these people are great people until you talk politics, they talk about such nonsense its even hard to follow their train of thought...its very very sad what Fox has done to dumb down Americans who think Fox is a fact based news show...its not!!
Of course, it would be lovely if it were for real, but it's obviously not.
It also isn't written in anything even close to an intelligent, scientific manner, let alone being grammatically correct. ("\[I\]ntellige nt quotients"??)
If it really isn't blazingly obvious to you that this is an inartfully-writ ten, semi-illiterate gag, you might be in that under-100 group they're writing about.
If these people are that less informed, and don't know it, wouldn't that be proof that their IQ is lower?
If A, then B. Q.E.D.
Isn't science great?
Besides, the real number is 87.
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