People who exhibit racism and prejudice may simply be dumb, according to a new study published in the Journal of Psychological Science. Children with low intelligence are more likely to hold prejudiced attitudes as adults, according to lead researcher Gordon Hodson of Brock University. Low-intelligence adults tend to gravitate toward socially conservative ideologies, which stress hierarchy and resistance to change, the study found, and those attitudes can contribute to prejudice. "This finding is consistent with recent research demonstrating that intergroup contact is mentally challenging and cognitively draining, and consistent with findings that contact reduces prejudice," he said.
