Parasite prevalence and the worldwide distribution of cognitive ability - PubMed
Christopher Eppig 1 , Corey L Fincher, Randy Thornhill
Article ImagesParasite prevalence and the worldwide distribution of cognitive ability
Christopher Eppig et al. Proc Biol Sci. .
Retraction in
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Proceedings B editorial team. Proceedings B editorial team. Proc Biol Sci. 2024 Feb 28;291(2017):20240463. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0463. Epub 2024 Mar 6. Proc Biol Sci. 2024. PMID: 38442866 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
Abstract
In this study, we hypothesize that the worldwide distribution of cognitive ability is determined in part by variation in the intensity of infectious diseases. From an energetics standpoint, a developing human will have difficulty building a brain and fighting off infectious diseases at the same time, as both are very metabolically costly tasks. Using three measures of average national intelligence quotient (IQ), we found that the zero-order correlation between average IQ and parasite stress ranges from r=-0.76 to r=-0.82 (p<0.0001). These correlations are robust worldwide, as well as within five of six world regions. Infectious disease remains the most powerful predictor of average national IQ when temperature, distance from Africa, gross domestic product per capita and several measures of education are controlled for. These findings suggest that the Flynn effect may be caused in part by the decrease in the intensity of infectious diseases as nations develop.
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