The analysis by the University of Rochester, headed by Professor Miron Zuckerman, says there was “a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity” in 53 of 63 studies.
The study, The Relation Between Intelligence and Religiosity: A Meta-Analysis and Some Proposed Explanations, claims smarter children are more likely to shy away from religion.
Among the scientific studies was one which started in 1921 and followed the lives and beliefs of 1500 kids whose IQs were above 135.
Just two of the 63 studies showed a positive link between intelligence and religious beliefs.
In the analysis, Prof Zuckerman factored in the quality of information and the sample size.
Apparently gender and education was less significant than whether or not someone followed a religion.
In the conclusion, the report published in the Personality and Social Psychology Review, says: “Most extant explanations (of a negative relation) share one central theme – the premise that religious beliefs are irrational, not anchored in science, not testable and, therefore, unappealing to intelligent people who ‘know better’.”
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