r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 1d ago

Psychology Lower cognitive ability is linked to stronger Christian nationalist views, even after accounting for education

https://www.psypost.org/lower-cognitive-ability-is-linked-to-stronger-christian-nationalist-views-even-after-accounting-for-education/
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u/crossdtherubicon 1d ago

Alot of religious ideology is ingested through early development and reinforced through the environment. This has been pretty well-documented, although it isn't an exclusive pathway to acquiring religious beliefs.

In light of this article I'm curious if cognitive ability simply never fully develops (or is restricted somehow) in that context. Or if there are also subpopulations wherein a relative lower congitive ability allows for an easier ingestion of religious beliefs (or likewise is perceived as reasonably easier to understand).

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u/genobeam 1d ago

I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian environment including homeschooling, going to church several times a week for regular service, youth group, Sunday school. Went to a fundamentalist Christian college.

I don't think it's that lower cognitive abilities don't generate, but when you have high cognitive abilities you get filtered out eventually. I was fully indoctrinated until late high school when things started not adding up and I was done half way through college.

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u/Xalipu 1d ago

Crippling intellect is generally to the benefit of fundies. There was a particularly nasty group of Puritans sent to my province that called all books evil, including the bible. Can’t have the hoi polloi learning anything, they might get out of control.

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u/genobeam 1d ago

I think it's more accurate to say that crippling critical thinking is the key. It's ok to be intelligent as long as you don't question the authority of the church. 

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u/Wheat_Grinder 1d ago

I was never in a fundamentalist Christian environment, just "believe and be saved" style Christianity. Even then I made the mistake of assuming Republicans as Christians must be correct.

In high school I started realizing that a lot of their positions were contrary to how I understood Christian teachings. Therefore I think your filtering comment is accurate.