What high IQ really means for political beliefs

The research, published in the journal Intelligence, followed participants for more than 35 years and found that gifted adults tend to place themselves near the political center. The only clear difference emerged among men: those with very high IQ scores were less likely to hold traditional conservative views than men of average intelligence.

Tracking gifted children into midlife

The findings draw on data from the Marburg Giftedness Project, which began in the 1987 to 1988 school year. Researchers initially tested more than 7,000 third-grade students. Children with IQ scores of 130 or higher were classified as gifted, while a comparison group had scores close to the average of 100.

Both groups were matched for factors such as gender balance and family background to ensure fair comparisons. The students were tested again in ninth grade to confirm their cognitive levels.

About 35 years later, when participants were around 43 years old, researchers surveyed them about their political views. A total of 87 gifted adults and 71 non-gifted adults responded, a strong turnout for a study spanning so many years.

Mostly moderate views

Participants were first asked to place themselves on a scale from left to right. Both groups tended to choose positions near the middle, with no meaningful difference between gifted and non-gifted adults.

Researchers then looked at 4 specific areas of political belief: support for free markets, preference for tradition and social order, support for economic equality, and emphasis on personal freedom.

Again, there were no clear differences between the two groups in most areas. High intelligence did not make people more likely to support free markets, socialism, or strong individual freedoms.

The only notable gap appeared in attitudes toward tradition and social stability. Among men, those of average intelligence were more likely to endorse traditional conservative values than gifted men. Among women, no such difference was found. Gifted and non-gifted women expressed similar levels of conservatism.

The researchers suggest that highly intelligent men may be more comfortable weighing different perspectives and less inclined to rely on strict traditional norms. However, overall political outlooks among gifted adults were not dramatically different from those of their peers.

The authors also noted that Germany’s political culture, which combines a market economy with strong social protections, may encourage moderate views across society.

The study had limitations, including a relatively small sample and reliance on self-reported beliefs. The results may not apply in the same way to countries with different political systems.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on how language models like GPT-5 reflect political bias and emotional cues.