Do intelligent people drink more alcohol?

File under "Wait . . . what? Really?"

Interesting findings from  British and US studies:

http://news.discovery.com/human/do-intelligent-people-drink-more-al...


Excerpt:

The next time you're inclined to enjoy an extra glass of wine, consider that it may be a reflection of your intelligence.

That is one of the findings from data from the National Child Development Study in the United Kingdom and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in the United States.



Childhood intelligence, measured before the age of 16, was categorized in five cognitive classes, ranging from "very dull," "dull," "normal," "bright" and "very bright."

The Americans were revisited seven years later. The British youths, on the other hand, were followed in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Researchers measured their drinking habits as the participants became older.


More intelligent children in both studies grew up to drink alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities than less intelligent children. In the Brits' case, "very bright" children grew up to consume
nearly eight-tenths of a standard deviation more alcohol than their
"very dull" cohorts.

Researchers controlled for demographic variables -- such as marital status, parents' education, earnings, childhood social class and more -- that may have also affected adult drinking. Still, the findings held
true: Smarter kids were drinking more as adults.

So why do smarter kids end up drinking more? Hypotheses abound.




Psychology Today takes an evolutionary approach. They argue that drinkable alcohol is a relatively novel invention of 10,000 years ago. Our ancestors had
previously gotten their alcohol kick through eating rotten fruits, so
more intelligent humans may be more likely to choose modern alcoholic
beverages.


Although increased alcohol consumption could be a reflection of exceptional brainpower, drinking more will certainly not make you any more intelligent than you already are.


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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on October 21, 2010 at 1:44pm
Trash your liver for your brain!
Permalink Reply by Glenn on October 21, 2010 at 4:02pm
damn do I feel rather... dull
Permalink Reply by Joel on October 21, 2010 at 4:06pm
Why? Because the smart ones go to grad school and use it to cut the suffering. F*cking PhD.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on October 22, 2010 at 5:29am
Why? Because smart people get so depressed about the dumb ignorance in the world around them that they drink to forget.
Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on October 22, 2010 at 5:35am
I'm certainly no brain sturgeon, but I would venture to guess that the smartypants in this control group were also more prone to depression.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on October 22, 2010 at 6:42am
I've been trying to prove for the last 20 years that the last statement in the excerpt is incorrect.
Permalink Reply by Rick norris on October 22, 2010 at 6:58am
I found that article interesting....

and think this may help explain a little more...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_giftedness

I also remember hearing something about "gifted" kids getting into more trouble, but couldn't really find anything about that. It could be that smarter kids just find out HOW to get alcohol faster than their "not so smart" friends, and develop the habit of drinking earlier...
Permalink Reply by Craig S. on October 22, 2010 at 9:11am
This is in great evidence at every election cycle. What is it Churchill said about the best argument against democracy was a 5 minute conversation with the average voter? Just thinking about it is driving me to get another beer.

Duppie said:
Why? Because smart people get so depressed about the dumb ignorance in the world around them that they drink to forget.
Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on October 22, 2010 at 9:15am
I misinterpreted the following:

"Researchers controlled for demographic variables -- such as marital status, parents' education, earnings, childhood social class and more -- that may have also affected adult drinking."



H3N3 said:
It's a longitudinal study, not experimental research-- no "control group."


Michael Perz said:
I'm certainly no brain sturgeon, but I would venture to guess that the smartypants in this control group were also more prone to depression.
Permalink Reply by Rick norris on October 22, 2010 at 12:05pm
Since we are quoting such intellectual greats as Lisa Simpson. I believe , and I could be wrong, but I think it was the great philosopher Cliff Craven that said...
Think of your brain cells as a heard of buffalo, and that heard can only travel as fast as it's slowest member. Now think of alcohol as a mountian lion...The mountian lion kills off the slowest member, so now the heard (your brain cells) are free to move faster, so drinking in affect makes you smarter...



Duppie said:
I've been trying to prove for the last 20 years that the last statement in the excerpt is incorrect.

So like you I will keep trying to increase my brain power

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