Study: People Who Post Inspirational Quotes Show Less Intelligence
SACRAMENTO (CBS Sacramento) - "Hang in there," "follow your dreams," "live the life you imagine." These and other inspirational quotes flood social media, and have become almost ubiquitous on Facebook and Instagram feeds.
People who are more receptive to inspirational quotes score lower in certain intelligence tests, finds a new study.
Called "On the reception and detection of pseudo-profound bulls***t," the study found that people who are more receptive to such quotes get lower scores in cognitive tests.
Lead researcher Gordon Pennycook explained why he undertook the study.
"Although bulls**t is common in everyday life and has attracted attention from philosophers," he said, "its reception, critical or ingenuous, has not, to our knowledge, been subject to empirical investigation."
His team asked 845 volunteers to evaluate a series of inspirational statements and say how profound they thought they were and whether they agreed with them.
"We focus on pseudo-profound bulls**t," explained Pennycook, "which consists of seemingly impressive assertions that are presented as true and meaningful but are actually vacuous."
The participants were then asked to perform a series of cognitive tests.
Those who rated the quotes as profound tended to perform more poorly on the tests.
"Those more receptive to bulls**t are less reflective, lower in cognitive ability (numeracy, verbal and fluid intelligence), are more prone to ontological confusions and conspiratorial ideation, are more likely to hold religious and paranormal beliefs, and are more likely to endorse complementary and alternative medicine," concluded Pennycook.
The study is published in the journal Judgment and Decision Making
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