Complementing the assertion that IQ and quality of life correlate positively with one another is the presumption that IQ is similarly correlated with higher levels of civic participation. Using data gathered by GMU professor Michael MacDonald, it has been revealed here that intelligent people vote more frequently than dullards do.
They also appear to be more compliant and timely in completing and returning their census information, despite the official pitch being that completing the form means more government money coming your way, a message that should appeal more to the lower classes than to those at the top. The US Census site has an interactive map that displays response rates by state as of April 9th. State response rates and estimated average IQ correlate at .57 (p = 0). Parenthetically, the correlation between IQ and eligible voting rate by state is a similar .65 (p = 0).
This is not simply the result of lower response rates among states with large immigrant populations--among the bottom five states, only one (New Mexico) has a sizeable Hispanic immigrant population to speak of (the others are Alaska, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia--excepting Alaska, dull white states). It might also be assumed that low population density would be an explanatory factor (though I'm not really sure as to why, since the forms were sent out and to be returned by mail), but the top of the list is full of relatively sparsely populated places like Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Kansas.
Speaking of top responders, what jumps out immediately is how well the Midwest does compared to the rest of the country. The following table shows average state response rate by US Census region:
A friend has been pestering me to take a month off this summer and go backpacking through Europe with her to celebrate getting her Master's degree. Even though I'm only two years older than she is, the chasm in life stages is a lot wider than the marginal gap in age is (she's actually one of my older female friends). My responsibilities make it impossible for me to go traipsing through the Old Continent for several weeks, and anyway I don't want the upper body shrinkage walking for hours day after day will result in!
But, to at least tangentially tie the story to the post, I don't have any desire to leave the Midwest for an extended period of time, even a month. The people here are pragmatic, friendly, and neighborly. The demographics are good, the real standard of living is high, and the population density isn't suffocating. The weather can be grating, especially in the winter, but as far as I know, no one has located Eden yet.
They also appear to be more compliant and timely in completing and returning their census information, despite the official pitch being that completing the form means more government money coming your way, a message that should appeal more to the lower classes than to those at the top. The US Census site has an interactive map that displays response rates by state as of April 9th. State response rates and estimated average IQ correlate at .57 (p = 0). Parenthetically, the correlation between IQ and eligible voting rate by state is a similar .65 (p = 0).
This is not simply the result of lower response rates among states with large immigrant populations--among the bottom five states, only one (New Mexico) has a sizeable Hispanic immigrant population to speak of (the others are Alaska, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia--excepting Alaska, dull white states). It might also be assumed that low population density would be an explanatory factor (though I'm not really sure as to why, since the forms were sent out and to be returned by mail), but the top of the list is full of relatively sparsely populated places like Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Kansas.
Speaking of top responders, what jumps out immediately is how well the Midwest does compared to the rest of the country. The following table shows average state response rate by US Census region:
| Region | Response |
| Midwest | 71.1% |
| Northeast | 64.1% |
| South | 63.1% |
| West | 62.5% |
A friend has been pestering me to take a month off this summer and go backpacking through Europe with her to celebrate getting her Master's degree. Even though I'm only two years older than she is, the chasm in life stages is a lot wider than the marginal gap in age is (she's actually one of my older female friends). My responsibilities make it impossible for me to go traipsing through the Old Continent for several weeks, and anyway I don't want the upper body shrinkage walking for hours day after day will result in!
But, to at least tangentially tie the story to the post, I don't have any desire to leave the Midwest for an extended period of time, even a month. The people here are pragmatic, friendly, and neighborly. The demographics are good, the real standard of living is high, and the population density isn't suffocating. The weather can be grating, especially in the winter, but as far as I know, no one has located Eden yet.
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