What Does it Mean if Taller People are "Smarter"?

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Many studies have shown that most CEOs, for instance, are tall. There are different theories why, including that it has to do with self esteem, social dominance, and discrimination. This article claims it's because tall people are smarter.

“As early as age 3 ... and throughout childhood, taller children perform significantly better on cognitive tests,” the authors say.

I'm citing this study and the things written about it because there are some real leaps, like the suggestion that tall people have "better health." It's also strange, since IQ has long been known to be highly heritable (genetic) that genes are never mentioned, just nurturing (nutrition). Nutrition is vital of course, but it's the software, while genes are the hardware.

They also assert that tall people "select into" higher paying jobs ... and that 4" in height = 10% more in wages. But you can't just select IN, they must agree to it -- to hire you. And there's the prejudice again, for taller people.

That someone selects into a higher paying job, doesn't mean they're smarter. There are certainly other explanations why someone who choose higher paying jobs.

The researchers sum it up: "On average, taller people earn more because they are smarter." (At least in the UK and US.)

Now Cecil on www.straightdope.com has some interesting points to make on this subject. (For his answer to "do tall people die younger?" go here: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050422.html .

According to Cecil:

• Over the past 150 yrs. the avg. height of Europeans has increased by 8"
• Avg. height of the Chinese has increased about an inch per decade
• 14 y. o. North Korean males are about 6" shorter than their South Korean counterparts (presumably from malnutrition)

However, according to Thomas Samaras, director and senior researcher at San Diego-based Reventropy Associates (arguably the dissenting minority):

• Increased body mass and energy expenditure means faster aging
• Tall people don't live longer if you factor out confounding variables like socioeconomic status and smoking
• You die 6 months sooner for every extra centimeter of height
• British epidemiologist George Davey Smith says
  -- In developed countries taller people live longer
  -- Taller people exhibit higher death rates from a few specific causes like cancer
  unrelated to smoking and aortic aneurysm. (because they have longer aortas!)
  --Taller people are less likely to die of coronary heart disease, stroke and respiratory
  disease

This is really confusing. For one thing many studies show that cutting back on food intake prolongs life. (Weight in relation to height?)

More ...

• People with bigger brains are smarter than their smaller-brained counterparts, according to a study conducted by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher published in the journal “Intelligence.”
• Women's neurons are packed tighter than men's (so compare men to men, and women
  to women
• Female brains have more 'networking' between the processing parts of the brain, of which they have less than male brains. Male brains have more processing power, but less interconnectivity than female brains.
• Women have bigger corpus callosi (connects 2 parts of neocortex)
• For the real scoop on male v. female, read Essential Difference; Truth about Male & Female Brain.

Well, that's just about nothing you can do about your height, and if it correleates with EQ, well, but it's the same old thing about IQ -- it isn't everything, folks.

If the opposite of "high IQ" is now "mentally retarded," it's interesting to note that the DSM now requires that a person's "adaptive functioning" also be assessed. "IQ is not enough" says the IQ Comparison site ( http://members.shaw.ca/delajara/IQBasics.html ) "Maybe the same sort of thing should be done for labeling ng someone a genius. "

Which brings us right back to Emotional Intelligence (EQ). There is a LOT you can do about your EQ, over your lifespan and that's another term for "adaptive functioning."

Take THE EQ COURSE and start increasing it. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for more information, coaching, and ebooks.