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Full Version: How Intelligence Leads to Stereotyping
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https://www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...pe/535158/

EXCERPT: Upon seeing a young man hoisting a Hitler salute in 2017, most people likely do not think, “there goes a Rhodes Scholar.” Racists stereotype other people, for the most part, but there are also stereotypes about racists. And the stereotype about racists is that, well, they’re kind of dumb. But a new study complicates the narrative that only unintelligent people are prejudiced. The paper, published recently in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, suggests smart people are actually more at risk of stereotyping others. The study consisted of a series of experiments, all of which suggested that people who performed better on a test of pattern detection—a measure of cognitive ability—were also quicker to form and apply stereotypes....
I think there is a discernment in higher intelligence that goes beyond pattern recognition. A truly perceptive person sees the differences between two apparently similar things. A pattern-maker only links things by their superficial commonalities and leaves it at that. All black people are such and such a way. All gay people are such and such a way. It requires practiced and skilled insight to appreciate the individuality of the person over their membership in any class or group. Empathy also goes a long way in making this happen too.