Just Emil Kirkegaard Things

Just Emil Kirkegaard Things explores the scientific analysis of sociopolitical, psychological, and biological phenomena, frequently challenging conventional perspectives on intelligence, social behaviors, and ideological disparities. It presents data-driven studies and reflections on academia, societal trends, and the interplay of genetics with human preferences and behaviors.

Social Sciences Intelligence Studies Political and Ideological Analyses Behavioral Genetics Sociology and Psychology Data Analysis and Statistical Methods Scientific Methodology Reading and Literature

The hottest Substack posts of Just Emil Kirkegaard Things

And their main takeaways

New study out: Systemic Racism Does Not Explain Variation in Race Gaps on Cognitive Tests

1513 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24

Systemic racism theory predictions were not supported by the study results.
US counties with more Republicans had smaller racial gaps in cognitive tests.
Racial achievement gaps were smaller in counties with higher White population shares.

Can you only talk to people within X IQ of your own?

1100 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24

🔬 Science IQ Communication Leadership

The idea of a communication range suggests people find it hard to bond with those beyond a certain IQ difference.
Evidence supporting this claim is weak and mostly anecdotal, lacking concrete data.
People tend to cluster with others similar in intelligence, a phenomenon known as social homophily, which can affect relationships and social bonds.

The politics of sociology

884 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Sociology Academia Public Trust

Surveys reveal sociology as an extremely left-wing field compared to others in the social sciences.
Around 25% of sociologists identified as Marxists, the highest percentage among surveyed fields.
Leftist academics engage in a two-faced approach, seeking dominance in their fields while trying to appear as objective scientists to the public.

Whose responsibility is it anyway?

825 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24

🔬 Science Psychometrics Intelligence Political Science Psychology Data Analysis

Intelligence correlates with different ideological and political beliefs.
More intelligence predicts more libertarian views about the government's role.
Smart people are more likely to be nihilists.

New study: Intelligence and Group Differences in Preference for Breasts over Buttocks

963 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24

🔬 Science Evolution Psychology Anatomy Cultural differences Research Methods

Intelligence correlates with preference for breasts over buttocks in men globally
African ancestry is linked to a higher preference for buttocks over breasts
Search data from Google and Pornhub show interesting patterns in body preference

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So you're interested in the national IQ of a country, what do you do?

648 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24

🔬 Science Research Data Analysis

Check the data behind a national IQ estimate using Becker's 2019 database.
Iran's national IQ of around 84 seems accurate given its development level matches expectations.
Iran's strong performance in math Olympiads may be attributed to talent searches by the government, rather than a large smart fraction.

Autism diagnoses are rising, yes, but autism, probably not

923 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24

🔬 Science Autism Diagnosis Mental health Genetics Bioethics

Autism diagnoses are increasing due to more liberal diagnostic criteria and shifts in categorization.
There is a trend of decreasing thresholds for autism diagnoses, including reclassifying individuals previously diagnosed with other conditions.
The prevalence of autism is influenced by genetic factors, and options for reducing autism risk may raise ethical questions.

Write simple questions in surveys

589 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24

🔬 Science Psychology Research Surveys Bias Cognition

Using simple language in surveys can reduce agreement bias
Agreement bias in surveys can lead to overestimation of unusual beliefs
Survey biases may distort results, especially in cross-country comparisons

2023 in books

687 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24

📚 Literature Book Reviews Reading habits

The post discusses 32 books read in 2023
The list includes various topics like law, science, and history
Encourages readers to read more books and offers tips on how to do so

Using the Binomial Effect Size Display (BESD) to understand correlations

373 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24

🔬 Science Statistics Correlations Research Methods Medical Science

Interpreting size of correlations using Cohen guidelines - small, medium, large
Comparing effect sizes to others in the literature for context
Understanding correlations using Binomial Effect Size Display (BESD) - practical applications