At 6′ 3″, I can testify that this is true. :-)
Tall people earn more because they’re smarter
It is well-documented that short people earn less money than tall people do. To be clear, pay does not vary lock step by height. If your friend is taller than you are, then it’s nearly a coin toss whether she earns more. But if you compare two large groups of people who are similar in every respect but height, the average pay for the taller group will be higher.
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That wasn’t likely to make short people feel good, but the latest explanation is worse. In a new study, Anne Case and Christina Paxson, both of Princeton University, find that tall people earn more, on average, because they’re smarter, on average. Yikes.
Even at age 5, a variety of intelligence measures—based on conceptual maturity, visual-motor coordination, and vocabulary—are higher on average for taller kids.
6’4″, got me a 1390 on the SAT when I was in High School many years ago.
But seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed a trend between the intelligence of short and tall people. There a plenty of frustratingly dumb people of all heights.
Really? :X Sure I’d like to believe that alot of Supermodels are so high on their IQ!!!
Really? :X Sure I’d like to believe that alot of Supermodels are so high on their IQ!!! Just bcoz their earn more doesn’t even mean in any other way that they are smart!
Oh yeah Paris Hilton is tall! I’m sure John will agrees that she has high IQ especially that her net worth is like 30mill?
Sad but not particularly unbelievable.
Taller people are more attractive, leading them to get better mates, which usually includes more brains. The happy couple earns more money and has more resources to raise their kids to be successful adults.
Thank god for “regression toward the mean”, which cuts ’em down to size, over time.
I don’t have a lot of confidence in intelligence metrics, but the last standardized test I took was the GRE, and I scored a 1440. Maybe the oxygen is better down here closer to the floor.
So true. If you’re interested in the other impacts of height on daily life, check out The Height of your Life by Ralph Keyes. It’s an interesting read to say the least!
Taller children are generally accepted more than shorter children are. This allows taller children access to a greater variety of settings and people, and this would increase intelligence. Being accepted also has a positive effect on self esteem thereby improving the capacity for higher intelligence.
There are still plenty of short people who are highly intelligent, and much of that is due to diligence and a greater desire to be better in spite of their height.
I think the study leaves out a great deal of data that would undermine it’s validity.
#4: Conrad Hilton was smart (smart parents too–he grew up in New Mexico), but the gene pool was diluted by the time Paris was born. She’s got money, but has contributed little or nothing to the world. The corner 7-11 clerk’s contributed more (Slurpees).
I’m 5’9″; my combined SAT was 1437, GRE was 1450. I suspect height has little to do with intelligence or an ability to take tests.
However, CEOs do seem to be chosen for their height–they look more impressive if they’re tall. Not that CEOs are all that smart (cough…Enron…cough),
“Not that CEOs are all that smart (cough…Enron…cough),”
No, they were smart. They came up with really clever ways to make money. Their problem was arrogance and greed.
Paramount pictures probably read that study and said what the heck! let´s fire Tom Cruise!!!!
Since it’s Paris Hilton spree here:
She is smart, she has picked her parents well, so she’s an healthy heir…
wealthy I should say…
Darn, I’m such a stoopid little midget…
I must say that while I like to think of myself as somewhat intelligent I cannot say that I am wealthy. In a twisted sense I am free. Free of the burden that money and collateral assets place on a person. I am also not burdened by the constraints of height. You know hitting light fixures, bumping into door frames. I prefer to think of myself as tall for my height. 😉 Perhaps I am delusional or perhaps I am a incureable optomist. Though I here that Glaxo-Smith Kline is working on that disease. lol
John