# Are You Smarter Than The Average Doper. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685 "2011-07-20T06:17:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/61 "2011-07-21T04:25:57Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Fine then. Is that the only reason you are all upset. That you can’t see the reason ? Don’t let it worry you dear. There really are way more important things to fret about. I’m not a dear, dude. If you’re so interested in the demographics why didn’t you break it down further? Why stop at sex? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/62 "2011-07-21T04:35:40Z")
When it comes to being fixated on arbitrary stuff that no one should get worked up over are you: A) I’m a man and I’m less fixated than the average SDMBer A2) I’m a woman I’m less fixated than the average SDMBer B) I’m a man and I’m fixated the same amount as the average SDMBer B2) I’m a woman and I’m fixated the same amount as the average SDMBer C) I’m a man and I’m well beyond hardon stage and into kooky? C2) I’m a woman and I’m well beyond hardon stage and into kooky? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/63 "2011-07-21T04:41:47Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > I’m not a dear, dude. I can’t see any good reason to make any distinction regarding your sex > [@](#): > > If you’re so interested in the demographics why didn’t you break it down further? Why stop at sex? I was only interested in sex. You can have your race studies. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/64 "2011-07-21T04:48:22Z")
One reason to break it down by sex is to see if the studies that show men rating themselves higher than women bear out on the Dope. As of this post, here are the percentage of people rating themselves in each category: Women: Significantly below average: 7% Below Average: 25% Average: 49% Above Average: 16% Significantly above average: 3% Men: Significantly below average: 1% Below Average: 12% Average: 50% Above Average: 26% Significantly above average: 12% For reference, here is the normal distribution of IQ scores based on standard deviations: Significantly below average: 2% Below Average: 14% Average: 68% Above Average: 14% Significantly above average: 2% You can see that women rate themselves significantly below average and below average at a higher rate than would typically occur in the general population, and men rate themselves above average and significantly above average at a higher rate than would occur in the general population. Of course, the only way to be truly scientific about this is to IQ test the entire Dope and rate each person’s self-perception against the average Dope IQ. Line up, everybody! ---
**Author:** ![keepmyheadintheclouds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@keepmyheadintheclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keepmyheadintheclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/65 "2011-07-21T05:38:46Z")
I have many leather-bound books… my apartment smells of rich mahogany. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/66 "2011-07-21T13:45:01Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Suppose you are right. Then explain the opposite skew that is occuring for the women. Men pretending to be smarter than they are, and women pretending to be dumber than they are. Seen a good bit of that, from kindergarten onward. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/67 "2011-07-21T13:57:19Z")
I had a hard time with these choices but eventually I went with Above Average. Only slightly so though. Mostly this is because I have a really broad range of interests and know a fair amount about a lot of things. On the other hand, there are a handful of people here who are so smart it’s kind of scary. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/68 "2011-07-21T14:36:32Z")
Anyone else swing low, in order to swing the results back where they ought to be? Never saw a poll I didn’t try to sabotage. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/69 "2011-07-21T16:47:00Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Compared to some of the quips one might see on the Youtube chat, the Dope seems to have a better class of poster. > > But is there really any proof that the posters here tend to skew higher than average in IQ? Not IQ per se, but a few years back I did a study, based on the list of Doper Jeopardy contestants, and compared it to the public at large. A Doper is something like 2 orders of magnitude more likely to have been on Jeopardy than the average American, and I didn’t even subtract non-US Dopers from the denominator. Now, of course being a game show contestant isn’t equivalent to having a high IQ, but I bet there is some correlation. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/70 "2011-07-21T16:49:03Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I am going to laugh so hard if the results skew above average. You shouldn’t because the poll is obviously subject to selection bias. If it doesn’t skew higher, I’d say Dopers are more humble than the average person. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/71 "2011-07-21T17:33:03Z")
I reckon I’m below average. Dopers are smart. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/72 "2011-07-21T20:48:30Z")
Nice little bell curve ya got goin’ there. Be a shame if anything happened to it… ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/73 "2011-07-21T21:41:30Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Not IQ per se, but a few years back I did a study, based on the list of Doper Jeopardy contestants, and compared it to the public at large. A Doper is something like 2 orders of magnitude more likely to have been on Jeopardy than the average American, and I didn’t even subtract non-US Dopers from the denominator. Now, of course being a game show contestant isn’t equivalent to having a high IQ, but I bet there is some correlation. Yeah? Well I conducted a study that showed that Dopers are two orders of magnitude higher than the average American to have awakened naked on the lawn of somebody they don’t know, wearing only a party hat and clutching a crumpled drawing of John Phillips Sousa! And I guess I don’t have to tell you what that proves! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/74 "2011-07-21T21:54:47Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Yeah? Well I conducted a study that showed that Dopers are two orders of magnitude higher than the average American to have awakened naked on the lawn of somebody they don’t know, wearing only a party hat and clutching a crumpled drawing of John Phillips Sousa! And I guess I don’t have to tell you what that proves! That Alex Trebek knows how to throw one hell of a wrap party? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/75 "2011-07-22T05:04:47Z")
All I know is I’m so smart that my brain hurts. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/76 "2011-07-22T06:09:07Z")
I be a genious. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/77 "2011-07-22T06:12:39Z")
I’m gonna go with smarter, BUT based on the fact that a lot of Dopers aren’t as smart as they (pretend) think they are. I also think (and I know people will rip this apart) I have emotional intelligence that makes me smarter than average. I think when you only have one perspective, the logical one, you can sometimes miss things. So, I think I am smart and smarter than others because I see things differently. Actively try to see things differently. However, I am one of the least illogical Dopers. I’m also one of the most honest and unabashed. So, my failures are seen more. While others aren’t. TL;DR: I am smarter but it might not look that way. Just as those who seem very smart MIGHT not be that way. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/78 "2011-07-22T06:53:28Z")
It’s difficult to tell. Too many people confuse political positions with intelligence that some people I’d tend to call stupid probably aren’t, and a whole lot of people here would probably consider me to be stupid. To complicate it further, I’m considerably smarter than the average person, but what’s the average Doper? There are lots of people that never say anything, and a very few that are prolific. Is the average Doper an average person, or is the average Doper smarter than the average person? Knowing those data would skew my results. I can state definitively that I’m not the smartest Doper, though. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/79 "2011-07-22T15:07:44Z")
It’s interesting to compare the “bell curves” here for female vs male Dopers. Do studies show a correlation between [the Dunning-Kruger effect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect) and testosterone levels? 😃 I wasn’t sure where I should click. I’m almost an idiot-savant so perhaps should have averaged that out to “average.” :dubious: (The idiot part is probably evident from some of my posts.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/80 "2011-07-22T16:22:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That Alex Trebek knows how to throw one hell of a wrap party? Only problem - at Jeopardy parties, you wind up in bed with a computer. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685.md?page=5)