Common beliefs about the merits of human nature are the result of cooperation and social cohesion, yet there has never been a universal manifestation of these beliefs. Participants from 30 countries (N = 6128) reported genetic beliefs of intelligence, personality, body weight and crime, and international factors that may influence these beliefs were examined using national-level data. Around the world, the beliefs of irrational people differ from what has been published (h2) measured in two studies, the global majority overestimates human heritability and intelligence, and underestimates physical fitness and crime. Crime was seen as less genetic than other factors. People from countries with high infant mortality rates tend to give larger inheritances in many traits, compared to people from countries with low infant mortality rates. This research provides a systematic first step into the beliefs of lay people around the world. Future research should incorporate a variety of global perspectives to further contextualize and extend these findings.
That appears in a recent paper by Laura J. Ferris, Matthew J. Hornsey, and Fiona Kate Barlow. With Br.
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