Stupidity can be contagious

When I first began psychological studies in CEGEP, I was introduced to the idea that two things effect the human mind: Genetics and environment. The progress at which a person would evolve could be altered by the two factors named above. These factors have shown their powers when the cases of "wolf children", children who have been grossly neglected or self tought, are studied. They show that past a certain age individuals might not be able to learn how to speak a language if that part of the brain isn't stimulated or tought properly. The opposite is shown when researches correlated the relation between the IQs of adoptive parents and the adopted children. According to wikipedia, the correlation is near zero.

So it is with great distress, and entertainment of course, that a few other issues have surfaced in my head. Interesting data I'd like to collect are as follows:
- Correlation of IQ between smokers and non-smokers
- Correlation of IQ between accident prone drivers and safe drivers
- Correlation of IQ between gamblers and none gamblers

I began studying and gathering a few subjects that smoke and gamble. I used an old book that contained IQ testing puzzles to open debate. I specifically chose questions that would turn into debates to see how it is certain people think.

The question was as follows:
Statistically, men drivers are responsible for more accidents then women drivers. This statement can prove that...:
A) As usual, male shovinistics are responsible for accidents on the road.
B) Women might not have as many accidents, but they do not clock in as many driving hours as men do.
C) Men might create more accidents, but they drive more often.
D) Unable to make a conclusion.

The right answer was D, but interestingly, people chose between B and C, and often stated "I'm debating between B and C" without noticing that both meant the exact same thing. Some argued t'ill the end that B and C could be plausible answers even past the explanation of the answer. Some actually left the table still believing they were right. Even more, once the question was read, some asked to read the question but only ended up reading the answers. When prompted as to why they answered incorrectly, they brushed it off explaining they hadn't read the question, simply the answers.

Another study I'd like to take a look at is the idea that since our brains develop and learn in stages, does having a deliquent lifestyle during teenage years effect learning curves of future years. There is a multitude of learning stages. The teenage years are quite crucial as it is the stage at which a person will develop logical thinking. If somebody was to skip this part, how could it effect the developpement of the same individual years later.

I've been surrounded by several high school drop outs recently (not to my greatest joy). It seems like logical thinking isn't always present. The attention to detail and the ability to create positive and well documented research isn't even close from being applied. Instead a lot of these individuals believed in rumors, twisted sentences themselves by turning a theoritical sentence into a statement, and made no effort to recognize a feasable source from a useless one. These individuals also had very little plans for the future, and the ones that had had unrealistic ones. Such as wanting to purchase a house within the next year without job security or financial security and a good income, let's not forget these individuals have no diplomas to back themselves with.

A few individuals worked in a unionised grocery store where they often sit in the smoking section and speak of how the government isn't doing their job and how they hate their own line of work. What bothers me most is the fact that these people have kids, and are inviting a few people to drink and smoke at their houses, in front of the kids, before the upcoming chrismas party. The cycle of idiocy goes on...and on...and on...