Does Religion Really Mean Lower Intelligence? What the Research Actually Says

Research has found a connection between religious belief and intelligence, but the reality is more complicated than some people suggest. And when it comes to addiction recovery, faith doesn't have to mean abandoning critical thinking.

You've probably heard someone suggest that religious people are less intelligent than atheists. It's an argument that comes up frequently in conversations about religion, science, and education.

But how much truth is there to it?

As someone interested in addiction recovery, I think this is particularly important to discuss. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) places considerable emphasis on finding a higher power, and I wonder how many people have been discouraged from exploring spirituality because they've come to associate religious belief with a lack of intelligence.

The research is interesting, but it doesn't support the sweeping conclusions people sometimes draw from it.

What Does the Research Actually Say?

A 2022 meta-analysis published in PLOS ONE examined 89 studies involving more than 200,000 participants.

Researchers found a small negative correlation between intelligence and religiosity, meaning that people who scored higher on measures of intelligence tended, on average, to report slightly lower levels of religious belief.

So, technically, there is some evidence supporting the association.

But here's what often gets overlooked: the correlation was only −0.14.

That's a relatively weak relationship. It doesn't mean religious people are unintelligent, and it certainly doesn't mean that becoming religious makes someone less intelligent.

There is substantial overlap in intelligence between religious and nonreligious populations.

The researchers also couldn't establish a simple cause-and-effect relationship. Religious beliefs are influenced by culture, family, personal experiences, and numerous other factors.

I think it's important to acknowledge the findings without exaggerating what they tell us.

Is Religious Fundamentalism Part of the Problem?

One distinction that I think deserves more attention is the difference between having religious beliefs and practicing religious fundamentalism.

Religion can provide people with community, moral guidance, comfort, and a sense of purpose. None of those things inherently require someone to reject science or stop questioning the world around them.

Fundamentalism, however, can involve rigid interpretations of religious teachings and an unwillingness to reconsider established beliefs.

A 2017 study examining the cognitive foundations of religious fundamentalism found associations between fundamentalist beliefs, reduced cognitive flexibility, and lower openness to alternative perspectives.

That doesn't mean every fundamentalist is unintelligent. Cognitive flexibility and intelligence aren't identical concepts, and the study doesn't establish that fundamentalism causes lower IQ.

It does, however, raise interesting questions about the relationship between rigid belief systems and our willingness to consider new information.

Personally, I think the problem begins when someone becomes convinced that their beliefs are beyond questioning.

And I don't think that's exclusive to religion.

Atheists, religious people, and just about anyone else can become so attached to their worldview that they dismiss evidence or perspectives that challenge it.

Being intelligent doesn't make someone immune to that tendency.

Finding a Higher Power Without Abandoning Critical Thinking

This brings me back to addiction recovery.

AA encourages members to develop a relationship with a higher power, although that higher power doesn't necessarily have to be God.

According to Alcoholics Anonymous itself, members are free to define their higher power in different ways, and the organization welcomes believers, agnostics, and atheists.

Some people find strength through traditional religious faith. Others look toward nature, the universe, or the collective support of their recovery community.

And some people never develop a belief in a higher power at all.

I think there's something valuable about allowing people to explore these questions for themselves.

For someone recovering from addiction, faith might provide a sense of hope during a period when almost everything else feels uncertain.

It might help them feel connected to something larger than their immediate problems or remind them that their past doesn't have to determine their future.

But I don't believe someone should have to abandon their skepticism or intellectual curiosity to experience those benefits.

In fact, I think questioning our beliefs can be an important part of personal growth.

We should be able to ask difficult questions about religion, spirituality, and recovery without feeling that we're doing something wrong.

Faith Should Be a Choice, Not a Requirement for Recovery

I encourage people struggling with alcohol to consider attending AA because I've seen how valuable the community can be.

But I also recognize that its spiritual emphasis isn't going to appeal to everyone.

Someone who doesn't believe in God shouldn't feel intellectually inferior for exploring spirituality, just as someone who remains an atheist shouldn't feel that they're incapable of achieving lasting sobriety.

Recovery can involve faith, but it doesn't have to.

And if someone does find comfort in religion, I don't think that should automatically invite assumptions about their intelligence.

The evidence simply doesn't justify judging individuals that way.

Ultimately, I believe the healthiest approach is one that leaves room for curiosity, disagreement, and personal choice.

Faith and critical thinking don't have to be enemies. Neither do skepticism and recovery.

Whether someone finds hope through God, another understanding of a higher power, or an entirely secular approach, what matters most is that they're developing healthier ways to live.

And perhaps part of that process is learning that we don't need to have all the answers.

Join the Conversation

Do you think religion and intelligence are unfairly associated with one another? Has spirituality played a role in your recovery, or have you found sobriety without it?

I'd love to hear your thoughts, experiences, questions, or disagreements in the comments.

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Thank you for reading!

Sources and Further Reading

1. Dürlinger, F., & Pietschnig, J. (2022). Meta-analyzing intelligence and religiosity associations: Evidence from the multiverse. PLOS ONE, 17(2), e0262699.

2. Zuckerman, M., Li, C., Lin, S., & Hall, J. A. (2020). The negative intelligence–religiosity relation: New and confirming evidence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

3. Zhong, W., et al. (2017). Biological and cognitive underpinnings of religious fundamentalism. Neuropsychologia.

4. Alcoholics Anonymous. There's a lot of talk about God, isn't there?. Official AA website.