Do more intelligent people have fewer children? If so, why?

Question

I caught the tail end of a news story on TV that reported that people who are more intelligent and attain higher educational statuses have fewer children. I just did a quick internet search on this, but I found no credible sources, mostly blogs. I want to know what people think about this issue and if they could direct me to some good related sources.

Do you think more intelligent people have fewer children?
If so, do you think this is detrimental to society?
Do you think intellectuall development somehow conflicts with the desire to reproduce?

All thoughts and opinions are welcome.

Answer 1

Depending on how many children
the intelligent feel that they can well afford to clothe, educate, and spend
time. To find the facts to prove your
point that most intelligent people
have less children, check Nobel
Prize winners, Educators, PhDs,
Forbes list of the smartest and wealthiest. You'll find a lot of them
have at least four children. Education does not inhibit sex,
it just allows one to plan for children
wisely.

Answer 2

I don't think there's a proven connection yet between the level of intelligence and number of children, but I would guess that a lot of people who have the ability -- whether they are born with it or had education and/or training for it -- to achieve their desired social status, through career for example, might want to devote most of their time to achieving their desired goals and therefore do not prioritize having children. People get fulfillment from different things; some want to have a family, some choose career advancement, and still some just like the peacefulness of leaving alone, content with their wide network of friends. I don't think that having fewer children is directly detrimental to the society, because I believe that the age of human civilization has already been predetermined so if the size of human population is indeed getting smaller as we're speaking, it is a natural process that will happen sooner or later anyway, so there's nothing to be worried about.

I hope to hear more interesting opinions from everyone.

Answer 3

I haven't seen the studies to prove it, but I have heard the same thing and believe it. I think it is true, in part, because they start reproducing later in life due to the fact that they are more likely to attend college and start their careers before starting a family. Also, they may be more aware of the time, money, and effort that goes into raising children and may want more resources per child to ensure the child has the best of everything. Some may be more up on the impact overpopulation has on the environment and may be more conscientious about having too many children. Still others may just be too busy with their other life interests to want to raise a big family.
On the flip side, less intelligent people are probably less aware and less able to afford birth control. Or, they want more children so they get increased welfare benefits.

Answer 4

The answer is "No". most studies in TV and magazines are very lame. If one has studied very simple notion of econometrics you could easily figure out the reasoning. ( google econometrics | endogenous). I haven't seen the study but I bet they did a survey of some sort and showed that people who are more intelligent and attain higher education have less children. AND I bet the study did not control for the variable that if you are in the process of attaining higher education you would have a lesser probability of rasing a family at the same time. Infact the obviuos reasoning is people have less time to raise a family if you studying. For example how many PhD in ther late 20's have a children vs highschool graduates in their late 20's. I bet this has more to do with the time constraint and personal choice than with intelligence.

Answer 5

Its not that smart people have less children, its that educated women put off the family to finish their degrees and then begin a professional job. By the time they get married and ready to have a family they realize that they only have time for 1 or 2 babies, as they are working moms. Stay at home moms have the luxery of having as many children as they want (sometimes over extending themselves financially to do so) because they have a heck of a lot more time and they place value on family and children.... they view that as their job and find rewards in having children.

Answer 6

I don't think it is intelligence. But people who have educations have careers, not jobs. They realize the time involved in their jobs and in having a family. So while they try to have both, they realize it would not be right to have many children. They would not have the time to devote to many children. As a result, they have less children.

I have an MS in Computer Science, I opted for one child, when I came home from work, I could talk with and pay attention to him. I did not have to act as a referee. Our time together was limited, he never felt gyped, which he may have if I had more children.

Answer 7

Have you taken a look at the world population lately? I hardly think that you could argue that society is being deprived of procreators. If you knew how much it cost to raise a child from birth to 18 you might not be willing to have so many kids. It's also extremely difficult, financially and emotionally, raising multiple children. Your standard of living can be significantly lowered if you have more children than you can handle.

Or maybe they don't want to be raising half a dozen kids for their entire adult life. My wife and I decided to have one child while we are young so we can enjoy retirement to the fullest. I could care less what society has to say about that.

Answer 8

more intelligenct people have fewer children cuz they focus on the quality rather than quantity. quality improves the chance of survival and becoming productive citizen of the world rather than part of the statistic. intellectual development doesn't conflict with the desire to reproduce but rather allow individual to look beyound just reproduction. there are more things that a couple could share than just limited to basic needs to reproduce

Answer 9

Defiantly...........the more education the more responsible you become. I have meet a host of women with over 5 children with limited education, and multiple fathers, and I have come up with my own hypothesis......women and men who were not able to fulfill there dreams use sex and reproduction to defined and validate themselves...everyone wants to feel like that had a purpose during life.

Answer 10

They aint got time and have sense enough to avoid hurting kids.