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Taller people are smarter: study (Daschle "Deeply saddened..."
Reuters ^ | 08/24/06

Posted on 08/25/2006 4:30:35 PM PDT by presidio9

While researchers have long shown that tall people earn more than their shorter counterparts, it's not only social discrimination that accounts for this inequality -- tall people are just smarter than their height-challenged peers, a new study finds.

"As early as age three -- before schooling has had a chance to play a role -- and throughout childhood, taller children perform significantly better on cognitive tests," wrote Anne Case and Christina Paxson of Princeton University in a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The findings were based primarily on two British studies that followed children born in 1958 and 1970, respectively, through adulthood and a U.S. study on height and occupational choice.

Other studies have pointed to low self-esteem, better health that accompanies greater height, and social discrimination as culprits for lower pay for shorter people.

But researchers Case and Paxson believe the height advantage in the job world is more than just a question of image.

"As adults, taller individuals are more likely to select into higher paying occupations that require more advanced verbal and numerical skills and greater intelligence, for which they earn handsome returns," they wrote.

For both men and women in the United States and the United Kingdom, a height advantage of four inches equated with a 10 percent increase in wages on average.

But the researchers said the differences in performance crop up long before the tall people enter the job force. Prenatal care and the time between birth and the age of 3 are critical periods for determining future cognitive ability and height.

"The speed of growth is more rapid during this period than at any other during the life course, and nutritional needs are greatest at this point," the researchers wrote.

The research confirms previous studies that show that early nutrition is an important predictor of intelligence and height.

"Prenatal care and prenatal nutrition are just incredibly important, even more so than we already knew," Case said in an interview.

Since the study's data only included populations in the United Kingdom and the United States, the findings could not be applied to other regions, Case said.

And how tall are the researchers?

They are both about 5 feet 8 inches tall, well above the average height of 5 feet 4 inches for American women.

A copy of the paper can be found at http://papers.nber.org/papers/w12466.pdf.


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: backoffimascientist; godsgravesglyphs; junkscience; tdids; whopaysforthis
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To: presidio9

>:-(

5'1" and shrinking.


21 posted on 08/25/2006 4:52:42 PM PDT by bannie (HILLARY: Not all perversions are sexual.)
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To: Tai_Chung

RTFT!


22 posted on 08/25/2006 4:54:46 PM PDT by presidio9 (“The term ‘civilians’ does not exist in Islamic religious law.”)
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To: presidio9

Daschle on the rise
23 posted on 08/25/2006 5:09:36 PM PDT by deport
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To: SoDak

Damn, 2 inches shorter than you. Maybe if I put my cowboy boots on I'd be 6'6" ;)


24 posted on 08/25/2006 5:58:53 PM PDT by BigTex5
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To: presidio9
I find that being tall really sucks at times. Ever hit your forehead on a low hanging ceiling fan with lights? You're stuck with big vehicles because nothing has enough leg room? Have to spend an extra $100 bucks for a "big mans" lazy boy because the leg extender hits your calves?

Any tall people got more things they *hate* about being tall?

25 posted on 08/25/2006 6:01:39 PM PDT by BigTex5
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To: BigTex5

Well flying sucks for those of us 6 foot and up.


26 posted on 08/25/2006 6:29:15 PM PDT by Smogger (It's the WOT Stupid)
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To: Smogger

Oh, I forgot about that one. Thanks!


27 posted on 08/25/2006 6:38:07 PM PDT by BigTex5
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To: mgstarr
And if the freakishly tall are in fact "smarter", how come we still live longer?

Circulartory wear-n-tear.
Because their circulatory system has to cover more area/distance.

OK, that may just be an urban legend.
But at least we can say this...in a shooting war, they do make larger targets.
(being a little facetious there)
28 posted on 08/25/2006 6:39:23 PM PDT by VOA
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To: presidio9

Watch the DU use this BS to discredit Bush in comparison to Kerrey. John Kerrey has got to be the dumbest person in US government, and he's very tall, lol.


29 posted on 08/26/2006 11:36:53 AM PDT by khnyny (Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.- Winston Churchill)
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To: neverdem

ping


30 posted on 08/26/2006 2:05:33 PM PDT by FairOpinion (Dem Foreign Policy: SURRENDER to our enemies. Real conservatives don't help Dems get elected.)
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To: BigTex5

"I find that being tall really sucks at times."


You left out airtravel...


31 posted on 08/26/2006 2:07:13 PM PDT by FairOpinion (Dem Foreign Policy: SURRENDER to our enemies. Real conservatives don't help Dems get elected.)
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To: blam; FairOpinion; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 24Karet; 3AngelaD; ...
Gosh, Blam, I guess the Flores "hobbits" were dumber than we are. ;')

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
Gods, Graves, Glyphs PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

32 posted on 08/26/2006 4:41:39 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (updated my FR profile on Thursday, August 10, 2006. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: deport

What a great pic - do you have the original where he is standing on some sort of stand?


33 posted on 08/26/2006 4:44:33 PM PDT by Fury
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To: rocksblues

Don't forget to add John McCain!


34 posted on 08/26/2006 4:46:13 PM PDT by hope (Let know one deceive you!!!)
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To: presidio9
I knew there was a reason I was so smart! ;) j/k

Oh and to join in the "I hate being tall because..." crowd, it's annoying being a tall girl (5'10" so not all THAT tall) because I inevitably get in a group of shorter women and feel like a giant tree.

35 posted on 08/26/2006 4:48:56 PM PDT by Kaylee Frye
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To: Greenpees
Being a guy who is all of 5'6" "tall" I can say with certainty that of all of my employees who happen to be taller than me are quite intelligent. But, I'm still the boss.

ROTFL

36 posted on 08/26/2006 4:54:18 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: deport

That is freaking hilarious!


37 posted on 08/26/2006 4:56:48 PM PDT by Textide
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To: Fury; Howlin

What a great pic - do you have the original where he is standing on some sort of stand?



No I don't but I looked and couldn't find it. This is taken from that photo I think and run through the photoshop procedure.


I'll page someone that did have a link at one time also. Howlin do you still have the link to Daschle on the foot stool behind the podium?


38 posted on 08/26/2006 5:06:43 PM PDT by deport
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To: presidio9

More junk science.


39 posted on 08/26/2006 5:08:43 PM PDT by Dustbunny (The BIBLE - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)
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To: deport; Fury; Textide

And another short little......well, you know:


40 posted on 08/26/2006 5:27:34 PM PDT by Howlin (Pres.Bush ought to be ashamed of himself for allowing foreign countries right on our borders!!~~Zook)
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