The study says that “both trait emotional intelligence and cognitive ability uniquely predict less concern for political correctness and more support for freedom of speech.”
QUICK FACTS:
- A group of scientists studied the correlation between emotional intelligence and support for political free speech by assessing one’s cognitive ability.
- The team studied 300 North Americans using the Ammons Quick Test, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, a humility scale, and a political correctness scale to accomplish the study.
- The survey was completed via Amazon Mechanical Turk, where 38.7% of the participants were female and 61.3% were male.
- Sixty-six percent of the participants either completed or were in the process of completing a higher education degree.
- In measuring one’s concern for political correctness, the scientists used a 7-point scale measuring “the degree to which an individual becomes upset by politically incorrect speech” and seeks to correct speech.
- To measure one’s perceptions of freedom of speech, participants were given a 9-point scale with which to answer phrases such as, “Every individual has the unalienable right to express their thoughts freely.”
- The study noted, “Emotional intelligence could be negatively related to freedom of speech support and positively to political correctness because of greater inter-personal sensitivity and higher levels of empathy.”
- But emotional intelligence “could also show the opposite relationships, due to the heightened likelihood for psychological reactance, and through higher levels of intellectual humility,” the study continued.
RESULTS OF THE STUDY:
- “As shown in Table 2, both cognitive ability and emotional intelligence positively predicted freedom of speech support, and negative relationships emerged for political correctness,” reads the study. “Emotional intelligence and cognitive ability did not significantly interact in predicting freedom of speech or political correctness.”
- Results show that, “Emotional intelligence, cognitive ability, empathy, intellectual humility, and freedom of speech were all positively interrelated.”
- “Cognitive ability, emotional intelligence, and freedom of speech were negatively related to concern for political correctness,” the study noted.
- In other words, greater cognitive ability and intelligence are associated with the support of free speech.
- As Summit News commented, “the more cognitive ability a person displays, the less likely they are to be woke.”
BACKGROUND:
- Amid higher education indoctrinating students with woke ideology and suppressing free thought, American Faith reported that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced legislation for the 2023 session to “further elevate civil discourse and intellectual freedom” in colleges and universities.
- The legislation will target the “tactics of liberal elites who suppress free thought in the name of identity politics and indoctrination.”
- The legislation’s provisions “will ensure Florida’s public universities and colleges are grounded in the history and philosophy of Western Civilization” and “prohibit DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion], CRT [Critical Race Theory] and other discriminatory programs and barriers to learning.”
