A study conducted in 2005 by the University of Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh, and Glasgow discovered that for each 15-point increase in IQ, the likelihood of getting married increases by 35% for a man but decreases by around 58% for a woman. (AFP, 2005). Gender disparities in marital opportunities and marital benefits can be used to explain this phenomenon.
Gender differences in marital opportunities
Martial opportunity refers to the chance of marriage for people who want to get married. High IQ is often associated with a high capability and earning potential, which has traditionally been viewed as an advantage of men’s marriage potential. In the traditional gender labour division in a family, men are often seen as family breadwinners, and women are seen as homemakers. High-IQ men tend to be better providers of family material needs, making them more desirable marriage partners. In contrast, women’s earning potential is valued less important than men’s in the marriage market. According to a report from Third Way, a national think tank, on average, having a child reduces a mother’s earning ability by 4%. Remarkably, the situation is reversed for men. Their incomes increase by 6% when they become fathers. This negative relationship raises the possibility that employers still see men and women in conventional roles—men as breadwinners and women as caregivers. (Lake, 2021).
Indeed, IQ tests score one’s intelligence, which is often associated with several life outcomes, such as upward social mobility, career success, and educational attainment. (Lo, 2017, pp.627-635). These make males with higher intelligence more desirable as spouses. While high-IQ women also benefit from upward social mobility, it is not necessarily associated with a better opportunity to find marriage partners. Many perspectives, such as evolutionary psychology, societal expectations rooted in social norms, and gender differences in personality traits, can be used to further understand this.
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From a human evolutionary perspective, intelligence is linked to the capacity for problem-solving and general fitness, leading to a potential partner with a high chance of survival in competition. Therefore, males with higher IQs can be thought of as superior to secure their children’s survival and well-being. (Whitbourne, 2018). Men with higher IQs are also more likely to be viewed as guardians and leaders—qualities that are desired in a partner. In contrast, women with higher IQs might be perceived by evolutionary psychologists as departing from conventional nurturing duties, which might compromise family stability by questioning established gender norms. At the same time, women with higher IQs might be seen as less classically feminine in their behaviour, which could make them less desirable as spouses in the marriage market.
From a socialization perspective, due to social norm expectations, men and women have been expected to fulfil distinct expectations for marriage and careers. Men with higher IQs tend to have greater economic potential and social status, which makes them more desirable to fulfil their roles. Conversely, women who possess greater intelligence could encounter contradictory demands. Women with higher IQs would have more potential to pursue education and career success, which would reduce their opportunities and time to fulfil their caregiving roles. It may be challenging for these women to live up to social norms that dictate they should be the primary caregivers and homemakers. They are more likely to pursue more advanced degrees and challenging jobs. High-IQ women may also find it more difficult to locate a spouse who shares their goals or may prioritize their work over traditional family responsibilities. Related to gender norm socialization, women also tend to “marry up”. Higher IQ women have a relatively small pool in which to find a suitable partner, while higher IQ men’s pool for martial partners increases.
Moreover, prospects for marriage are also greatly influenced by temperament and personality qualities, which are frequently correlated with IQ. Potential partners may find characteristics like independence, assertiveness, and critical thinking in people with high IQs, which may be both attractive and unsettling. These characteristics improve men’s chances of getting married by fitting in with traditional masculine roles of decisiveness and leadership. (Ricafrente et al., 2024, pp.38-50). In contrast, these same characteristics of women may be interpreted as undermining conventional feminine roles, which lowers the likelihood of marriage.
Despite this, we need to admit that gender roles and expectations have undergone significant changes in recent decades. The perception of intelligence on marriage opportunities in men and women is now more balanced than before as a result of rising gender revolutions. As a result, in the more developed modern world, highly educated women have had a rising opportunity for marriage compared to lowly educated women, as their earning ability has become a plus factor in the modern family formation process. Moreover, modern marriage emphasizes the companion and intimate relationship, and marriage has become more equal nowadays than before. However, these changes are uneven and gradual, with many aspects of social behaviour and expectations still being influenced by entrenched gender norms. These continuous changes and the complications they bring to the link between intelligence and marriage are reflected in the high divorce rates and the rising number of people preferring to avoid marriage entirely. Further studies are needed to investigate this.
Gender differences in marital benefits
In addition to the gender difference in marriage opportunities, we should not forget that women may voluntarily choose not to get married because of imbalanced gain from marriage for men and women. Many studies have shown that men gain more from marriage, particularly in terms of their health and happiness. As a result, men tend to get married more actively, and high-IQ men gain advantages in the competition. In contrast, women may tend to avoid marriage when they have a stronger desire for career success. The idea of the “motherhood penalty” plays a significant role in shaping women’s marriage desires. This is because the role conflicts between their higher education and career aspirations with traditional family responsibilities. After becoming mothers, women often face severe career setbacks and discrimination in the workplace and labour market. This tends to discourage high-IQ women from pursuing marriage and parenthood because it involves fewer prospects for progress, lower pay, and greater demands for family responsibilities. According to a 2016 study conducted by the Pew Research Center, highly educated women choose to delay marriage or not get married at all, which supports the idea that traditional gender norms and career aspirations frequently collide. (Parker, 2012). Men, on the other hand, often enjoy a fatherhood bonus in which becoming a parent raises their level of commitment, productivity, and status, making them more attractive in the job market.
Part of the source of the “motherhood penalty” is the discriminatory practices and societal expectations the workplace has on its employees. High-IQ women may be discouraged from getting married and starting families by the more brutal expectations, fewer career growth chances, and lower pay that mothers frequently suffer. These workplace practices make it harder for them to compete equally with men. High-IQ women may be more reluctant to get married because they value their work more than traditional family responsibilities, given their talent and desire for career success. (Cheung et al., 2022). Due to entrenched gender biases in the workplace, they may experience greater career setbacks after becoming mothers, such as reduced opportunities for advancement and lower salaries. Although the idea of a motherhood bonus suggests that some women could benefit from childbirth under certain circumstances, it is often overshadowed by the negative consequences of the motherhood penalty. (Lake, 2021). As they navigate the complex interplay between their professional goals and traditional family responsibilities, high-IQ women may see a marked decline in the likelihood of getting married as a result of the conflict between their career aspirations and societal expectations surrounding parenting.
However, there is a new trend of shifting the benefits of marriage for men and women over time. Though less frequently mentioned, the concept of the “fatherhood penalty” relates to the possible harm that men’s greater duties and time commitments as fathers may also bring challenges to their personal and professional lives. The cultural expectation that fathers prioritize work over family life is one subtle way that the fatherhood penalty manifests itself, leading to stress and decreased job satisfaction. (Batool and Khalid, 2011, pp.65-88). Men with high IQs are particularly affected by this phenomenon since they often have higher-level positions and must meet high standards of success in the workplace. Due to the increased stress and decreased job satisfaction of balancing work and family responsibilities, their chances of a high earning potential and social status may be diminished.
Some critics of the study and future direction
We also need to acknowledge that although the relationship between IQ and marriage differences by gender offers a useful basis for discussing the situation, it is also important to keep in mind that the study may have some bias when using IQ to indicate competency in career and family success. Firstly, there’s a chance that the data used was biased in the first place due to historical and cultural variables or biases that affect marriage trends. The IQ does not consider other cognitive or emotional intelligence types, such as communication and social connections, which may have an important impact on marriage prospects. It is important to understand that IQ is only a rough measure of a person’s cognitive ability and does not capture the full spectrum of intelligence. (Batool and Khalid, 2011, pp.65-88). Therefore, solely relying on IQ to discuss marriage opportunities may be biased. Moreover, the study’s conclusions can be a reflection of societal norms and gender expectations prevalent at the time when the study was conducted, which have since evolved, as we mentioned above.
In the past two decades, we have seen a substantial shift in social norms. Modern men are more inclined to make compromises in favour of more equal family dynamics and value high-ability women for their potential to contribute to the family income due to the rising cost of living. Future studies should examine the effects of these evolving standards on the correlation between IQ and chances of marriage for both sexes. Research might specifically look into whether the trend of favouring partners with high cognitive ability remains and how it affects the marriage rates of high-IQ individuals. Furthermore, studying the effects of parental leave, flexible work schedules, and assistance for dual-career households could provide insights into how modern societal structures help or impede high-IQ people from balancing work and family responsibilities. This continuous development implies a dynamic and complex interaction between IQ and marriage with broader cultural and economic trends.
In conclusion, the study conducted by the four British universities sheds light on a noteworthy and intricate phenomenon: the varying effects of high IQ on the probability of marriage for men and women. It is evident from an examination of evolutionary viewpoints, social forces, and cultural changes that traditional gender roles and societal expectations are significant factors in determining these results. Men with higher IQs have better chances of getting married, but women with higher IQs have more work and family expectations to balance. To address the wider societal consequences, advance gender equality, and assist people in realizing their personal and professional goals, we must understand these dynamics.
About the author: Qinchen Li is a student at ABA Oman International School.