No joke: Blondes aren't dumb, science says

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-03/osu-njb032116.php

Public Release: 21-Mar-2016
No joke: Blondes aren't dumb, science says
New national study refutes damaging stereotype
Ohio State University

The "dumb blonde" stereotype is simply wrong, according to a new national study of young baby boomers.

The study of 10,878 Americans found that white women who said their natural hair color was blonde had an average IQ score within 3 points of brunettes and those with red or black hair.

While jokes about blondes may seem harmless to some, it can have real-world implications, said Jay Zagorsky, author of the study and a research scientist at The Ohio State University.

"Research shows that stereotypes often have an impact on hiring, promotions and other social experiences," Zagorsky said.

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The study found that the average IQ of blondes was actually slightly higher than those with other hair colors, but that finding isn't statistically significant, said Zagorsky, who works in the university's Center for Human Resource Research (CHRR).

"I don't think you can say with certainty that blondes are smarter than others, but you can definitely say they are not any dumber."

The results for blond white men were similar - they also had IQs roughly equal to men with other hair colors.

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