The Anti-Defamation League states that racism, the belief that one race is superior or inferior to another, has existed throughout human history. Based on the results of a Canadian study, low IQs may be responsible for some people’s intolerant views, LiveScience reported.

Psychologist Gordon Hodson of Brock University in Ontario led the study, which found that those who have low IQs as children are more likely to be prejudiced against others as adults, the news source stated. To arrive at this conclusion, Hodson and colleagues analyzed data pertaining to IQ, social conservatism and racism from two U.K. studies.

The researchers found that in many cases, children with low IQs grew up to be racist adults. Furthermore, a belief in socially conservative ideologies was what linked low intelligence in childhood with a prejudiced attitude later in life, according to the news outlet.

Hodson told the news source that conservative ideologies tend to place an importance on hierarchy and resistance to change, which, in turn, can lead to prejudice. However, this is certainly not true of all people with conservative beliefs.

Rather than letting their political views define them, individuals can take an IQ test and see what it has to say about their cognitive abilities.

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