Being smarter means you are more likely to use stereotypes

People with higher cognitive abilities are often better able to spot patterns in the world around them, allowing them to excel in a wide range of tasks, from learning languages to recognizing faces. But, in some situations, even being intelligent has its drawbacks. A new study has found that these people are more likely to stereotype others based on the patterns they detect, potentially leading to negative consequences as they perpetuate social biases. A new study found that people with higher cognitive abilities are more likely to stereotype others. In the study, the researchers manipulated image-description pairings so that the faces with particular features were linked to negative stereotypes.