Fact Check: Estimated IQs for the last 10 presidents
“Estimated IQs for the last 10 presidents”
Summary
Estimates of IQ for the most recent ten U.S. presidents have been published using historiometric methods, notably in a 2006 study by Dean Keith Simonton and reproduced on several ranking sites. However, these figures are speculative, not based on actual testing, and the widely cited claim that George W. Bush has the lowest IQ among recent presidents is a debunked hoax. Consequently, while such estimates exist, they are not reliable or official measures of presidential intelligence.
Sources 59 searched
- Intellectual Brilliance and Presidential Performance: Why Pure Intelligence (or Openness) Doesn’t Suffice - PMC
Where Intellectual Brilliance features scores for all 39 presidents up to Reagan, the Openness scores were missing for several presidents who were too obscure to attract a sufficient number of biographers (e.g., John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, Rutherford Hayes, Grover Cleveland, and William McKinley). Hence, a decision was made to attempt a head-to-head comparison that relied on imputation methods for estimating missing values. To provide more data for the imputed scores, Cox’s [7] four IQ estimates were added as well.
- Presidential IQ Hoax | Snopes.com
According to a study by the Lovenstein Institute, President Bush has the lowest IQ of all presidents of past 50 years. ... No, this isn't a real news report, nor does it describe a real study.
- Presidential IQ, Openness, Intellectual Brilliance, and ...
reconstructing missing values, I provide estimates of IQ, Openness, and Intellec- tual Brilliance for all 42 presidents. Second, these objective (even if tentative)
- Bush Low IQ Myth Debunked
George W. Bush Low Intelligence Myth Debunked ... Debunked: "Lovenstein Institute" report that George W. Bush "has lowest IQ of all presidents of past 50 years"
- U.S. presidential IQ hoax - Wikipedia
It estimated IQs for all US presidents, and validated the headline of the hoax, which stated Bush's was the lowest of any president in the last 50 years, though it estimates his IQ considerably higher (by nearly two standard deviations) than the 91 suggested in the hoax report.
- George W. Bush Low Intelligence Myth Debunked | USPP
Additional investigation reveals the report "President Bush has lowest IQ of all presidents of past 50 years" is a hoax, debunked July 18, 2001 by snopes.com.
- All The US Presidents, Ranked By IQ
A: Barack Obama ranks highly with an estimated IQ of 155, placing him alongside historical figures like John Adams and James Madison. Bill Clinton also scores near the top of the list with an estimated IQ of 159, while John F. Kennedy sits at 160.
- Ranking U.S. Presidents by IQ • U.S. Constitution
Other notable presidents and their estimated IQs include: ... John F. Kennedy: 150.65 ... These estimates are based on a 2006 study by University of California, Davis psychologist Dean Keith Simonton, who used a "historiometric" approach to ...
- US Presidents' IQs Ranked: Are You Smart Enough to Be President?
Dwight D. Eisenhower's estimated IQ ranges from 130 to 132, with the most commonly cited figure being around 132. His strategic military leadership during World War II, his presidency, and his ability to manage complex international relations during the Cold War contributed to this estimate.
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