Intelligence, Religiosity, and Environmental Emissions

Abstract

This paper evaluates the nexus between intelligence, religiosity, and environmental emissions. Based on US state-level data, this paper makes four key contributions. First, the relationship between IQ and religiosity is negative and unidirectional flowing only from IQ to religiosity. Second, religiosity is associated with greater emissions and is found to moderate the link between intelligence and emissions. Third, IQ is found to moderate the link between religiosity and emissions. Fourth, an individual-level analysis based on GSS data provides evidence suggesting that high religiosity is associated with negative attitudes toward the environment, whereas higher educational attainment is associated with pro-environmental attitudes.