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The Relationship Between Intelligence and Divorce

Arizona State University, Tempe

Scott Yabiku

Arizona State University, Tempe

Mary Benin

Arizona State University, Tempe

Intelligence has long been a topic of special interest to social scientists, but research that involves intelligence as a predictor of behavior usually focuses on domains such as crime and delinquency, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status. In this article, the authors address this gap in the literature and develop a theoretical framework to hypothesize why intelligence may be related to an important family behavior: divorce. The authors propose three hypotheses in terms of ascribed statuses, achieved statuses, and direct mechanisms, each of which could potentially explain the relationship between intelligence and divorce. The results are consistent with a direct influence of intelligence on divorce, net of ascribed and achieved statuses. The authors conclude by explaining the observed effect on divorce rates through three distinct but interrelated aspects of intelligence: direction, adaptation, and criticism.

Key Words: divorce • intelligence • ascribed • achieved

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