Links between personality, ability and attitudes in a low-IQ sample

Abstract

Despite considerable reference to those on the Youth Training Scheme (YTS), little is known of their psychometric test performance. YTS trainees were tested on measures of verbal and non-verbal intelligence, personality, attitudes and hostility. The range of ability in the sample varied considerably: one third (30) of the subjects had IQs less than 90, 10 of these having IQs below 75. The remainder had IQs ranging from 90 to 117 (median IQ = 98). YTS trainees were higher in neuroticism (N), psychoticism (P), lie-telling (L) and social conservatism (C) than norms for a sample of similar age and sex. Correlations between tests suggest that IQ has a significant negative correlation with C (r = - 0.39, P < 0.001), outwardly expressed hostility and L, whilst L is strongly linked to C (r = 0.53, P <0.001) and C subscales. P was strongly correlated with measures of outwardly-directed hostility (mean r = 0.39, P < 0.001), while N was correlated at a similar magnitude to measures of inwardly expressed hostility. Sex differences reflected earlier findings: females were significantly more neurotic than males, males more overtly hostile (and had higher P scores) than females. The SPM/C correlation is discussed in relation to the view that the apparent rise in global IQ is a product of reduced social conservatism.