# Keith Stanovich The cognitive scientist who **separated intelligence from rationality** — and demonstrated that the separation has consequences. Stanovich (b. 1954), Emeritus Professor at the University of Toronto, has spent four decades showing that IQ tests measure computational capacity but not the disposition to use that capacity well. His concept of *dysrationalia* — the ability to think well without the habit of doing so — explains one of the most puzzling features of contemporary political life: why smart, educated people believe obviously false things and resist correction. Stanovich matters to the RWKB because his work provides the *diagnostic framework* for understanding educated radicalization. The standard liberal explanation for political misinformation ("they just need more education and better information") fails empirically; Stanovich explains why: intelligence without rational disposition is intelligence in service of rationalization. ## Core Contributions ### Dysrationalia (1993) The concept that intelligence and rationality are *independent* cognitive properties. See the full [[Dysrationalia]] entry. The key finding: high-IQ individuals are not reliably better at probabilistic reasoning, resistance to framing effects, base-rate usage, or belief calibration. In some cases (myside bias), higher intelligence makes people *worse* — better at constructing sophisticated rationalizations for their existing beliefs. ### Refinement of Dual-Process Theory Stanovich refined Kahneman's System 1 / System 2 framework by distinguishing between *cognitive ability* (can your System 2 override System 1?) and *thinking dispositions* (does your System 2 bother to try?). He introduced the concept of *cognitive miserliness* — the tendency to default to the least effortful processing — as a property of disposition, not ability. This refinement is discussed in the [[Dual-Process Theory]] entry. ### The Rationality Quotient Stanovich, with Richard West and Maggie Toplak, has developed instruments for measuring rational thinking independently of intelligence — a "Rationality Quotient" (RQ) analogous to IQ. The RQ measures thinking dispositions: active open-mindedness, belief calibration, resistance to myside bias, probabilistic reasoning, and resistance to framing effects. ## KB Significance **1. The educated-radicalization diagnostic.** Why do Ivy League graduates join authoritarian movements? Why do physicians spread medical misinformation? Why do engineers disproportionately appear in terrorist organizations? Stanovich's framework provides the answer: intelligence without rational disposition is intelligence captured by tribal commitments, ideological systems, and motivated reasoning. **2. The "more education" fallacy.** The assumption that political misinformation is curable by more education is wrong in Stanovich's framework. More education produces higher computational capacity, which produces better rationalization of existing beliefs — *unless* the education also trains rational dispositions. Most education doesn't. **3. The connection to Tetlock.** Stanovich's thinking dispositions map directly onto Tetlock's superforecaster profile: active open-mindedness, belief calibration, resistance to narrative seduction, willingness to update. Superforecasters are people with high RQ, not just high IQ. ## See Also - [[Dysrationalia]] — the core concept - [[Dual-Process Theory]] — Stanovich's refinement of the framework - [[Daniel Kahneman]] — the System 1/System 2 originator that Stanovich refines - [[Philip Tetlock]] — superforecasting as the empirical demonstration of high-RQ performance - [[Decision Science]] — the hub