title: Adolescent IQ and survival in the Wisconsin longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study attempts to explain the ubiquitous positive correlation between cognitive ability (IQ) and survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 10,317 Wisconsin high school graduates of 1957 was followed until 2009, from ages 18 to 68 years. Mortality was analyzed using a Weibull survival model that includes gender, social background, Henmon-Nelson IQ, and rank in high school class.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rank in high school class, a cumulative measure of responsible performance during high school, entirely mediates the relationship between adolescent IQ and survival. Its effect on survival is 3 times greater than that of IQ, and it accounts for about 10% of the female advantage in survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive functioning may improve survival by promoting responsible and timely patterns of behavior that are firmly in place by late adolescence. Prior research suggests that conscientiousness, one of the "Big Five" personality characteristics, plays a key role in this relationship.
authors: Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council, Washington, DC, USA. hauser@ssc.wisc.edu
authors: Robert M
authors: RM
authors: Hauser
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Palloni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014922:Wisconsin; D055815:Young Adult