One in four Norwegians believe some human ethnicities are smarter than others
In a recent survey, 25 per cent of the respondents replied that they were wholly or partly in agreement with the statement that “some human races are more intelligent than others.”
Director of Bufdir, Mari Trommald, tells NRK that she is surprised that so many have stereotypical attitudes to race and that race should mean something for intelligence. She emphasizes that race is a term that is not used today for humans, but that the researchers behind the report have used the phrase consciously to find out what meaning people are putting into it, as a scientific approach.
There are no differences between age groups in attitudes to the “race” issue, but the idea that people can be ranked by “breeds” is more prevalent among people with lower education, the study shows.
We are concerned about the consequences of this. Negative attitudes can limit individuals the opportunity to participate in society, and give an experience of lack of belonging to the community they live in, says Trommald.
The research foundation Fafo has carried out the survey on behalf of the Norwegian Children, Youth and Family Directorate (Bufdir). 4,443 people participated in the survey, which charts attitudes to gender equality and discrimination.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
