Money worries 'can lower IQ' by 13 points - research

The Times reports financial worries appear to divert brain power and create a "cognitive deficit" equivalent to about a 13-point loss on IQ tests. The repair said the study did not imply people who are poor are less intelligent - just that money worries use up "mental bandwidth". Sendhil Mullainathan, the Harvard economist who led the research, said: “Our results suggest that when you’re poor, money is not the only thing in short supply. Cognitive capacity is also stretched thin.” The report said the study found people who are worse off are more likely to make mistakes and poor de...