Wrote: Fatbardh Dema
Through an image, it is claimed that Kosovo has an average national intelligence (IQ) of 99.
This image shows that this data was taken from a study conducted by psychologist Richard Lynn and political scientist Tatu Vanhanen.
The post was published yesterday (April 29) on TikTok by the account named "kosovarivapvdekshem2.0"
What's wrong with this post?
After fact-checking conducted by hibrid.info, it was determined that the claim is false. Kosovo was not included in this study.
After fact-checking by Hibrid.info, it has been found that this claim is false. The study in question, titled “IQ and the Wealth of Nations”, does not include Kosovo at all. (See page 40 of the study – here)
Furthermore, Hibrid.info used the visual verification tool “InVID” to analyze the image in question. The results of the analysis show that the photo has been manipulated. In the original version of the map, Kosovo is not shown with an IQ value of 99. (see pictures below)
A few words about this study
Lynn and Vanhanen, in this study published in 2012, tested the hypothesis on the causal relationship between national average intelligence (IQ) and the gap between rich and poor countries through empirical evidence.
Based on an extensive study of national IQ tests, the results of their work challenge previous theories of economic development and provide a new basis for assessing the prospects for economic development around the world.
Analyze:
A TikTok post claims that Kosovo has an average IQ of 99, citing a study by Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen. After verification by Hibrid.info, this claim was proven to be false – Kosovo was not included in the study. "IQ and the Wealth of Nations".
Also, image analysis shows that the photo has been manipulated and the claim is false.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info assesses this claim as "Manipulation of facts" and "Disinformation".
Reasoning:
“Factual manipulation” is a rating given to informational content that uses facts known to be accurate but interprets them in a distorted manner. These reports typically use accurate information to draw incorrect conclusions or claims, thereby misleading consumers of media content about the actual meaning of the facts presented.
"Disinformation" is defined as information content that contains a "mix" of inaccurate sources or even half-truthful attributes, and that is created and/or distributed with the deliberate intention of causing harm. The motive behind the producers/distributors of disinformation content lies in achieving a political, financial, psychological or social goal.