An academic research from Pázmán and Péter Catholic University of Hungary It has provoked a great debate among fans of the idols of Japan this week. The study is forceful and extremely offensive to the firm that People with an excessive obsession with celebrities (idols) tend to have a lower IQ (IQ) than average.
The research, which connects idolizing idols with a deterioration of cognitive functions, has been received with a mixture of validation and fury in Japan. Let us remember that Asia is a continent that stands out for having countries like South Korea and Japan who stand out for being great producers of idols at the national and global level, having hundreds of thousands and even millions of fans who idolize this phenomenon at the level of being almost deities. For this reason, we will analyze the results of the study and why it struck a fiber that is so sensitive, especially among VTubers fans and dubbing actors.
The Scientific Method: Measuring Obsession and IQ
It remains to be noted that according to the information from the scientific results, the Hungarian researchers did not rely on assumptions to make such an assertion that an entire nation has outraged, as is the case in Japan. To get their results, they invited 1,763 adults to complete two types of tests:
- Scale of attitudes towards celebrities: A questionnaire to measure your level of admiration and fixation, distinguishing between a casual fan and a complete obsession.
- Intelligence tests: evaluating the Fluid intelligence (ability to solve new problems) and the Crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge).
The result was a clear correlation About the higher the level of worship and fixation towards a celebrity or idol, the lower the scores in both cognitive abilities. Let’s remember and take a lot into account that the worship of a figure among a very select group of fans can reach very intense levels and touch the thin line between a hobby and an addiction, and for this type of case the level of dedication in idolizing a person could be considered by some as sick.
The two hypotheses: cause or consequence?
According to the authors, there are two possible explanations for this phenomenon:
- Hypothesis 1 (cause): People with a lower IQ are inherently more susceptible to idolatry, since it is more difficult for them to recognize the commercial or media nature of fame.
- Hypothesis 2 (consequence): Even smart people, by devoting excessive time, money and mental energy to an idol’s life, They sacrifice their own concentration and personal growth, which in the long term deteriorates its intellectual performance.
Therefore, according to these hypotheses, they point out that people with greater CI They are usually more focused on their goals, personal growth and concentration, so they don’t usually pay much attention to idols. Although further explanation is required on the pattern of behaviors of a person who, according to scientific results, affirm that he has a CI minor, since it could represent a very tiny part of those who worship a public figure.
Japanese viral fury
As many might be expected, the real reason this scientific study carried out in another country went viral in Japan is because of the pop culture so focused on idolizing as idols to Seiyuus (voice actors), VTubers and singers. There is great consumerism about this phenomenon in the Asian country, so the community reacted quickly with comments such as:
“I understand… Being a college study, it makes more sense to invest in personal growth than to spend money on an idol.”, , “Extreme fanaticism becomes a religion. Of course, those with little common sense will end up donating money without thinking about it.”
The reaction analysis It shows that while the study focuses on celebrities of all kinds, a Japanese sector immediately associated it with their hobbies and felt it as a direct attack on their lifestyle, generating a debate about the usefulness of emotional and financial investment in the hobby.
It is quite important to note that the objective of the scientific study of the Pázmán and Péter Catholic University of Hungary It does not have the objective of attacking relevant elements of the otaku culture or condemning idol fans, but rather understanding the correlation between idolizing a celebrity of any kind with cognitive and personal development. Very surely, researchers are even surprised that a general study has had so much impact and criticism in a country on another continent, especially when it is a research of a university.
My verdict as an analyst is that this study She could be more focused on demonstrating the CI level of people with extreme celebrity obsession, but on the premise of judging having an idol to some celebrity caused anger in the community.
