Comparing the Cognitive Abilities of Hackers and Non-Hackers Using a Self-Report Questionnaire

Hackers are typically represented in the media as having high levels of intelligence, but there is little empirical research available on the topic of IQ and hacking behaviors. Low IQ scores are associated with criminality in general, but higher IQ scores and education are positively correlated with white collar crime, of which criminal hacking behaviors are a subset. Therefore, the present study sought to examine cognitive abilities of self-reported hackers and non-hackers, as well as compare the cognitive abilities scores of different subsets of hackers, in a sample of Mechanical Turk workers using the International Cognitive Ability Resource and the Computer Crimes Index–Revised