The Short Version
The core relationship described in this claim is well-supported by multiple peer-reviewed studies, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews showing that weaker analytic and reflective thinking is consistently associated with greater susceptibility to misinformation and unsubstantiated beliefs. However, the claim's use of "lower intelligence" somewhat overstates the evidence: the literature more precisely identifies analytic thinking style, cognitive reflection, and critical thinking dispositions—constructs related to but broader than general intelligence—as the key predictors. Effect sizes also vary across domains.