What Are Common Traits Of Highly Intelligent People?

In today’s article you’re going to learn everything you need to know about common traits of extremely smart people.

Social interactions, life choices and attitudes can be evidence of human intelligence. So what’s the recipe for an clever person?

There are quite a few ingredients, but at the start we can discover a few cards. Openness, curiosity, a sense of humor, but… That’s where the stairs start. All that glitters is not gold, so let’s get all the way down to business.

Common Traits Of Highly Intelligent People

1. Ability to adapt to the situation

This is a very important feature of all those who come out smoothly from any oppression. Discernment, analysis and adaptation to the situation.

A prominent martial arts expert, Bruce Lee is credited with the words “Be like water – it adapts to every vessel and can destroy a rock”. Psychological research seems to confirm this.

Encyclopaedia Britannica defines intelligence as the ability to adapt to a given situation.

2. You understand how much you don’t know

Socrates’ famous maxim ‘I know I don’t know anything’ is one thing, but it’s not about idle demagogy. Being aware of our own shortcomings, we open the door to development: sporting, intellectual, any other.

Justin Kruger and David Dunning have shown in their research that the less clever you are, the more likely you are to overestimate your cognitive abilities.

In one experiment, about half of the students with poorer LSAT scores overestimated their talent. Those who passed well generally gave fewer correct answers than it turned out to be.

3. They remain curious

Curious about the world, obviously. “I don’t have any special abilities, I’m very curious. – Albert Einstein was supposed to say one day.

In 2016, the Journal of Individual Differences published a study that points to the relationship between intelligence and openness of children and their experience in adulthood, which translates into intellectual curiosity about the world.

Scientists have traced thousands of people in the UK for 50 years and noted that 11-year-olds with higher IQ scores have become much more open parents in their 50s.

4. They read a lot.

In a way, it’s a result of curiosity.

Gathering knowledge still usually means many hours above the text – regardless of whether it is on paper or on the screen. It is also not the case that it is only about scientific books or classics.

Bill Gates and Oprah Wnifrey admitted more than once that they read literally everything they could get their hands on.

5. They’re open-minded.

Intelligent people do not close themselves to new opportunities and ideas. It’s not about progress at all costs, it’s about opening up to discussion, looking for alternative scenarios.

Psychologists noticed some time ago that such people do better in tests for intelligence. At the same time, however, intelligent people are cautious about what kind of idea to put into practice.

6. They like their own company.

Here again, we will quote a saying: “An intelligent man is not bored in his own company”, which more or less means that he will all the time find something to do. But that’s not precisely what it’s all about.

In 2016, the British Journal of Psychology (1) published an article suggesting that smarter people are less contented with socializing than most people.

They just prefer to be together.

7. They have strong self-control

Researchers studying the relationship between intelligence and control in 2009 published their findings in Psychological Science.

Research participants were asked to choose from two forms of salary: a small sum instantly or more, but it would take time.

Those who performed better in IQ tests were able to cope better with the temptation to make a fast profit, which would mean de facto loss.

According to the authors of this study, the anterior cortex of the cerebral cortex can play a very important role in difficult decisions and self-control.

8. They’re really funny.

A sense of humor is a very important indicator of intelligence.

A 2011 study conducted by a team from the University of New Mexico showed that people with better verbal intelligence (speaking the language, expressing thoughts) did better with the task of making a funny signature under a drawing.

Another study from the same college showed that professional comedians have higher verbal intelligence than others.

9. They appreciate the black humor

According to a 2017 study published in Cognitive Processing, those who did better with verbal and non-verbal intelligence tests are much more likely to appreciate black humour.

Interestingly, those who liked such jokes didn’t turn out to be disturbed or aggressive in any way, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.

10. They are sensitive to the experience of others

Emotional intelligence means recognizing the states of feelings of others, using one’s own emotions and eventually reacting to the emotions of others.

We often close them in the concept of “empathy” but there are known cases of clever people beyond the norm, whose empathy left much to be desired.

Yes, they understood other people’s experience and emotions, but in no way modified their attitudes and choices on this basis.

Emotionally clever people aren’t only able to read from themselves and other feelings, but also to use them to find out about themselves and others.

11. Thinking outside the box

Thinking outside the box (2), breaking habits and limitations, trying to find new solutions and often denying what is often considered the best and only right.

Indeed, people with higher intelligence often find “shortcuts” in situations that provide problems for others. They can even insurgent against norms and effectively demonstrate their inadequacy and limitations.

Thank you for reading this article about common traits of extremely smart people and I actually hope that you take action my advice. I wish you good luck and that I hope its contents have been a good help to you.