There's a lot of evidence out there that shows introverted people are more intelligent on average. For example, a study done by The Gifted Development Center showed that 60 percent of gifted children are introverts. Studies also show that introverts are more verbally intelligent than extroverts.
No correlation (positive or negative) exists between intelligence and shyness. Research indicates that shy children have a harder time expressing their knowledge in social situations (which most modern curricula utilize), and because they do not engage actively in discussions teachers view them as less intelligent.
On average, introverts and extroverts are the same in terms of intelligence. But statistics show that around 70% of gifted people are introverts. People are considered “gifted” when they exhibit above-average intelligence or a superior talent for something, such as music, art or math.
You're the silent type
You'll find plenty of misconceptions about quiet people, e.g. being labeled as introverts, socially awkward and so on. This isn't necessarily true, and while not all quiet people are necessarily smart, highly intelligent people will often refrain from speaking if they are accessing a situation.
“Many highly successful and accomplished people are shy," she says. "The thing is not to 'overcome' shyness, but to accept it and develop the skills to manage it.” Being your authentic self, Friedman says, is always your best bet—even if you're shy or reserved.
Shyness is partly a result of genes a person has inherited. It's also influenced by behaviors they've learned, the ways people have reacted to their shyness, and life experiences they've had. Genetics. Our genes determine our physical traits, like height, eye color, skin color, and body type.
Shyness is common, and it refers to feeling uncomfortable in social situations. Often, if someone feels shy, they can still motivate themselves to perform when needed. Social anxiety, however, is an anxiety disorder that can affect someone's quality of life.
Intelligent people love working alone because it allows them to be in tune with their inner creative selves. They can introspect different fields and even think out of the box. When there are so many people around, it is difficult to think quietly and creatively because there's chaos all around.
Introversion isn't totally genetic. It gets influenced by your environment at a young age, and our genes allow a certain amount of flexibility in response. This happens through “set points,” which are the upper and lower limits of how much extroversion your brain can handle.
However, our research at Bandelli & Associates has found that introverts often possess greater levels of Relational Intelligence than extroverts do. Relationally intelligent introverts are often highly self-aware, observant, and are excellent listeners.
Your modesty is endearing
To others, you appear modest, empathetic and non-threatening, which are all attractive qualities. So, while shy people will often ponder for a long time before they approach someone, when they do, they tend to have a consistently good experience.
Yet research on gifted children shows that the majority of them are introverted, and many are sensitive due to their heightened awareness of self and others. Parents need to help these children develop social skills that fit their temperaments.
Women report themselves to be higher in neuroticism, agreeableness and more shy and anxious, whereas men report themselves to be higher in assertiveness (Costa et al., 2001). It is postulated that gender creates a huge amount of difference between male and female.
The larger the pupils, the higher the intelligence, as measured by tests of reasoning, attention and memory.
Ability to learn new topics quickly. Ability to process new and complex information rapidly. Desire to explore specific topics in great depth. Insatiable curiosity, often demonstrated by many questions.
Research shows that the signs of intelligence are usually good memory and thinking ability, good attitude and hard-working nature, general and tacit knowledge, language proficiency and reasoning, decision-making, trust, creativity, achievements, good intuition, and problem-solving.
Shyness doesn't always go away over time, but children can learn to be more confident and comfortable interacting with other people.
If you are nervous, you might frown, look worried or look away. If you are wary or uneasy, you might look guarded, defensive or cross your arms. If you feel shy or unsure, you might cover your mouth or face with your hand or look at the ground.
Although shyness is not considered a psychiatric disorder, the experience of shyness can create sufficient affective discomfort and problems in the personal, social and professional lives of shy individuals.