They are empathetic, adaptable, curious, observant, and ask great questions. They have self-control, are funny, have a good memory, know their limits, and go with the flow. Smart people are more than their test scores; they want to make others feel gifted.
Highly intelligent people are usually highly rational, even when they are also emotionally intense. They enjoy finding solutions to big problems and are aware of their deep potentials. However, they are often misunderstood. Being different, they are often scapegoated.
This score is called the Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Typically, 70% of all people will have an IQ between 80-120. About 95% of all people will have an IQ between 70-130. High IQ people usually score above 130 IQ points, depending on which test is used.
Research suggests that highly intelligent people get bored easily and spend more time thinking, behaviour that comes across as 'laziness'. A study by the Florida Gulf Coast University looked at a group of 'thinkers' and 'non-thinkers', studying their activity levels over the course of a week.
Smart people have honed their stories for conversation. They speak about a fond memory or something that is interesting, positive, and upbeat. Smart people know their story must have conflict, but it ends with a positive message. They know it needs to be a personal story that has positive emotions.
They try to think from various viewpoints. They try to understand how their actions affect everyone. Feelings happen in our brains and are connected to thoughts. Intelligence is about caring about what happens in the world around you, how you fit into it.
Studies in adults suggest that intelligence in a sexual partner is something the majority of people value. Researchers asked adults to rank the attractiveness of potential partners based on IQ. They found that people rated an IQ of 120 — which is higher than 90% of the population — as the most attractive.
The larger the pupils, the higher the intelligence, as measured by tests of reasoning, attention and memory.
While there is no actual relationship between attractiveness and academic performance in the real world, there was "a strong positive correlation" between attractiveness and perceived intelligence, as well as perceived academic performance and perceived conscientiousness.
A recent study of attraction to intelligence, called sapiosexuality, found that some people are more attracted to others who are intelligent. However, how intelligent they were made a big difference in the outcomes. The most sexually attractive people were those in the 90th percentile of IQ scores.
According to professor Bainbridge, men are only attracted to symmetrical features as they indicate a potential partner is young, healthy and has stable genes. The findings show that men value brains over beauty as they consider intelligence to be the most attractive quality in a long term partner.
“A highly intelligent person is one who is flexible in their thinking and can adapt to changes, they think before they speak or act, and they're able to effectively manage their emotions,” Dr. Catherine Jackson, licensed clinical psychologist and board certified neurotherapist, tells Bustle.
Being a genius isn't as simple as being smart or having a high IQ. While intelligence is, of course, a prerequisite of genius status, there are other things at play here – including creativity, self-awareness, and an innate ability to ask questions few others have ever asked.
The faces that look high IQ vs low IQ
“In both sexes, a narrower face with a thinner chin and a larger prolonged nose characterizes the predicted stereotype of high-intelligence, while a rather oval and broader face with a massive chin and a smallish nose characterizes the prediction of low-intelligence.”
Yes, some smart people lack common sense. Why? Intelligent people often override common sense with their considerable brain power — but this isn't always a good thing. Smart people think in situations where they should feel, like in relationships.
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.
Similar to our earlier point, aside from being messy, a lot of highly intelligent people tend to be potty-mouthed, too. Not only that, they're often more creative with their curse words, too, which means they have an extensive vocabulary.
Psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa and Study Magazine pinpointed further by saying that individuals in their 20s with a normal IQ tended to go to sleep at around 12:10 a.m., while those with a lower IQ went to bed at 11:41 p.m. Those labeled “very bright” hit the sack at 12:29 a.m.
Intelligent people often enjoy spending time alone to pursue their interests, recharge, and reflect. They may not feel the need to socialize as much and may prefer to spend their time in solitude or with a small group of likeminded individuals.
While they might have high standards and big picture concerns, research shows that people with high IQs are actually more likely to be happy; data from the research showed that people with the highest IQs were much happier than those with the lowest IQs.