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Profanity, love for black humor and cats – what signs can distinguish the owners of a high IQ and what are the nuances here?
You may not be the neatest worker, and your partner complains that you never go to bed together. But there is a chance that your intelligence is above average. Check if there are any matches.
1. You are left-handed
In a right-handed world, left-handedness seems like a dubious advantage. Left-handers have to use special scissors, change the location of the mouse at the computer, and put up with superstitions and prejudices. A study last year found a significant association between left-hand dominance and math performance (although there are strong correlations with age, gender, and job type).
2. You are not neat
Managers and office workers need a clean desk like air: one lost document can turn into a headache for the whole company. But if your job involves product development, graphic design, or writing articles, a cluttered workspace can spur creativity.
Researchers from the University of Groningen have come to the conclusion that the surrounding space significantly affects the nature of our thinking. For example, if we see that there is chaos around, the brain unconsciously switches to sorting information, so thinking becomes clearer.
3. You use foul language
Those who are accustomed to seasoning their speech with strong expressions are often considered narrow-minded people. But psychologists have found that knowledge of swear words and the ability to use them is rather a plus. The subjects with the highest IQ and the largest vocabulary recalled the most swear words in a minute.
Humor signals that the speaker is resourceful, able to think outside the box and treat problems philosophically.
“We judge a person’s intelligence by the way they speak,” write Kristin and Timothy Jay, psychologists at the Massachusetts College of Art. But this judgment is not always accurate. The use of taboo vocabulary is associated with a whole bunch of negative characteristics: lack of education, poor self-control, aggressiveness. It is not always so”.
4. You know how to make others laugh
“There is a strong relationship between a sense of humor and high intelligence,” explains Jill Greengross, a psychologist at Aberystwyth University. She and her colleagues found that the strongest connection was with verbal intelligence, since humor is based on verbal paradoxes.
“It is no coincidence that humor is considered sexually attractive,” the psychologist comments. “It signals that the speaker is resourceful, able to think outside the box and treat problems philosophically.”
5. You are a night owl
Despite the fact that due to the violation of biological rhythms, night vigils can adversely affect health, studies show that, compared to “larks”, “owls” maintain concentration longer and get tired more slowly. In addition, on average, they earn more and occupy higher positions.
6. You love black humor
Morgue. Body identification. The surgeon lifts the sheet. Woman: “Yes, that’s definitely my husband. By the way, what powder do you wash the sheets with? So white!” This joke is not for everyone. However, according to a study by Australian psychologists, fans of such humor, on average, demonstrate a higher level of intelligence than the rest.
Where this connection comes from is not entirely clear. It can be explained by the fact that during the “decoding” of a joke, we involve complex cognitive processes. True, whatever the level of intelligence, a bad mood reduces the ability to understand black humor, as well as normal.
7. You tend to worry a lot
A consolation for those who see endless problems in the future: at least their intelligence is developed enough to find a solution. Psychologists from Lakehead University (Canada) found that those who constantly replayed negative situations from the past in their heads or worried about the future scored high on a test of verbal intelligence.
A higher IQ level is observed not only in first-borns, but also in general in older children.
True, the same study found that non-verbal intelligence (social and emotional) in these people is reduced. It is probably better for them to choose the role of advisor or analyst.
8. You are self-critical
A phenomenon known as the Dunning-Kruger effect: less competent and intellectually developed people tend to exaggerate the degree of their understanding of the problem (as well as the level of development of their mental abilities in principle), while experts and intellectuals, on the contrary, are more likely to doubt themselves. However, Socrates spoke about this: I know that I know nothing.
9. You love cats
In a dispute between cat lovers and dog lovers, the point goes first: a 2014 study clearly showed that cat lovers are more open-minded and have a subtle taste. In turn, those who prefer dogs are more energetic and easy-going.
10. You are the oldest child in the family.
A higher level of IQ is observed not only in first-borns, but also in general in older children. Professor Petter Christensen of the National Institute of Occupational Health in Oslo believes that this connection is due to social rather than biological reasons. Seniors usually have to be more collected and responsible. This probably affects their attitude towards learning.
Source: The Daily Mail.