The more time people with high intelligence spend with their friends, the less satisfied they are with life, the researchers came to such an unexpected conclusion.
This calls into question the generally accepted perception of socialization as a source of happiness. It turns out that some people—intellectuals in particular—do not enjoy life through communication. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is rather intriguing.
The long-term study involved people aged 18 to 28 years. The results showed that those who live in less populated areas are more satisfied with their lives.1. According to the authors, “inhabitants of rural areas and provincial towns are happier than residents of the suburbs, who, in turn, are happier than residents of central cities, and those who live in metropolitan areas are happier.” That is, the more closely people communicate with each other, the more they are satisfied with their lives. The exception is people with a high level of intelligence. This is because intelligence presupposes the existence of certain goals and long-term projects, and socialization can distract from the embodiment of (brilliant) ideas.
Also, researchers explain the difference in the emotional reaction to communication between ordinary people and intellectuals from an evolutionary point of view. They believe that a higher level of intelligence allows people to better adapt to the modern world, which has long ceased to live like a hunter-gatherer who needs close contact with his social group.
According to researchers, it is easier for smart people to switch to this new way of life, in which the role of society is much lower.
See more at publications of PsyBlog.
1 N. Li, S. Kanazawa «Country roads, take me home… to my friends: How intelligence, population density, and friendship affect modern happiness», British Journal of Psychology, February 2016.