Some people have higher IQs than others, but are you a hidden genius? The question of intelligence has been haunting scientists since the dawn of time, and this topic will likely never be fully resolved. Yet, some behaviors indicate your IQ is beyond average, and despite being scientifically backed, they are genuinely bizarre.
Enlarged pupils
The Georgia Institute of Technology study indicated that people with larger pupils have higher intelligence. This controversial study found that a larger baseline pupil size was related to greater fluid intelligence, attention control, and even greater working memory capacity.
Physical laziness
According to a Florida Gulf Coast University study, people with higher IQs tend to be lazier. Specifically, the “non-thinkers” had to do something to keep themselves busy, while the “thinkers” were more content and could entertain themselves.
Your religion is ambiguous
Atheism is linked to higher IQs, Satoshi Kanazawa, an evolutionary psychologist, concluded. A research team from the University of Rochester went through dozens of studies only to find that in 53 out of 63, believing in God and intelligence do not go hand in hand. It could be explained by a simple assumption that people with higher IQ are more open-minded and tend to question the world.
Musically gifted
If you took music classes as a child, your IQ might be higher than you think. Psychologist Sylvain Moreno’s experiment found that those between the ages of four and six who took music lessons showed verbal IQ improvements. Music also correlates to memory and concentration, so if you were forced to play the piano, you likely gained few IQ points. Similar studies were published in Frontiers in Neuroscience and Psychological Science.
Twisted sense of humor
The University of Vienna study found that those with a twisted sense of humor have higher IQs than average. A survey of 160 people found that humor processing involves cognitive and affective components, and their execution influences frame-shifting and conceptual blending.
In fact, you are funny
A 2011 University of New Mexico study measured abstract reasoning abilities and verbal intelligence. The participants were asked to create captions for the New Yorker cartoon. Those wiser were also funnier. There are numerous links between intelligence and humor, which explains why some of the best comedians are also highly thoughtful and open-minded. But do not take this personally; there are exceptions on all sides of the political spectrum.
You’re left-handed
Left-handed people dominate fields like music and architecture. Brain scans indicate that left-handed people think differently from right-handed people. The question of left-handed people’s IQs has been following scientists for decades, though the history of lefties is grim since they were considered criminals or even devil-possessed.
Anxiety is your middle name
Your anxiety might be a sign of high intelligence, numerous studies confirmed. The reasoning behind this theory is that high IQ comes with logical thinking, and when it’s not applicable, it creates stress and anxiety. Psychiatrist Jeremy Coplan from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York observed people with GAD (general anxiety disorder) and those with severe symptoms had a higher IQ.
You know how to party
National Child Development from the UK found that those with higher IQs are more likely to try psychoactive drugs. A similar study in the US came up with the same conclusions. The explanation could be that people with high IQ often choose to be curious rather than doing what’s right.
Political views
Numerous studies have discovered that individuals with higher IQ scores lean more toward liberals. According to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), young adults who self-identify as “very liberal” had an average IQ of 106 during adolescence. On the other hand, those who self-identify as “very conservative” had an average IQ of 95.
The first-born
Edinburgh University researchers observed 5000 children from birth until they turned 14. The oldest ones had higher IQs, likely because they developed their thinking skills better thanks to their parents. While IQ is still believed to be mainly genetics, there is an ongoing debate between nature vs. nurture and how much upbringing affects IQ.
Enjoying solitude
A survey of 15,000 people revealed that the most intelligent people do not enjoy socializing, just like those with below-average IQs. It was explained that high IQ people tend to overthink and overanalyze things, which is why they like being alone with their thoughts.
Teen virgin
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers found most high school virgins among those with IQs lower than 70 and higher than 110. Teens with an IQ score of 100 were 1.5 to 5 times more likely to do the deed than those with 120 to 130 IQ scores.
Not a morning person
It has been noticed that high-IQ people are night owls, which is supported by the idea that higher IQ comes with evolution requirements since we no longer use daylight for food hunting. Additionally, high-IQ students were more likely to sleep in. It was found that they are more likely to develop unique and creative solutions than morning people.
The taller, the better
A 2006 study from Princeton University found that taller children performed better on cognitive tests. This study was based on two British studies from the 1950s and 1970s. Still, it also points out that prenatal nutrition is one of the most important predictors of intelligence and height.
Lower aggression
A study of over 1,116 pairs of twins in the UK found that people with higher IQs are less likely to be aggressive. That is likely because intelligent people focus on problem-solving and follow everyday rules.
Thinking outside the box
Creative thinking is one of the main traits of a knowledgeable person. Therefore, thinking outside the box and presenting new ideas are among the best indicators of a high IQ. The higher the IQ, the greater the abstract thinking capacities.
You are not just lazy but messy as well
The University of Minnesota recently found that messy people have higher IQs. The study also found that intelligent people swear and confirmed that they are night owls. When it comes to being sloppy, the researchers suggested that disorganized surroundings can inspire new ideas and provoke unconventional thinking, allowing high-IQ people to break free from tradition.
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Kate Smith, a self-proclaimed word nerd who relishes the power of language to inform, entertain, and inspire. Kate's passion for sharing knowledge and sparking meaningful conversations fuels her every word.