You don't necessarily need an IQ test to determine whether a person is truly intelligent. Psychologists have identified characteristics that characterize smart people.
Intelligence brings many benefits. A
high intelligence quotient (IQ)
is often associated with professional success and good university degrees. But the very people who brag the most about their intelligence are often not so. Instead, according to psychologists, intelligence manifests itself through other signs.
Also interesting:
Multitasking damages your intelligence*.
Three signs of high IQ in people
IQ tests have always been a popular way to measure intelligence in certain areas. Standardized tasks are intended to measure a person's intellectual performance. Most people have an IQ between 85 and 115 points, the average is 100. In Germany, people with an IQ of 130 or more are considered highly gifted.
However, whether a person is really intelligent cannot only be found out using an IQ test. In psychological studies, scientists have been able to identify certain characteristics and abilities that many intelligent people have in common. We present some of them here:
Intelligent people are adaptable:
Psychologists largely agree that adaptability is a sign of intelligence. This means that intelligent people change themselves to cope with their environment, or otherwise change or reinvent things.
They are open-minded:
People who are open to other views and who are able to throw their own beliefs overboard after careful consideration tend to do better on IQ tests than others. This is what psychologists from the American University of Pennsylvania report. However, according to the experts, it is unclear whether open-mindedness leads to more intelligence or vice versa.
You laugh at black humor:
Would you have thought it? According to a study by the Medical University of Vienna, jokes that make light of death or illness cause laughter, especially among people who have a high verbal and non-verbal IQ. According to the research team, it apparently takes a certain level of intelligence, good humor and composure to recognize and enjoy the "playful fiction" of black humor, reports
Reaserch Digest
. This also fits with previous research showing that humor is correlated with IQ.
By the way, five more curious signs are said to indicate true intelligence - from birth order to learning a musical instrument.
Quick IQ test for your lunch break
Do you recognize these characteristics in yourself? With this book you can train for IQ tests (promotional link). Or put your intelligence to the test with a puzzle - this one should actually only be solved by highly gifted people.
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