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A now-viral Reddit post has prompted thousands of online commenters to list qualities and character traits they think are often seen as signs of intelligence but really mean nothing.
Posting in Reddit's popular "Ask Reddit" forum on Thursday, Redditor u/Indianfattie asked: "What is incorrectly perceived as a sign of intelligence?" The post has amassed over 42,000 upvotes and more than 26,000 comments.
What the Experts Say
According to various psychologists and psychotherapists, there are a few different ways to determine whether or not someone is highly intelligent. Speaking to Bustle, Christine Scott-Hudson, licensed psychotherapist and owner of Create Your Life Studio, said empathy, compassion and curiosity are all traits of highly intelligent people.
"There's a correlation between high emotional intelligence and high IQ in psychological assessments," Scott-Hudson said. "We know that the higher a person scores in traits of empathy, the higher the person will score in traits of effective verbal comprehension."
Dr. Catherine Jackson, a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified neurotherapist, added that highly intelligent people are also observant, possess self-control and a good working memory, can recognize their limits and "go with the flow."
"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," Jackson said. "In short, they possess several different types of intelligence, including but not limited to intellectual, social and emotional intelligence."
Newsweek reached out to Dr. Catherine Jackson for comment.
'Ask Reddit'
Of course, there are some character traits and/or qualities that many people have come to associate with intelligence that may not mean much. According to Reddit, those traits are:
Being Opinionated
Many Redditors argued that it's perfectly "normal" to be opinionated, but it's not a sign of intelligence in and of itself. In fact, many said knowing when to abstain from forming an opinion is a better indicator of intelligence.
Redditor u/skyefire27 said "having opinions on literally everything" is one of their "biggest pet peeves."
"[But] on the flip side, immediate respect goes out to anyone who is able to say they don't know enough about the topic to have a solid opinion," they wrote.
"Choosing not to have an opinion on a topic you don't know much about is low-key one of the most intelligent things a person can do," AllergicToStabWounds said.
"I mean, you can have an opinion on everything, you just have to be very aware of how well-founded it is by your knowledge of the subject, and be open to changes of opinion when talking with others, because you might find a new perspective," u/Skygge_or_Skov commented.
Being Quiet
Jackson told Bustle that being "quiet and observant" are often good indicators someone is highly intelligent; however, some Redditors said the former may just mean someone doesn't know what to say.
"I've been told so many times that I'm thoughtful and a deep thinker but really I can't figure out what to say lol," u/RecreationalParks shared.
"My girlfriend thinks my silence is me thinking hard or letting her sort her emotions out but it's really me trying to think of anything to say but I'm a duma**," u/CaptainGundyr replied.
Redditor u/armchairairplane added: "People in school thought I was smart partly because of how quiet I am. But I'm exactly the same, I just don't know what to say!"
Wearing Glasses
Interestingly enough, a 2018 study of 300,000 people found that there is "some relationship" between nearsightedness and intelligence, CNN reported. However, the network was quick to remind people that "correlation does not imply causation"—something many Redditors pointed out as well.
"Yeah I wear glasses and I'm an IDIOT," u/TobinCobin joked.
"I mean come on, us people with glasses couldn't even pass an eye test," u/bigthagen87 quipped.
Redditor u/moltencheesesyringe added: "Can confirm, have a friend that has glasses...he's a f**king dumb**."
Redditors said other "incorrectly perceived as a sign of intelligence" include having a college degree, wealth and the ability to solve a Rubik's Cube.
Other Viral Moments
In June, a Redditor posting in the "Ask Reddit" forum went viral after asking Star Wars fans to share their most controversial takes on the beloved franchise.
In April, commenters took to the forum to share their most regrettable decisions and purchases.
And in November, gamers went viral for sharing their favorite video games of all time.
About the writer
Sara Santora is a Newsweek reporter based in Florida. Her focus is reporting on viral social media posts and trends. ... Read more