11 Real Signs Of A Person With An Average IQ Who Tries To Act Smarter Than They Are
Truly intelligent people are driven by confidence, while those trying to feign misguided intellect are driven by fear.
Sun Shock | Shutterstock Intelligence — from emotional intelligence to more practical and tangible knowledge — is innately associated with many aspects of our lives. From socioeconomic status, to personal relationships, career success, and personal well-being, like a study from Global Mental Health suggests, our intelligence and IQ are interwoven into many different experiences we encounter on a daily basis.
However, it's not as complicated to achieve as it may seem, despite playing a complex role in our lives, which is why many of the real signs of a person with an average IQ who tries to act smarter than they are tend to be unsuccessful, confusing, and misguided. True intelligence stems from creativity, self-awareness, confidence, and security, and people trying to act smarter than they are tend to be fueled by the opposite: insecurity, stress, rigid mindedness, and fear.
Here are 11 real signs of a person with an average IQ who tries to act smarter than they are
1. They have poor listening skills
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People with an average IQ who try to act smarter than they are tend to do more talking than listening. They only listen to give themselves a chance to talk again, and generally lack the situational awareness and self-awareness to thrive in a healthy conversation.
True intelligence is tied to emotional intelligence; people without self-awareness or internal security, emotional regulation, and empathy in conversations will never have the power to make other people feel valued, respected, and heard. And, according to a PLOS One study, that's the most important part of productive conversations.
People trying to seem smarter than others, rather than building a safe space for them to feel heard and comfortable, will struggle to build real relationships and success founded on expertise, insights, and networking.
2. They brag about goals before achieving them
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According to psychology professor Marwa Azab, PhD, people who tend to prematurely brag about their success and goals before actually achieving them lose out on the benefits of delayed gratification. Not only is their motivation sabotaged when they take away the excitement of perseverance and hard work, they tend to dismiss the relief and happiness of progress and the journey.
Coupled with consequences to personal growth and resilience, people who brag about their goals before realizing them are also perceived to be less competent and intelligent than those who internally motivate themselves, rather than seeking external praise and reward.
Many of the real signs of a person with an average IQ who tries to act smarter than they are revolve around insecurity — they brag to feel empowered, use external validation to compensate for lacking internal confidence, and feel depleted and doubtful when other people aren't willing to offer up recognition.
3. They don't take responsibility for their mistakes
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Many people with an average or low IQ who try to seem smarter than they are viewed "not knowing" as a sign of weakness. They always want to be right, so when they make a mistake, say the wrong thing, or don't know how to do something, they immediately enter into a defense mode that makes it hard to take true accountability.
They tend to view intelligence as a kind of superiority. When they say "sorry," give an apology, or admit to being "wrong," they feel a loss of control and weakness.
A study published in Management Science argues that asking for help actually encourages people to view you as more competent and intelligent, so it's clear that these people's fears of being misguidedly judged for needing support are entirely unfounded. Taking accountability, helping others to feel heard, and asking for help are the keys to truly growing intelligence, not trying to side-step the guilt and shame of being "wrong."
4. They overuse 'sophisticated' words
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According to a study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, using big words simply for the sake of looking smart typically has an adverse effect on true intelligence, encouraging people to believe they're less competent than those who opt for more simplistic language.
Truly intelligent people opt for clarity with concise language to ensure everyone is on the same page, while those trying to look smarter than they really are "gatekeep" complex language and make issues overly complex to paint themselves as the only person capable of solving the problem.
They use language, sometimes phrases and words they don't even understand, to try to seem smart, when true intelligence actually revolves around great social skills and helping other people to feel comfortable and heard in their presence.
5. They seek praise from others
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The behaviors of people with average IQs who try to act smarter than they actually are — like talking all about themselves, prematurely bragging about goals, and refusing to ask for help — are all driven by insecurity. They struggle to internally build security with their abilities and identity, so they look to other people to do it for them.
Other people are more likely to view you as more competent when you display an aura of confidence in conversations, but people trying too hard to "act smart" reveal their insecurities by essentially begging for attention, praise, recognition, and validation from others.
6. They refuse to ask for help
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Asking for help actually makes you seem smarter — it's a sign of competence and intelligence, not weakness. However, one of the real signs of a person with an average IQ who tries to act smarter than they are is their misguided belief around asking for advice and help — they think it's a hindrance to their perceived intelligence.
Of course, it's not just personally beneficial to ask for help, people are actively yearning to feel "needed," according to a report from Stanford University. They bond and feel more comfortable around people who ask them for guidance and insights, so not asking for it or being so overconfident they view doing so as a "weakness" is one of the real signs of a person with an average IQ who tries to act smarter than they are.
7. They shut down constructive criticism
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Many people who try to act smarter than they are struggle with taking feedback from others, even if it's helpful and constructive. They have an innate desire to always "be right," sometimes stemming from childhood experiences or insecurities. So, being "called out" or offered feedback feels innately offensive.
However, like most intelligent and self-aware people understand, being offered well-natured criticism and feedback is actually fundamental to growth.
In order to recognize your "blind spots" and grow as a person, it's necessary to be comfortable with hearing and proactively implementing other people's feedback and opinions, especially if they have expertise and understanding about your unique situation.
8. They ignore other people
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People constantly trying to make themselves seem more intelligent try to make conversations exclusive, pushing other people's thoughts, opinions, and comfort away for the sake of their own. It's not just about failing to actively listen, but struggling with allowing other people to feel equally in control, comfortable, or empowered to share their opinions in a conversation.
Truly intelligent and secure people find joy in giving other people the chance to share their thoughts, talk about themselves, and take over when they have the expertise and confidence to do so.
There's one main difference between truly intelligent people and those with average IQs that feign a misguided sense of competence: they either understand, or they don't, that there's enough success, joy, happiness, and intelligence to go around.
9. They're overly judgmental
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Despite being incredibly sensitive to criticisms and judgments on themselves, one of the real signs of a person with an average IQ who tries to act smarter than they are is their overly judgmental and critical attitude toward others. They feel a nagging desire to always be "right," and in many situations, they're willing to put other people down to assert their own misguided superiority.
While they may not be narcissistic, people who try to seem smarter than others often adopt narcissistic behaviors — using their ego, overconfidence, and grandiose sense of self to "bulldoze" conversations and take control without letting anyone else speak. Ironically, the root of these behaviors is insecurity.
They're aware of their own self-doubt and feel drawn to overcompensating in ways that not only further sabotage their self-esteem, but isolate them from true success and healthy connections in life.
10. They overcomplicate simple tasks
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People who try to act smarter than they are may overcomplicate simple tasks or conversations to try to "prove" their intelligence, often in ways that sabotage other people's perceptions of their competence.
They may believe that making things more complicated is a way to seem more intelligent — using complicated language, overcomplicating simple decisions, and overthinking things — when really, it's detrimental to their perceived intelligence in social situations.
Like a study from WIREs Cognitive Science explains, simplicity is generally preferred by truly intelligent people. They use simple language that everyone can understand and rework conversations and situations to be more comfortable and accessible for anyone.
One of the real signs of a person with an average IQ who tries to act smarter than they are is their tendency to do the opposite, trying to make "intelligent" conversations and interactions exclusive and confusing for others.
11. They view others as competition
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Similarly to how truly intelligent people simplify their language and approach to issues for the sake of community and accessibility, they also value collaboration and teamwork over competition. However, people trying to act smarter than they are may make misguided enemies out of people they view as smarter or more intelligent than them.
In personal relationships, new social interactions, and even in the workplace, these individuals find ways to "compete" with others, trying to bring them down and sabotage their success to better highlight their own. However, true intelligence stems from self-awareness and confidence; it's bred best in people who understand that success, happiness, and praise is in limitless supply, for everyone to achieve and seek.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
