9 Signs Someone Is Highly Intelligent, Even Though They Try To Hide It
Intellect isn't always so obvious.
Depiction Images | Shutterstock Intelligence relates to how a person understands and applies information.
A person with low intelligence might struggle to make sense of complicated concepts, while someone with high intelligence soaks up new knowledge and synthesizes connections between what they've just learned and what they already know.
Being intelligent is a positive attribute in most environments, yet people don't always admit to how smart they really are.
Here are 9 signs someone is highly intelligent, even though they try to hide it
1. They ask thoughtful questions
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Highly intelligent people are innately curious, which means they're always searching for new information. They're voracious readers and intriguing conversationalists, yet they don't accept what they're told at face value.
They ask questions so they can understand the underlying reasons why something is the way it is. They ask "why," but they also ask "how." How do we know that's true? How do we place ourselves in the world? How can we make a difference?
Aside from posing deep, philosophical questions, a highly intelligent person also knows the importance of asking someone about themselves.
An article published in a Brazilian medical journal noted that, at their core, questions are effective tools. Questions do more than give information — they facilitate open lines of communication between people, helping them to understand each other better. Questions motivate people to learn by allowing them to consider alternate possibilities.
Someone who's highly intelligent is genuinely interested in other people because they're constantly seeking to understand world views that differ from their own. While a highly intelligent person might not always share the depths of their knowledge, they'll certainly engage others in discussions that challenge their preconceived notions by asking thoughtful questions.
2. They don't always speak up
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We often imagine that highly intelligent people are eager to let everyone else know that they're smart, but that's not always the case.
There are many reasons people hide their intelligence. They might face external social pressures to conform and be like everyone else. They might worry they'll be teased or ostracized.
Highly intelligent people tend to keep quiet about their advanced brain power, whereas people who have low IQs are the ones to loudly declare they're smart. The loudest person in the room is often overcompensating for what they lack. A person who's truly intelligent speaks up when it matters most, but they don't dominate the conversation.
3. They tend to daydream
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As children, we're taught that letting our minds wander is a negative habit. Teachers often reprimand students for daydreaming instead of listening to the lesson. Parents tell their kids to pay attention to what's going on in the real world, instead of getting lost in their own minds.
Yet, as it turns out, daydreaming is not only an entirely common behavior, it's beneficial, too. According to researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, our minds wander at least 30% of the time when we're doing normal, daily tasks, like washing dishes or folding laundry. They can even wander up to 70% of the time if we're doing something like driving down a highway or walking the dog.
There's a connection between daydreaming and creative intelligence. Studies have shown the brain stays in an awake yet resting state while people daydream. Connectivity between different sections of the brain positively correlates with intelligence and creativity, meaning that daydreamers are highly intelligent.
A wandering mind is an indication that a person is thinking deeply, which enhances their creativity and lets them think through complex theories. Even though a highly intelligent person might try to hide it, they give themselves away by daydreaming.
4. They're aware that their perspective isn't the only one
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Intelligence isn't just about being book smart, it's also about how someone relates to people around them.
Having social intelligence depends on more than just how charming a person is. It also depends on their level of self-awareness.
A highly intelligent person knows that their knowledge and lived experience have to be translated in a way that other people can understand. They also accept that not everyone thinks the same way as them.
Someone who's very smart won't brag about their intelligence or force their opinions on others. They know that their worldview is one of many and they respect people who have alternate perspectives.
5. They admit when they change their minds
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Another hallmark of high intelligence is the ability for a person to change their mind, which is also known as cognitive flexibility.
Changing our minds is a crucial part of life's journey. In order to learn, make decisions, and adapt to new environments, we have to be willing to change what we believe in.
It takes great intelligence and humility to see a situation from a new point of view and accept that an initial stance was incorrect. People who are highly intelligent will exhibit an open-minded mindset and do what others deem impossible: They'll admit they were wrong.
Acknowledging mistakes might not be easy, but doing so is essential for strengthening our connections to one another and making the world a more empathetic place.
6. They're passionate
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A person with high intelligence might try to hide their brilliance, but there's one aspect of being smart they can't help but share: their passion.
Highly intelligent people focus intently on learning everything they can about what they love. They dive head first into research on esoteric topics, poring over books about the anatomy of prehistoric alligators or an obscure artist who hasn't been alive for centuries. They can give you a detailed explanation of how a dog's nose works, complete with diagrams and directly cited sources.
Their passion is part of what drives their thirst for knowledge, and they're not shy to share what they've learned.
7. They don't use complicated language
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The stereotypical perception of a highly intelligent person pictures them as someone with an encyclopedic vocabulary who's always dropping SAT prep-level words into casual conversations.
Yet a truly intelligent person doesn't make things more difficult than they need to be. They want to share knowledge and be understood, not put up intellectual walls that other people can't climb over.
A crucial aspect of having high intelligence is the ability to break down complex thoughts and theories into easily digestible information. Using simple, direct language is an indication that a person is highly intelligent, even if they try to hide it.
8. They're very intuitive
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Traditionally, intelligence and intuition have been seen as existing on two very different planes. Intelligence is thought to be based on logic, while intuition is rooted in someone's sense of spirituality and their connection to their inner world.
Yet recent scientific research posits that intuition and intelligence might not be so distant from one another.
A 2014 paper published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine established that the factors that affect making intelligent decisions include self-awareness and emotional self-regulation.
The authors of the paper explained that as more scientific research is done on intuitive intelligence, findings suggest that non-conscious thought processes, like implicit learning and pattern recognition, are a big part of intuitive perception. They noted that a person's attunement to their intuition factors into social cognition, creativity, and decision-making.
The more someone listens to their intuition, the more that other iterations of their intelligence can flourish. Therefore, highly intelligent people are usually deeply keyed into their intuition.
9. They make others feel smarter
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A definitive sign that someone is highly intelligent is that they make others feel smarter when they talk to them. This might seem counterintuitive, as we imagine talking to a highly intelligent person only serves to highlight our own gaps of knowledge.
Yet, in reality, someone who's highly intelligent won't show off or be pretentious. Instead, they'll foster a conversation that flows naturally, where both people get to share what they think.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.