10 Signs You're A Clever Person Who Is Way Smarter Than You Think
Intelligence is more than just your IQ.
Rido | Shutterstock There are many different measures of intelligence, just as there are many different ways to be intelligent.
Psychologist Howard Gardner first proposed his theory of multiple intelligences in 1983, in which he introduced eight types of intelligence: Logical and Mathematical, Linguistic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Spatial, Musical, and Naturalist.
Everyone has areas of intelligence that are stronger than others, and it’s important to recognize that we can develop our brain power as we grow.
Here are 10 signs you're a clever person who is smarter than you think
1. You're curious
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Smart people seek answers to life's most difficult questions, and they don't stop their quest for knowledge just because they've completed the traditional educational path.
Your desire to understand how the world works leads you to read voraciously and engage in intellectual conversations with people around you. Your curiosity can cover a wide range of topics, and you're always looking for connections and larger implications among seemingly disparate subjects.
2. You can admit when you're wrong
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Contrary to popular belief, people with high intelligence know when they don't know something, and they're not embarrassed to say so.
A 2020 study published in the journal Learning and Individual Differences looked at the connection between intellectual humility and mastery behavior, which researchers defined as "seeking challenges and persisting after setbacks."
The study found that intellectual humility encourages mastery behavior, and that individuals with more intellectual humility sought out challenges, tried harder to solve those challenges, and persisted despite setbacks, when compared to those with less intellectual humility.
As the researchers stated in the study, "intellectually humble learners are driven to pursue knowledge, understanding, and truth because they want to be informed and accurate," giving them a deep and abiding motivation to learn as much as they can.
3. You're open-minded
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According to a psychological study from University of London, childhood intelligence is the greatest indicator of someone who will grow into an open-minded adult. The study argued that openness is "often shown as the strongest correlate of ability, particularly creativity and intelligence."
Researchers described openness as "A stable trait that reflects intellectual curiosity, imaginativeness, and inquisitiveness." Being open means that you're willing to explore other world views and question even your own mindset, which also ties into intellectual humility and being clever.
4. You have a strong sense of humor
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Looking deeply at the world around you not only signifies how intelligent and clever you are, it's also connected to which topics you find funny.
A 2017 study from the journal Cognitive Processing found an association between high intelligence and having a dark sense of humor. The study noted that people with higher levels of education and higher verbal and nonverbal intelligence prefer black humor, which researchers defined as "A kind of humor that treats sinister subjects... with bitter amusement and presents such tragic, distressing or morbid topics in humorous terms."
The study also noted that dark humor is used to "express the absurdity, insensitivity, paradox and cruelty of the modern world," which is a fairly elevated concept that requires a certain degree of deep thought that clever people often practice.
5. You're empathic
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Having high emotional intelligence is also an indicator of high intelligence, overall, which means smart people tend to be in-tune with their own emotions and the emotions of people around them.
A study from 2021 looked at levels of emotional intelligence among intellectually gifted individuals. In the study, emotional intelligence was defined as a person's "set of abilities to generate, recognize, perceive, understand, and evaluate their own and others' emotions in order to direct thinking and actions."
The study established that gifted children have increased sensitivity and high levels of empathy, which are essential aspects of emotional intelligence. After conducting the study, researchers determined that gifted individuals have higher emotional intelligence levels than the average person.
6. You worry a lot
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Another sign that you're more clever than you think is a tendency to experience high levels of anxiety or other psychological conditions.
A 2018 study noted that data sourced from Mensa in 2015 found a statistical significance and a high relative risk ratio of diagnoses from mood and anxiety disorders, along with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, among highly intelligent people. Researchers defined one aspect of intelligence as a "broader and deeper capacity to comprehend their surroundings," which can certainly be connected to having more anxiety and depression.
The study, which looked at Mensa candidates, found a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders among its highly intelligent participants, 9.1% when compared to the national average. Highly intelligent people are 1.83 times more likely to be formally diagnosed with anxiety. And while this seems like a negative trait, anxiety can be managed through mindfulness meditation and by seeking guidance from mental health professionals.
7. You're not afraid to fail
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While it seems counterintuitive, people who are smarter than they think aren't afraid to take big swings and miss.
Their natural curiosity and inquisitive nature leads them down many different paths. Even when a person is smart, perfection is never guaranteed, and shouldn't be expected.
Trying new things is part of being open-minded, and not fearing failure is connected to intellectual humility, and both those traits are associated with high intelligence.
8. You don't mind being alone
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Deep thinkers need a fair amount of time on their own to consider life's big questions, which is part of why they don't mind solitude.
A study from 2016 found further proof that smart people tend to also be loners, or at least more introverted than others. The study examined individuals' sense of life satisfaction in connection to population density and socializing with friends.
The conclusion of the research noted that people with higher intelligence were less satisfied with their lives when they spent more time with friends, showing that being alone isn't always an indicator of loneliness.
In general, we tend to think of being around other people and community connectedness as an indicator of happiness, yet for very smart and clever people, it's often the opposite.
9. You're passionate
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Passion is another trait of cleverness. You might be the kind of person who's deeply invested in the world's random minutiae or someone who's intensely focused on very niche subjects. You might be more likely to hang out at the library with your nose buried in a book than at the bar.
People might interpret your passionate personality as off-putting, but it's really a signifier that you're a person with many interests, who isn't shy about speaking their mind and spreading their wealth of knowledge.
10. You adapt easily to new situations
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Having a highly-developed sense of flexibility is also a sign of being very clever. In keeping with the idea that smart people are more open-minded than people with lower intelligence, getting thrown into an unknown environment doesn't phase people on the smarter side of the spectrum.
A lack of rigidity and narrow thinking allows smart people to land on their feet, no matter where they end up, and because they're not afraid to fail, they don't mind asking for help, either.
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.