13 signs you're smarter than average
Signs of intelligence can come in many different forms.
Maybe you are really good at exams, can speak more than one language or can recite substantial sections of Shakespeare's works.
Intelligence isn't something that is always blatantly obvious to onlookers as traits can sometimes be genetic or forged from our own personal choices.
Research by the YouTube channel AsapSCIENCE has discovered 13 everyday things which are a strong sign that you are smarter than average.
1. Height
Being tall obviously has its advantages.
Tall people are easy to spot in a crowd, can reach things on the top shelves or supermarkets and probably good at basketball.
Of course, those are all cliched things to point out but according to AsapSCIENCE, a 2009 study showed that taller children often score higher on tests.
A study published by NCBI stated that tall people in both sexes were universally found to have a higher IQ.
2. Oldest sibling
If you happen to be a younger sibling you've probably got a lot of reasons to dislike you're older brother and sister.
Now you've got an even better reason as they are likely to be more intelligent than you.
A study in 2007 of 250,000 members of the Norwegian military found that first-born siblings mostly had higher IQs.
This, however, isn't genetic but because on average parents pay more attention to their first-born child and less attention to the newer siblings.
3. Breastfed
As a baby, we're you breast?
If the answer is yes, you're likely to be pretty clever, and earning more money than people who were fed by the bottle.
A study published in The Lancet in 2015 presented research that babies that had been breastfed for the first 12 months of their life had a higher IQ and earned more throughout their lives.
This was not true for babies that had only been breastfed for less than one month.
4. Drink alcohol
Booze and intelligence don't immediately present themselves as things that would go hand in hand.
The more intelligent members of society have been found to be more attracted to alcohol.
The 1958 National Child Development Survey found that a child with a higher IQ would often consume more alcohol than average when they got older.
This isn't an endorsement to consume loads of alcohol for the sake of your IQ. Please drink responsibly.
5. Drugs
The same study also found links between child IQ and illegal drug use.
Studying individuals from age 11 to age 42, the study found that people who showed intelligence at an early age often went on take drugs.
Women with a higher IQ were found to have a stronger association with drugs than men for drugs like cannabis, amphetamines, cocaine and magic mushrooms.
However, men with higher IQs were more likely to take LSD, ecstasy or temazepam.
6. Night owl
Working at night is, for some people, much more preferable and more functional.
Nocturnal people or night owls have been found to be more intelligent as they prefer more unique surroundings or novel values.
A study published by Elsevier found that nocturnal activities were much more rare in ancient times and showed that an individual was ahead of trends and more willing to find their own path.
This is not thought to be genetic as therefore is a sign of unique, individual intelligence.
7. Worrier
Don't worry if all of this information is a little overwhelming. Or maybe we should encourage you to worry?
Having anxiety or depression is never good - but you may take solace in the fact that research has found positive relations between those subjects and intelligence.
In 2014 experts found that showing a high level of verbal intelligence was linked to signs of worry and rumination.
In contrast, those that didn't worry often scored higher on tests that didn't require verbal intelligence.
8. Daydreamer
If at school you were told off for daydreaming, forget about it as it is considered a sign of intelligence.
Daydreaming has been found to be a sign of an efficient brain, that can't help but wander off into its own thoughts and fantasies.
Science Direct published a study in 2017 that found that mind wandering was a positive example of fluid intelligence and creativity.
Take that teacher!
9. Left-handed
Left-handed people don't always get a fair rub of the green. For example, have you ever tried to purchase left-handed scissors in a store?
While the retail industry hasn't exactly been kind to lefties, science has found them to be more intelligent and creative than right-handed people.
In 2007 a study of 643 individuals found that the left-handed among them were shown to be quicker and have more intelligent flexibility.
However, it wasn't entirely bad news for right-handers as they were found to have better time estimation skills.
10. Musical
Unless it's the triangle, playing a musical instrument of any kind is a sure sign of intelligence as they are easy to play but hard to master.
A unique study by Psychological Science in 2011. placed a group of school children in two different classes.
In one class they were taught music and in the other, they were taught visual art.
In just 20 days, 90 per cent of the children in the music class were found to have shown an increased level of verbal intelligence.
11. Don't smoke
It's 2018, and smoking isn't cool.
Anyway, people still continue the habit but you may want to stop - it is not making you look, or indeed be, any more intelligent.
Research in 2009 of 18-21-year-old males found that the those that smoked had a lower IQ than those that didn't.
12. Having sex for the first time later
The pressure to have sex as a teenager is way too intense and often needless.
Our advice is to not bow to peer pressure - only have it when you're ready.
It also may be a sign of intelligence.
A study by NCBI in 2000 showed that virgins displayed a higher level of intelligence and were less likely to take part in any sexual activity full stop.
In the adolescents that were quizzed, those at the lower end of the intelligence spectrum were also likely to not have sex prematurely.
In higher education, just over half of the students at the prestigious Princeton, Harvard and MIT Universities had lost their virginity.
13. Dark sense of humour
Do you enjoy laughing at others misfortune or appreciate jokes about death?
Well, not only do you have a jet black sense of humour but you also display a level of intelligence.
Research by Cognitive Processing found that to process bleak jokes you have to show a high level of verbal and non-verbal intelligence as well as having a better education.
Article Source: https://www.indy100.com/article/13-signs-youre-smarter-than-average-smoking-sex-drugs-height-musical-humour-8159616
Image Source: https://image.freepik.com/free-vector/businessman-with-a-great-idea_1012-219.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Blatant (adj.) ~ (of bad behavior) done openly and unashamedly
2. Forge (v.) ~ create (a relationship or new conditions)
3. Cliche (n.) ~ a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought
4. Endorsement (n.) ~ an act of giving one's public approval or support to someone or something
5. Nocturnal (adj.) ~ done, occurring, or active at night
6. Novel (adj.) ~ new or unusual in an interesting way
7. Solace (n.) ~ comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness
8. Rumination (n.) ~ a deep or considered thought about something
9. Prestigious (adj.) ~ inspiring respect and admiration having high status
10. Bleak (adj.) ~ (of a situation or future prospect) not hopeful or encouraging unlikely to have a favorable outcome
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. According to the article, what are the different signs of being smarter than average?
2. How does being smart influence a person's lifestyle and success?
3. Which of the abovementions signs are true for you?
4. Do you consider yourself to be smart? In what way?
