The Specific Character Traits That Show Someone Has An Above-Average IQ

Having a high IQ apparently isn’t the only thing that marks out smart people from everyone else. You see, experts believe there are 20 more personality traits that prove you could very well be an intellectual. And as some of these quirks and habits come completely out of leftfield, you may be surprised to learn that you, too, could be much cleverer than you actually think.

10. They read a lot

Let’s kick off with something obvious: some of the smartest folk around love to get lost in a good book. Of course, this depends on the contents of said tome, as an in-depth text on quantum physics is likely a greater indication of the reader’s intelligence than a copy of Where’s Waldo? But, hey, everyone’s got to start somewhere.

Boosts brain power

And there’s evidence to suggest that reading itself can help to boost your brainpower. According to data from the U.K.’s Twins Early Development Study, sets of twins who read displayed higher intelligence than those who didn’t. One of the researchers involved in the experiment, Stuart Ritchie, told Medical News Today as much in 2014, and he also considered it “surprising” that the study showed “effects on non-verbal intelligence.”

9. They’re curious

Strangely enough, Curious George may have been something of a rogue scholar. Yes, apparently, displaying an insatiable curiosity is an indication that you’re one of the smartest among us. That’s what U.K. researchers concluded in a report published in the Journal of Individual Differences in 2016.

A passion for learning

Among the children this study followed, the ones deemed to be most intelligent at age 11 showed greater curiosity in later life. As a result, it’s thought that there’s a direct correlation between inquisitiveness and smarts. Essentially, if you have a passion for learning, you’ll find out more about the world simply because you want to.