11 Odd Traits Of Highly Intelligent People That Others Find Slightly Unsettling
People who are extremely intelligent can also be fairly quirky.
GaudiLab / Shutterstock Intelligence can be defined in many different ways. Some people are socially and emotionally intelligent, which helps them relate to other people on a more empathic level, while others are skilled at solving complicated equations or translating books from one language to another. Intelligence also informs personality types, and there are some odd traits of highly intelligent people that others find slightly unsettling.
While everyone’s skill sets vary, people who have an especially high IQ often stand out from the crowd in ways that may make an average person feel uncomfortable. These traits aren't necessarily good or bad, better or worse, but they are, well, different.
Here are 11 odd traits of highly intelligent people that others find slightly unsettling
1. They’re comfortable with awkward silence
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Most people do their best to keep conversation flowing, but for highly intelligent people, awkward silences aren’t anything to fear. They take their time mulling over questions, so they can offer an accurate explanation. They don’t rush conversations, they let them unfold naturally.
Even though other people find it unsettling, highly intelligent people don’t see anything wrong with going quiet in the middle of a conversation. Those brief moments of silence let them gather their thoughts, so they can express themselves as clearly as possible.
2. They’re disorganized
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Highly intelligent people thrive even though they’re disorganized, which is something others find unsettling. As much as people talk about the connection between a cluttered desk and a cluttered mind, clutter can’t hold highly intelligent people back. More often than not, they find some source of inspiration amidst the mess.
A study published by the Association for Psychological Science tested the theory that people with organized work spaces are more conventional in their thinking, while “disorderly environments encourage breaking with tradition and convention.” The researchers discovered that “disorder produces creativity,” which leads people to come up with new ideas.
3. They enjoy solitude
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Many people struggle to find joy in solitude, but highly intelligent people welcome any alone time they can get. Spending time on their own gives highly intelligent people an opportunity to dive into their latest projects, without any outside distractions.
Highly intelligent people are very selective about who they become friends with, because they see time as a precious resource. They’d rather be alone than invest in fake friendships. They revel in solitude, rather than waste time on people who aren’t worth the intellectual energy.
4. They’re authentic
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Highly intelligent people are often intensely honest. They’re committed to expressing themselves from a truthful place, even when it’s difficult. They want their relationships to be grounded by authenticity, and they won’t settle for less.
“There's a difference between being honest and being authentic,” explained couples coaches Orna and Matthew Walters. “This means using as little ‘You’ language as possible and as much ‘I’ language as possible.”
“Typical honesty in communication has been an excuse to use primarily sentences that start with ‘You,’” they continued. “When we are authentic, we are sharing about ourselves.”
5. They’re night owls
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Staying up late is one of the odd traits of highly intelligent people that others find slightly unsettling. While most people take time to unwind after the sun sets, highly intelligent people spend their nights diving into the subject matter of their choice.
Because they’re so committed to learning new things, late nights are par for the course for highly intelligent people. According to a study from Imperial College London, night owls have higher cognitive scores on exams than earlier risers do.
“Our study found that adults who are naturally more active in the evening… tended to perform better on cognitive tests than those who are ‘morning people,’” explained Dr. Raha West, the lead author of the study.
6. They talk to themselves
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Of all the odd traits highly intelligent people have that others find slightly unsettling, the way they talk to themselves ranks high on the list. Highly intelligent people are often characterized as mad-scientist types. They mutter under their breath, coming up with solutions to complicated problems only they know. They maintain a steady stream of conversation, but they’re talking to themselves the whole time.
Others might find it unsettling, but for highly intelligent people, having a near-constant monologue helps them parse out their thoughts and work through intellectual puzzles until they find the answer they were looking for.
7. They don’t give into social pressure
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Highly intelligent people don’t feel a need to prove themselves to anyone else, which means they stay strong when facing outside pressure. They don’t care about fitting in, which is an odd trait that others find slightly unsettling.
They don’t have any issues standing up to authority figures. Highly intelligent people share what’s on their minds, even when it makes them stand out from the crowd. While some people prioritize popularity, highly intelligent people place more value on being the truest version of themselves.
8. They’re driven by internal motivation
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Highly intelligent people are motivated by a deep drive to learn new things. They rely on their sense of internal motivation to push them forward. They’re not competitive in the classic sense of the word because they tend to measure their current performance against their past performance and not against other people.
As a study published in Frontiers in Psychology explained, “intrinsic motivation is defined as activities done ‘for their own sake’ or for their inherent interest and enjoyment.”
People who are driven by their internal motivation “are more likely to appreciate the intrinsic value of learning… and evaluate their level of competence and learning based on self-established standards of achievement.”
Highly intelligent people don’t compare their work to anyone else’s, which means their sense of self-worth truly comes from within.
9. They question everything
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Even though others find it unsettling, highly intelligent people aren’t afraid to ask difficult questions. They aren’t afraid to ask questions, at all, even when other people already know the answer. They want to understand everything to the fullest extent they can.
Highly intelligent people don’t accept the status quo. They push their own boundaries of understanding, which often means pushing against the limits of what other people think is acceptable.
10. They daydream a lot
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It seems like an odd and slightly unsettling trait, but highly intelligent people daydream more than other people do. According to a study from the Georgia Institute of Technology, an inability to pay attention isn’t always a sign of low intelligence– Sometimes, it reveals how smart someone is.
“People with efficient brains may have too much brain capacity to stop their minds from wandering,” said psychology professor Eric Schumacher.
“Our findings remind me of the absent-minded professor: someone who’s brilliant, but off in his or her own world, sometimes oblivious to their own surroundings,” he concluded.
11. They have strong memories
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Highly intelligent people often appear more distracted than they really are. On the surface, they might not look like they’re paying attention, but their brains are actually working in overdrive. They’re finding patterns and making connections that other people don’t have the intellectual capacity to make.
Highly intelligent people have very strong memories. They remember small details and seemingly insignificant facts. Even if they haven’t seen someone in a long time, highly intelligent people tend to bring up topics from the last time they talked. Their minds work like steel traps, a trait that others find slightly unsettling.
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a freelance writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
