The Behavior That Makes Someone Seem Kind Of Dumb But Actually Means They’re Highly Intelligent
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock People who always seem to have the right answer at their fingertips might seem smarter than those who think before speaking and answering, but that's not actually the case.
A 2022 study found that people who pause before answering a question are actually highly intelligent. Out of a room of people, could you pick out the most intelligent one? Likely not, because intelligence isn’t necessarily something you can tell from the surface. In fact, we all know it goes deeper.
Because of someone's quirks, you may immediately think that person is kind of dumb or annoying, when this quirk actually means they are highly intelligent.
People who take longer to answer a question might seem kind of dumb, but are actually highly intelligent.
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One thing that smart people do that may be misunderstood is pause before speaking. According to psychologist Mark Travers, Ph.D., they are not doing this because they don’t know what to say, so much as it is “recognition that the first answer is not always the best.”
This can be misconstrued often. A long pause during a work meeting, when everyone is listening, and especially when in a time crunch, can make the other people in the room think you are a bit too slow to respond, raising suspicion.
According to the American Psychological Association, “When people pause before replying to a question, even for just a few seconds, their answers are perceived to be less sincere and credible than if they had replied immediately.” Research found that these pauses made the person sound insincere to the participants. That is one reason people look down on that one quirk and misunderstand the intentions behind someone who is slow to respond.
Pausing before speaking can be a powerful tool in public speaking.
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Yet the 2022 study overwhelmingly found that a pause before speaking can be powerful. As Travers noted, "higher intelligence predicts a greater tendency to pause, override intuition, and engage in deliberate reasoning, especially when problems are complex or counterintuitive. Intelligent individuals are often slower precisely because they are monitoring their own thinking."
Pausing when speaking can also allow the speaker to control the room. This works best for public speaking engagements and differs from a normal one-on-one conversation. The pause, in this context, must be brief, or it will initiate negative responses in the audience. In general, there is a balance to pausing. Pause too long, and you are mistrusted; pause for just long enough, and you are respected.
Even though people may think you are not a great communicator, science says you are intelligent.
There are many reasons why pauses are beneficial in communication, even if a first impression might indicate otherwise; pausing before speaking "promotes active listening, helps regulate emotions, and builds confidence and clarity." Additionally, “when you pause before responding, you’re allowing your brain to process what was said instead of reacting automatically.”
People may think you are not a great communicator when you pause before your reply, but in psychological terms, you are processing and practicing thoughtful communication.
As Travers explained it, "Higher intelligence is related to stronger error-monitoring abilities. Such people are more vigilant about potential errors, so they tend to pace themselves when accuracy is more important. However, the drawback is that this measured approach would not always be suited to environments where speed is rewarded. But from a cognitive standpoint, being able to inhibit premature responses is a strength. It is a reflection of a mind that values accuracy and meaning more than speed."
Laura Lomas is a writer with a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing who focuses on news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
