11 Things Highly Intelligent People Notice Immediately When Meeting Someone New
First impressions matter, but did you see these subtle hints in your most recent introduction?
Dean Drobot / Shutterstock There are few things that are as intimidating as meeting someone you know is smarter than you, at least, people-wise. A person who has a high degree of social intelligence just operates differently. They see things most people don’t, even in the smallest gestures they make.
Small gestures, subtle nuances in clothing, they pick up and can perceive a lot from them. Don’t believe it? These are the things highly intelligent people notice when meeting a new person for the first time.
Here are 11 things highly intelligent people notice immediately when meeting someone new
1. Their eye contact
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They say that eyes are the windows to a person’s soul, and smart people are acutely aware of this. Straight eye contact isn’t just a sign of confidence. It can be a sign of being honest, being open, or even being predatory, based on a person’s expression.
Smart people might also use eye contact as a way to “sniff out” one of their own. Psychologists note that intelligent people are more likely to hold steady eye contact than those who aren’t. (This is, of course, excluding people who are neurodivergent, who often struggle with eye contact to begin with.)
2. Their speech patterns
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Most people will notice when a person uses a phrase a lot or when they use the same greeting. Emotionally astute people will notice other patterns that may be indicative of being abused, such as frequent apologies or over-explaining.
People who are socially intelligent will often adjust their behavior because they want others to be comfortable around them. They are also less likely to bring it up, too.
3. Their intelligence
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With intelligence, it often “takes one to know one,” but you can often pick up when someone is trying to front about it pretty easily. Sometimes, intelligent people realize a person’s not bright because they say something dumb, but not always.
Smart people know that bragging about one’s intelligence generally doesn’t mean you’re smart. It often means the opposite.
4. What they don’t say
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The most intelligent people I’ve ever met were just as interested in what people didn’t say as what they did say. For example, intelligent people will notice when one married person stays unusually quiet while others talk about their spouses.
They also might notice when a person doesn’t say they are feeling well or when they gloss over a specific question. It’s part of the nuances that come with intelligent interactions.
Tim Denning, an entrepreneur and coach, regularly points out that genius is often a quiet thing. Genius whispers. Stupid, as they say, is loud.
5. Their reactions to others
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An average (to slightly below average) person of emotional intelligence will notice when a person doesn’t react well to them. They will not, however, notice how a person’s expression changes when others walk into the room.
If you notice when a person flinches, stammers, or gives a long stare when someone walks into a room, chances are you’re more intelligent than others. You might be getting a better gauge of the room than most others.
6. Their body language
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Body language is how we do the majority of our in-person communication, even if speech is still how we most commonly discuss things. Studies show that about 55% of all our communication is just body language, followed by over 30% of it being our voice tone.
A smart person recognizes how much is said without speaking and will act accordingly. People who don’t have the emotional intelligence or social intelligence often won’t notice or won’t care.
7. Their clothing style
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We are often told not to judge others by the clothes they wear, but it often makes a lot of sense to do so. Intelligent people will notice if a person is wearing a clean, pressed suit (often finance or business) or if they’re wearing scrubs for work.
They may also recognize small patterns or trends that make it easier for them to bond with others. For example, they may notice a seashell necklace or a surfer brand earlier than others. Subtle? Yes, and it can open up a lot of doors for the right person.
8. Their accent
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True story: I knew someone who was incredibly attuned to accents, to the point that they would occasionally enjoy surprising others by speaking to them in their home language. They were a linguist, and it was one of their favorite “games” to play.
It takes a little bit of worldly knowledge and practice to be able to pick up on accents as quickly as some intelligent people do. It’s part of what makes them so impressive.
9. Their grammar
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Speaking as a writer who is said to talk in their own “dialect,” I can honestly say it’s true. Most people don’t notice my occasionally odd grammar or the strangeness of my accent when I relax. The ones who do are most often writers who are smarter than I am.
For an intelligent person, using decent grammar is attractive. It shows respect for the language and suggests that you might be very well-read. It’s a good way to appear intelligent and trustworthy.
10. Their apathy and negativity
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It’s no joke: two of the most toxic traits a person can have are apathy and negativity. They bring out the worst in people. Intelligent people will often notice the warning signs of an extremely toxic person almost as soon as they meet them.
The moment that individual makes a cutting remark or turns into a wet blanket is the moment you’ll see intelligent folks running.
11. Their authenticity
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Most people can sniff out fakeness to some degree, but people who have a high level of emotional intelligence are masters at it. If you’re fake or if someone is trying to pull a fast one, they’ll know.
They’ll notice the holes in the stories, the exaggerations, as well as the unusual body language. And trust me, they don’t get fooled easily.
Ossiana Tepfenhart is a writer whose work has been featured in Yahoo, BRIDES, Your Daily Dish, Newtheory Magazine, and others.
