Over on Quora, more than 100 people have answered the question "What are the common traits of highly intelligent people'"Some users claim toknow from personal experience (so humble); others are just taking an educated guess.As it turns out, many usersgave answers that researcherswould agree with.We pulled elevenof the most intriguing Quora responses and explained the science behind them. Here's what we learned.1. They're highly adaptableSeveral Quora users noted that intelligent people are flexible and able to thrive in different settings. As Donna F Hammett writes, intelligent people adapt by "showing what can be done regardless of the complications or restrictions placed upon them."Recent psychological research supports this idea. Intelligence depends on being able to change your own behaviors in order to cope more effectively with your environment, or make changes to the environment you're in.2. They understand how much they don't knowThe smartest folks are able to admit when they aren't familiar with a particular concept. As Jim Winerwrites, intelligent people "are not afraid to say: 'I don't know.' If they don't know it, they can learn it."Winer's observation isbacked up by a classic study by Justin Kruger and David Dunning, which found that the less intelligent you are, the more you overestimate your cognitive abilities.In one experiment, for example, students who'd scored in the lowest quartile on a test adapted from the LSAT overestimated the number of questions they'd gotten right by nearly 50%. Meanwhile, those who'd scored in the top quartile slightly underestimated how many questions they'd gotten right.3.They have insatiable curiosityAlbert Einsteinreportedly said, "I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious."Or, asKeyzurbur Alas puts it, "intelligent people let themselves become fascinated by things others take for granted."Research published in 2016 suggests that there's a link between childhood intelligence and openness to experiencewhich encompasses intellectual curiosityin adulthood.Scientists followed thousands of people born in the UK for 50 years and learned that11-year-oldswho'd scored higher on an IQ test turned out to be more open to experienceat 50.4. They're open-mindedSmart people don't close themselves off to new ideas or opportunities. Hammett writes that intelligent people are "willing to accept and consider other views with value and broad-mindedness," and that they are "open to alternative solutions."Psychologists saythat open-minded peoplethose who seek out alternate viewpoints and weigh the evidence fairlytend to score higher on the SAT and on intelligence tests.At the same time,smart people are careful about which ideas and perspectives they adopt."An intelligent mind has a strong aversion to accepting things on face value and therefore withholds belief until presented with ample evidence," saysAlas.5. They like their own companyDipankar Trehan pointsout that highly intelligent people tend to be "very individualistic."Interestingly, recentresearch suggests that smarter people tend to derive less satisfaction than most people do from socializing with friends.6. They have highself-controlZoher Ali writesthat smartpeople are able to overcome impulsiveness by "planning, clarifying goals, exploring alternative strategies and considering consequences before [they]begin."Scientists have found a link between self-control and intelligence. In one 2009 study, participants had to choose between two financial rewards: a smaller payout immediately or a larger payout at a later date.Results showed that participants who chose the larger payout at a later datei.e., those who had more self-controlgenerally scored higher on intelligence tests.The researchers behind that study say that one area of the brainthe anterior prefrontal cortexmightplay a role in helping people solve tough problems and demonstrate self-control while working toward goals.7. They're really funnyAdvita Bihani points out that highly intelligent people tend to have a great sense of humor.Scientists agree. One study found thatpeople who wrote funnier cartoon captions scored higher on measures of verbal intelligence. Another study found that professional comedians scored higher than average on measures of verbal intelligence.8. They're sensitive to other people's experiencesSmart people can "almost feel what someone is thinking/feeling," says one Quora user.Some psychologists argue that empathy, being attuned to the needs and feelings of others and acting in a way that is sensitive to those needs, is a core component of emotional intelligence. Emotionally-intelligent individuals are typically very interested in talking to new people and learning more about them.9. They can connect seemingly unrelated conceptsSeveral Quora users suggested that smart people are able to see patterns where others can't. That's because they can draw parallels between seemingly disparate ideas.As April Astorianotes: "You think there's no relation between sashimi and watermelon' You'd be wrong. Both are typically eaten raw and cold."Interestingly, journalist Charles Duhigg argues that makingthese kinds of connections is a hallmark of creativity (which, depending on who you ask, can be closely linked to intelligence). Duhigg studied the process through which Disney developed their hit movie "Frozen" and concluded that the movieonly seems clever and original because it "takes old ideas and pushes them together in new ways."10. They procrastinate a lotMahesh Garkoti says smart people are likely to procrastinate on quotidian tasks, mainly because they're working on things that are more important.That's an interesting propositionbut some scientists would say that smart people procrastinateeven on work they find meaningful.Wharton psychologist Adam Grant suggests that procrastination is key to innovation, and that Steve Jobs used it strategically.AsGrant told Business Insider's Rachel Gillett, "The time Steve Jobs was putting things off and noodling on possibilities was time well spent in letting more divergent ideas come to the table, as opposed to diving right in with the most conventional, the most obvious, the most familiar."11. Theycontemplate the big questionsAccording to Ram Kumar, intelligent individuals "wonder a lot about [the] universe and meaning of life." What's more, Kumar writes, "they always [ask] what's the point of everything'"That existential confusion may beone reason why smart people are more likely to be anxious. As David Wilsonreportedin Slate, intelligent people may be better equippedto consider situations from a range of angles, meaning they'realways aware of the possibility that things will go awry. Perhaps their anxiety also stems from the fact that they considera given experienceand wonder: Why bother going through it in the first place'SEE ALSO:13 science-backed signs that you're smarter than averageJoin the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: 5 science-backed signs you might be smarter than average
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