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Reading a lot -

We're starting out obvious, but many smart people love to get lost in a good book. Plus, reading itself has been proven to increase intelligence.

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Modesty -

The Dunning-Kruger effect began with the discovery that the most competent students under-estimated their competence because they found the tasks easy, while less competent students overestimated their competence greatly.

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The mouth of a sailor - There’s a common misconception that people who swear a lot have a limited vocabulary. Studies have shown, however, that swearing may in fact display a more intelligent use of language as an added feature that an articulate speaker can use to maximize communication effectiveness.

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Empathetic -

For a long time, experts considered IQ and emotional intelligence as separate, and it became a stereotype that smart people were lacking in social skills. But more recent studies have shown that people with high IQs also demonstrate high EQs, specifically regarding empathy.

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Empathetic -

Highly intelligent people are good at being attuned to the needs and feelings of others and acting in a way that is sensitive to those needs. They're typically very interested in learning more about people.

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Self-control - Studies show that people with higher IQs can curb impulses better, usually with a better sense of planning, goals, and forethought.

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Self-control -

An experiment published in Psychological Science offered test groups two options: one with smaller but immediate results, or a greater prize further down the line. The participants with the higher IQ scores opted to wait, displaying greater restraint.

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Curiousness -

Displaying an insatiable curiosity has been linked with a high IQ, which makes sense because it aligns with a passion for learning.

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Comfortable alone - Introverts rejoice! A 2016 study published in the British Journal of Psychology suggests that smarter people tend to derive less satisfaction than most people do from socializing. They relish their solitude.

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Thinking outside the box -

Many famously intelligent people have been considered weird or arrogant because they have a tendency to break or bend rules, thought patterns, and traditions. But that's how they find the best solutions!

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Messy -

A cluttered desk used to be a sign of a cluttered mind, but more recent studies are suggesting the opposite is true.

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Messy -

In a 2012 research project, the Netherlands’ University of Groningen found that people thrive intellectually in a cluttered environment, and the disorganization forces the brain to focus more.

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Observant -

According to psychologists, it’s about how the brain processes information, and highly intelligent people spend more time concerned with what they're observing than what they're presenting.

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Creativity -

It’s easy to think of intelligence and creativity as separate because they're controlled by opposite sides of the brain. But, in fact, people with high IQs use both qualities together to achieve their goals.

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Creativity -

Even Albert Einstein said imagination is more important than knowledge, "For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution."

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Night owl -

The late nights and later mornings lifestyle is often seen as the antithesis to success, but some psychologists suggest that the more intelligent among us can bend our biological clocks so that they are more able to reach personal targets.

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Aware of limits -

You might assume that smarter people are less likely to say “I don’t know,” but the opposite is true. Many sources say intellectuals are actually best at acknowledging their limits.

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Aware of limits -

And they aren't afraid to admit them! This ties into curiosity, because admitting you don’t know something becomes easier when you genuinely want to learn.

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Open-minded - With regards to opinions, those with higher IQs are said to be more receptive to new ideas. That is partly due to the fact that they will not accept things on face value, and prefer to look at evidence from all sides first.

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Open-minded -

Only after presented with a diverse selection of opinions do highly intelligent people make up their own minds. This process is called delay discounting.

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Trust in their judgment -

After that opinion is made, however, intelligent people are not likely to be swayed. They have already made a considered and calculated choice, and they stick with it.

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Cat people -

While dog people are more likely to be active and social, some psychologists suggest that cat people tend to have higher IQs along with being more introverted and sensitive.

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Really funny -

In 2011, researchers from the University of New Mexico found that comedic writers had high verbal intelligence scores, and a follow-up study found the same in stand-up comedians.

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Dark humor - Interestingly, a 2017 study  found that people who score higher on tests of verbal and nonverbal intelligence are most likely to enjoy and understand dark humor.

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Talking to yourself -

Contrary to the idea that it’s a sign of madness, talking to one’s self is actually said to be a sign of a high IQ and a useful thought technique for boosting memory.

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Generosity -

Some psychologists suggest that people with higher IQs are more giving because they generally have greater resources, they can expect to recover what they have given later on, and they tend to be more concerned with the public good and joint benefits.

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Anxiety -

Unfortunately, high levels of anxiety have been linked with high IQ levels, specifically with worries about social situations. But this isn't fact, just a possible connection.

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First-born -

Just a theory, but surely cause for yet more sibling rivalry, is Norway’s National Institute of Occupational Health’s study that suggests eldest children are usually the smarter ones. Not because of their genes, but because of how they are raised.

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Adaptability -

Recent psychological research suggests intelligence depends on being able to change your own behaviors in order to cope more effectively with your environment.

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