psychology
4 signs a person is intelligent – without saying a word
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Whether someone responds with something smart or offers a clever idea tells us a lot about that person’s intelligence. But some subtle cues can also communicate nonverbally how smart someone is.
There are countless behaviors, statements or reactions that can tell us whether someone is smart or not. We often bring Intelligence in connection with the verbal, i.e. with what someone says. And of course: A quick-witted answer in a conversation or a smart solution to a problem can indicate that someone is clever.
But there are also some non-verbal cues that we can observe if we look a little closer. They can show us how smart someone is. Without that person saying anything – and even then. These four subtle signs can tell you how intelligent the person you’re talking to is.
This is how you can tell a person’s intelligence without them saying anything
1. Attentive listening
In conversation, we can only tell how smart someone is by observing them. The person doesn’t have to say anything. But if she listens to us carefully and gives us the non-verbal feeling that she understands what we are saying and is interested in it, that is a clear signal of her emotional and social intelligence. On the other hand, anyone who clearly signals that what the other person is saying is absolutely uninteresting is showing little cleverness – and certainly no politeness.
2. Stay calm
There are people who, in difficult situations, tend to loudly try to make themselves heard at all costs and thus get their way. Intelligent people, on the other hand, know that this strategy usually does not lead them to success in the long term and that they are just wasting energy. Not to mention the fact that they make life so unnecessarily difficult for the other person. Anyone who manages to remain calm, calm and, above all, friendly even in stressful situations shows true greatness – and usually also intelligence.
3. Great curiosity
Smart people know that we will never know everything. We can learn something new and accumulate knowledge every day throughout our lives – and that’s exactly what intelligent people want. They love reading, learning and dealing intensively with things they don’t (yet) understand. And we can see that without these people saying a word. If you read a lot or otherwise find out about things that interest you, this usually speaks for your intelligence.
4. Only talk when she has something to say
In principle, it can even be a sign of intelligence if a person says nothing at all. Because smart people rarely have the urge to talk just for the sake of talking. Less smart people tend to do this because they may want to use it to hide their insecurities. An intelligent person, on the other hand, usually only contributes something to the conversation when he or she really has something to say.