The study had 129 people given
tests of personality and intelligence.
tests of personality and intelligence.
Curiosity is a sign of being
highly intelligent, research finds.
highly intelligent, research finds.
Being curious is an aspect of
the personality trait called ‘openness to experience’.
the personality trait called ‘openness to experience’.
People who are open to
experience are more interested in things that are complex, new and
unconventional.
experience are more interested in things that are complex, new and
unconventional.
In this study, people who
found novel visual art and poetry more interesting also had a higher IQ.
found novel visual art and poetry more interesting also had a higher IQ.
The study had 129 people given
tests of personality and intelligence.
tests of personality and intelligence.
They were then given various
works of poetry and visual art to look at and asked how interesting they found
them.
works of poetry and visual art to look at and asked how interesting they found
them.
For example, here is a poem by
the American poet W.B. Keckler called
the American poet W.B. Keckler called
“If
William Carlos Williams Had Been Born A Cat”:
William Carlos Williams Had Been Born A Cat”:
I have eaten
the pigeons
that were in
the park
and which
you were probably
hoping
to feed
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so stupid
Here is some ‘visual poetry’
by artist Gustave Morin, made using a typewriter:
by artist Gustave Morin, made using a typewriter:
People who found poems and
pictures like these more interesting were more likely to be highly intelligent.
pictures like these more interesting were more likely to be highly intelligent.
The
study’s authors conclude:
study’s authors conclude:
“…people high in Gf [fluid
intelligence] rated both the poems and the pictures as more interesting. Finding
this relationship across two domains—the verbal domain of poetry and the visual
domain of visual art—suggests that it is robust.”
intelligence] rated both the poems and the pictures as more interesting. Finding
this relationship across two domains—the verbal domain of poetry and the visual
domain of visual art—suggests that it is robust.”
Fluid intelligence refers to
the speed at which the brain works.
the speed at which the brain works.
It is like the raw power of an
engine or the speed at which a computer can process information.
engine or the speed at which a computer can process information.
The study was published in the
journal Learning and Individual Differences (Silvia & Sanders, 2010).
journal Learning and Individual Differences (Silvia & Sanders, 2010).
SOURCE: PSYBLOG
Kayode Emmanuel Ojo is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at SHEFFA Limited. He is presently studying Computer Science at the National Open University, Victoria Island, Lagos.