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High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

scientificamerican.com

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Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#181

Post by rory »

DaveExeter wrote: post #169
rory wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can relate to this. I put my SAT score on my resume until I was 23 or 24. Kind of embarrassing, but I was desperate for a way to show I was smart.

What's embarrassing about that? If I were hiring, I would like to know every applicant's SAT score.

I'm not exactly sure, I've just been told so by others. My guess is that since you take it as a teenager, it's considered strange to include it as an adult. But I haven't taken any standardized quasi-intelligence tests as an adult, so it still seems like a useful signal.

People could also just lie though. I can't imagine actually confirming an applicant's SAT score.

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#182

Post by smeej »

toolz wrote: post #72
rory wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very-low-intelligence people also have high rates of psychological disorder as well though. Perhaps brains that are atypical in their intelligence also tend to be atypical in other ways.

my ignorant hypothesis is that being too far from average decreases your chances of having a healthy social life and being highly social would be the underlying factor in predicting health both physically and mentally.

Agreed. If you live in a world that is designed mostly for and by people who are unlike you in some significant way, it's hard not to feel like an outsider.

And if feeling like an outsider is classified as a type of poor mental health or anxiety, well...

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#183

Post by robocat »

seph-reed wrote: post #98
11thEarlOfMar wrote: post #26

Long, long ago, I came to the conclusion that intelligence was inversely related to sanity. Not a scientific observation, just that people who I knew who were very smart also tended to have difficulties in more ways than the people I knew who had typical intelligence. Typical issues were depression, insecurity, difficulty relating or communicating with others, ... Certainly you can find people with these issues in al…

I spent years thinking this was hell and people were actively trying to fuck with me because I could not understand peoples ability to be ignorant... it literally was not possible in mind to be so oblivious. I've since realized that "herd mentality" is a totally functional survival mechanism, and as long as you don't think logically the other parts of the brain have no problem accepting that culture isn't just some m…

It is also very intelligent to understand that “logical” thinking is not an optimal solution for many needs.

Seriously: watch for smart “illogical” people and be prepared to have your mind blown by just how smart some people are at something you are likely subpar at (your comment fits a stereotype of mine).

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#184

Post by astrange »

jpxw wrote: post #36

My pet (and layman) theory is that people with exceptionally high IQs might have a higher rate of genetic mutation compared to the general population. In my experience people with exceptionally high IQs often look unusual. If that relationship is true, it might also explain a higher rate of mental and physical disorders, many of which can result from genetic mutations.

If they're so smart, they should be able to figure out how to use makeup/better clothes/plastic surgery and get a better haircut.

(Reverse causation: you don't notice that other people are smart, because they're well-dressed.)

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#185

Post by smeej »

amelius wrote: post #39
11thEarlOfMar wrote: post #26

Long, long ago, I came to the conclusion that intelligence was inversely related to sanity. Not a scientific observation, just that people who I knew who were very smart also tended to have difficulties in more ways than the people I knew who had typical intelligence. Typical issues were depression, insecurity, difficulty relating or communicating with others, ... Certainly you can find people with these issues in al…

Too much thinking is unhealthy. The brain's main purpose is to be idle as much as possible. Perhaps your intelligent friends would do better if they meditated regularly.

It really seems to matter how you define "purpose."

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#186

Post by myth2018 »

pizza234 wrote: post #47
rory wrote: post #5

> It’s also possible that people who join Mensa differ from other people in ways other than just IQ. For example, people preoccupied with intellectual pursuits may spend less time than the average person on physical exercise and social interaction, both of which have been shown to have broad benefits for psychological and physical health. Is Mensa really an "intellectual pursuit"? I'm not sure exactly what Mensa does…

Update: I'm reading people with (more) negative experiences. I guess YMMV :) Still, I wouldn't draw absolute conclusions based on this. I was a Mensa associate, and participated to evening meetings in two countries (evening meetings are only part of the activities). You're assuming, with "people insecure enough to join an IQ-restricted club", that associates sit on a high horse due to their IQ. It was quite the oppos…

Glad to know.

I've indeed heard about many good experiences. In my country they weren't particularly active (maybe still aren't, it's been a long time I don't follow their news any more).

My experience wasn't good. I think it was the most heterogeneous group I've ever met. That's not bad by itself, but it was detrimental under the circumstances.

Besides, almost 100% of them were at least 20 years older than me, so our interests didn't match. I think that that might have played a role on my discomfort -- I had the high IQ but didn't had the repertoire and experience to hold constructive conversations with them. And being extremely socially awkward didn't help me either.

However, between them, there were many disputes over silly subjects, pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, a constant, extensive and aggressive use of irony, and other "unanticipated" stuff.

I only paid the first annuity and didn't want to participate any more.

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#187

Post by astrange »

chrisco255 wrote: post #126
asidiali wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not just about you. It’s about protecting those around you in your community more susceptible and vulnerable to the virus.

The RNA therapy doesn't stop you from being contagious. And yes, it IS about me, because it's something being injected into my body. We are all going to get Covid at some point, if you haven't noticed. I can't put that genie back in the bottle. If your risk profile deems that the vaccine is worth it for YOU, then YOU do it. Don't pressure other people to. Their health choices is none of your business.

Getting a virus is also "something being injected into your body" and it's much more dangerous than mRNA, which has no reported risks and is 100% guaranteed to be not self reproducing.

Actually, we know that getting vaccines (esp. flu shot) somehow improves your health even beyond not getting what they vaccinate for. Getting the covid vaccine appears to cure long-term effects of covid infection in patients.

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#188

Post by annoyingnoob »

Perenti wrote: post #133

My opinion is that ultimately IQ is only a measure of performance on IQ tests. There is a positive correlation between IQ and performance in some tasks, but calling someone with a high IQ "smart" or "more intelligent" is a far reach in my experience, which is having an IQ over 179 (I did the test stoned and hungover in order to not score too highly) and being an idiot.

Having a high IQ does not mean that you always make the best choices or make the best decisions. Maybe just that you can arrive at your choice/decision more quickly than others might.

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#189

Post by FabHK »

slg wrote: post #121
rory wrote: post #5

> It’s also possible that people who join Mensa differ from other people in ways other than just IQ. For example, people preoccupied with intellectual pursuits may spend less time than the average person on physical exercise and social interaction, both of which have been shown to have broad benefits for psychological and physical health. Is Mensa really an "intellectual pursuit"? I'm not sure exactly what Mensa does…

People curious about Mensa should check out Jamie Loftus's podcast My Year In Mensa[1]. She is a writer/journalist/comedian who wanted to investigate the organization. She passed the test, joined Mensa, and was immediately ostracized once she began reporting on her experience. I'll just charitably summarize it to say that there are a variety of reasons why people join Mensa and many join for reasons outside what we m…

Keep in mind that there is huge variety among the national Mensa groups, and presumably also within a country. I haven't gotten around to listening to that podcast, but from what I gather it is not representative of Mensa, either.

Re: High IQs are associated with mental and physical disorders

#190

Post by robocat »

HPsquared wrote: post #148
seph-reed wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I spent years thinking this was hell and people were actively trying to fuck with me because I could not understand peoples ability to be ignorant... it literally was not possible in mind to be so oblivious. I've since realized that "herd mentality" is a totally functional survival mechanism, and as long as you don't think logically the other parts of the brain have no problem accepting that culture isn't just some m…

People mostly get by on heuristics.

Very smart people use “heuristics”. They will do something, tell you it was obvious, not be able to rationally explain why they are right, and turn out to be 100% correct. It is a pattern I have seen in some very smart people I know that appear illogical on their surface.
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