The Nature of Being Smart

Do you think you’re smart? Today, we’ll find out the nature behind being smart. But before discovering the nature and nurture of being smart, we should first define what it means to be smart.

There are a lot of subjective answers to “What does it mean to be smart?” But let’s give an objective answer. According to psychology, the biggest sign of a smart person is curiosity. A curious person that never stops learning, and has the desire to grow continuously. A smart person is a person who is open-minded and able to take in new perspectives. A smart person is a person who can adapt to new situations and remain composed when plans change.

What kind of factors contribute to being smart? Although genetics play a big role in intelligence, the environment of a person can also influence their intelligence. There is no single intelligence gene because intelligence consists of multiple factors but there are two big facts that prove the presence of genetics in influencing intelligence. One, studies show that IQ scores between identical twins are correlated. Two, siblings from the same environment have a similar IQ compared to adopted siblings from the same environment.

Speaking of the environment, essentially everything in the environment can affect, everything from how parents treat you, and your education, to your friends.

Surprisingly, there are ways that you can get smarter right this moment. Everyone will tell you that reading books helps make you smarter, and they’re right. The act of reading activates multiple areas of your brain and improves connectivity in your brain. Not only that, the amount of knowledge contained in a book will be far greater than any other source of information. Moreover, studies have shown that exercise improves intelligence because it improves awareness, information processing speed, working memory capacity, and the ability to multitask.

All in all, although there are many debates to what being smart means, genetics and environment contribute to your personality and consequently your intelligence.