What do you look for in a partner? We’re all attracted by different things, but there’s something that you ought to be searching for over everything else – smarts. Intelligence is now the quality that most people look for in a prospective partner. Gone are the days when jocks ruled the school; it’s time for the geeks to take over. While it’s great that so many people are looking for a smarty-pants in their life, why has the change come about? What makes being clever so attractive all of a sudden?
Scientifically proven
Research has actually been carried out into this phenomenon. A group of psychologists in Australia has discovered that the higher your IQ score rises, the more someone will find you attractive. It’s suggested that one reason for this is because a higher IQ is linked to greater prosperity. Smarter people have better chances of finding a job, especially ones which pay well. They’re more likely to be involved in professions that offer continued success, meaning they can provide as a partner.
Moreover, research from Mexico has found that men who are more intelligent are likely to be more virile. A study on 400 men found that those with a higher IQ not only had a larger count of sperm, but that they were also incredibly healthy. In contrast, those with lower intelligence were less capable of impregnating women, because their counts were low and unhealthy.
Both of these qualities are important for people to seek out if they plan on having children in the future.
A good laugh
Do you like to laugh? Most of us find humor to be great for perking us up, and it’s something a lot of people admire in a partner. The thing is, if someone’s funny, then it’s likely that they’re actually pretty intelligent. Multiple studies have been carried out that show men and women who work as comedians, or who simply know how to be funny, are smarter than the average person.
While there’s not a direct correlation between humor and intelligence, someone who can make you laugh is probably a bit of a smarty-pants. It’s all about how they use their brain to understand the environment and string together words that have a positive effect on an audience. Most comedy uses language, and if a person can tell good jokes, they can probably hold up a conversation too.
The downside
While more people are seeking out intelligence in their partners, there is actually such a thing as being too smart. Rather than attraction growing consistently with IQ, there’s a point where interest in smarts starts to go down. If someone’s IQ is exceptionally high, they’re less likely to be viewed as a prospective partner compared to someone who’s clever, but not a genius. No-one wants to feel like they’re the dumb one in the relationship.
Differences
Certain factors affect how we interpret intelligence in another person. For instance, the strength of your relationship with someone can impact how high an IQ you look for in them. If you’re just dating, you’re less likely to be bothered about their IQ than if you were going to marry them. It stands to reason that the longer you plan on being with someone, the smarter you want them to be. You can overlook their intelligence in the early days, but after a while, you won’t be able to ignore their IQ (or lack of it).
Some gender differences have also been identified in research studies. Men looking for a marital partner are actually more interested in a woman having higher IQ than vice versa. The difference isn’t much, and both sides still want someone relatively smart, but the minimum IQ men look for is still higher than with women.
Who knew being smart could pay off so well. If you got good grades in school, it looks like you might be getting more than just a job out of your education.
