7 Signs You Might Be Less Intelligent Than You Think

Hey Psych2Goers. Today we're exploring a topic we've honestly been thinking about for a while, but didn't want to rush because it's sensitive. And if done wrong, it can hurt more than help. Recently, one of our artists brought up something interesting after watching a video by Psicologia na Prática by Alana Anijar about something called cognitive rigidity. And it got us thinking as a team. What if we talked about intelligence? Not just the high end, but also the parts we don't always notice. So, today we're going to explore eight signs you might have low intelligence. But more importantly, what you can do about it. And just to say this up front, if you clicked this video, that already says something about you. You're curious. You're open to learning. And in psychology, that's called openness, one of the traits in the big five personality model, which is often linked to higher intelligence. So, yeah. Ironic, right? Okay, so before we begin, what do we even mean by low intelligence? Because intelligence isn't just one thing. It's not just IQ. It's not just being good at school, and it's definitely not the same as wisdom or emotional intelligence. You can struggle with abstract thinking, but still be incredibly skilled, talented, or insightful in other areas. Think about characters like Inosuke from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. He's impulsive, doesn't always think things through, but in combat, he's insanely skilled. So, this video isn't about labeling people. It's about noticing patterns because humans are diverse. That's why things like the bell curve exist. Some people score higher, some lower, most fall in the middle. And if we only ever talk about high intelligence, we ignore the full picture. Also, this isn't about calling anyone dumb. It's about self-awareness. Sometimes we overestimate our abilities. There's even a bias for this called the Dunning-Kruger effect, where people with lower ability may struggle to recognize their own gaps. But, here's the good news. Once you can see it, you can grow. So, with that in mind, here are eight signs you might have low intelligence, or more specifically, patterns linked to cognitive rigidity, something we saw discussed in that video earlier. One, you think you're almost always right. If you rarely question your own opinions, that's a closed loop. It's not confidence. Intelligent thinking isn't about being right, it's about being willing to be wrong. Two, you struggle to see other perspectives. When someone disagrees with you, do you try to understand them or immediately dismiss them? Cognitive rigidity means your mind gets stuck in one way of thinking, just like the video described, a single way of interpreting reality. Three, you see things in black and white. Everything is right or wrong, good or bad, success or failure. But, reality is messy. Nuanced thinking is a strong sign of intelligence. Four, you resist new information. When presented with new facts, do you update your beliefs or double down? Low cognitive flexibility makes learning harder because learning requires change. Five, you blame others for everything. If things go wrong, is it always someone else's fault? While context matters, refusing to self-reflect limits growth. Six, you avoid complex problems. Do you prefer quick, simple answers even for complicated issues? Deep thinking takes effort. Avoiding it can keep you stuck. Seven, you react emotionally before thinking. Everyone gets emotional, but consistently reacting before processing can interfere with reasoning. Eight, you don't realize what you don't know. This one's big because we don't know what we don't know. And without awareness of gaps, there's no motivation to learn. So, what can you do? Here's the part that really matters because none of this is fixed. Your brain isn't a label, it's adaptable. First, stay curious, even when it's uncomfortable. Ask yourself, "Could I be wrong here? Even 10%?" Second, practice perspective shifting. Try this. If someone from a different culture or generation or life experience saw this situation, how might they interpret it? Third, use tools to challenge your thinking. This one might be a little controversial, but this is where things like AI can actually help. It's not perfect, but it can reflect your thoughts back and challenge assumptions you didn't even notice. Fourth, expose yourself to different ideas. Read, watch, listen, even things that you don't agree with. And fifth, get comfortable saying, "I don't know." That sentence might be one of the smartest things you can say. Listen, at the end of the day, intelligence isn't about where you start, it's whether you're willing to grow. A rigid mind tries to force the world to fit itself, but a flexible mind learns how to adapt with the world. And that's often where real growth begins. So, did any of this resonate with you or maybe someone you know? It resonated with me. Let us know in the comments. And if you'd like us to explore more topics like this, especially around thinking patterns, bias, and self-awareness, we'd love to hear from you. Also, we made a video about weird habits that might suggest you have high intelligence. If you have time, you should watch it. It's on the end card and link in the video. It would be awesome to see if you also notice traits of being high intelligence. That's the criticism actually about IQ tests. It's so fixed, dictated by a score that's just based on what you score. You get a point and then that point becomes your identity. Wouldn't the world be more beautiful if intelligence stopped being a number and more so about how kind you are or how much wisdom you have, your ability to overcome difficult times, your ability to be kind when things are tough. You know what I mean? It's a good thing now that schools don't look at IQ anymore. And also for those of us who are challenged with development disabilities, you've got this. You are already where you need to be. You will excel in your ways. I've got some mysterious issues when it comes to self-regulation and number seven is a huge one for me. But the same thing that makes it hard is the same thing that makes a lot of things beautiful. Anyways, thanks for being here. Until next time, take care.