Can being too intelligent come in the way of finding love?
| Aug 27, 2018, 17:22 IST
A new study has found that being too intelligent might hinder your chances of finding love. Researchers from the University of Western Australia (UWA) surveyed 383 young adults and asked them a series of questions related to the qualities people look for in a partner. The characteristics assigned were intelligence, easygoingness, kindness, and physical attractiveness. They were then asked how attracted they would be to a partner who was more intelligent than 1%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90%, and then 99% of the population.
“Previously published research suggests that elevated levels of intelligence may incite feelings of insecurity in some people, which may reduce desirability,” said Gilles Gignac, from UWA. “Correspondingly, exceptional easygoingness may be viewed as an indication of a lack of confidence or ambition,” said Gignac. “So, on average, there doesn’t appear to be any gain to being exceptionally kind or exceptionally physically attractive in the context of attracting a romantic partner,” Gignac said.
“This result is surprising, considering there is assortative mating for intelligence that indicates a correlation between people in a romantic relationship having similar intelligence levels,” Gignac said.
“Previously published research suggests that elevated levels of intelligence may incite feelings of insecurity in some people, which may reduce desirability,” said Gilles Gignac, from UWA. “Correspondingly, exceptional easygoingness may be viewed as an indication of a lack of confidence or ambition,” said Gignac. “So, on average, there doesn’t appear to be any gain to being exceptionally kind or exceptionally physically attractive in the context of attracting a romantic partner,” Gignac said.
“This result is surprising, considering there is assortative mating for intelligence that indicates a correlation between people in a romantic relationship having similar intelligence levels,” Gignac said.