American Psychologist: Smart People Are Not What We Imagine… Slower and More Distracted but They Think Deeply

The American psychologist Mark Travers explained that smart individuals often mentally re-enact conversations and anticipate multiple future scenarios, which gives them a high ability to plan and assess risks.
Travers points out that this ability requires a strong working memory, explaining why smart people sometimes seem overwhelmed by their thoughts even when alone, as they meticulously process every possibility before making any decision.

Acceptance of Contradictory Views

Smart individuals have a greater capacity to accept the existence of contradictory opinions without rushing to conclusions, reflecting high cognitive flexibility.
Recent studies have shown that people with high intelligence do not feel threatened by ambiguity; instead, they can carefully evaluate competing evidence before making a decision, which can sometimes be misunderstood as evasiveness or hesitation.

Slow and Deliberate Thinking

Contrary to the common belief that quick responses indicate intelligence, research shows that intelligent individuals sometimes delay their responses to ensure accuracy and cognitive control, which is known in cognitive science as the slow analytical thinking system.
Studies from 2022 and 2023 have shown that high intelligence is associated with a greater tendency to pause, surpass intuition, and engage in deliberate thinking, especially when facing complex or non-intuitive problems, and these individuals are more alert to spotting potential mistakes.

Smart people are not necessarily quick-witted and clear in their opinions as the stereotype suggests. On the contrary, their slowness and distraction sometimes reflect cognitive strength and the ability to think deeply and control decisions, making them more prepared to face complexity and ambiguity in daily life.