Jordan Peterson ~ The Relation Between Intelligence & Music

Summary

The transcript discusses the relationship between intelligence and personality traits, specifically focusing on openness and creativity. It explains that intelligence is often measured through IQ, while creativity is tied to openness, which allows for greater associative thinking and aesthetic experiences. Open individuals are more likely to find connections between ideas and enjoy artistic endeavors like music, dance, and philosophy. The speaker also explores how openness is linked to emotional responses, such as the sensation of 'pilou erection,' when people experience awe or emotional reactions to art or beauty.

Takeaways

• 😀 Intelligence is closely related to openness, particularly the subscale of intellect, which is often measured through IQ tests.
• 😀 IQ tests are a more reliable measure of intelligence than self-report personality measures.
• 😀 Creativity, as a dimension of openness, is linked to the ability to generate diverse and spontaneous associations in response to new ideas.
• 😀 Open people tend to think more broadly and make more connections when presented with an idea, leading to greater creativity.
• 😀 People with high openness are more likely to have a speaking style characterized by loose associations and a wide range of topics.
• 😀 Intelligence and creativity tend to co-vary, although it's possible to have high intelligence and low creativity.
• 😀 People with an IQ above 120 (roughly the 91st percentile) are much more likely to contribute to creative endeavors, making this a selective threshold.
• 😀 Openness is not just related to creativity but also to aesthetic experiences, such as an enhanced appreciation for art, music, dance, and philosophy.
• 😀 Open individuals are more likely to experience 'frisson' or a physical reaction (like hairs standing up) when exposed to something aesthetically moving.
• 😀 The experience of frisson, or 'piloerection,' is a vestige of an evolutionary reflex meant to make animals appear larger in response to danger, linked to both terror and awe.

Q & A

What is the relationship between intelligence and fun, according to the transcript?

The transcript suggests that intelligence and fun are not directly related. Fun is more associated with extraversion, whereas intelligence is linked to openness. Fun, being an extraverted trait, doesn’t necessarily correlate with a person's intellectual capacity.

How is IQ connected to intelligence in the context of the transcript?

IQ is presented as a better measure of intellect compared to personality measures. IQ tests are viewed as a more objective way to assess intelligence, particularly the aspect of intellect, rather than relying on self-reports or personality assessments.

What does the transcript say about creativity and openness?

Creativity is closely linked to openness, as open individuals are more likely to generate diverse and numerous ideas. The more open someone is, the more likely they are to make loose associations and think of multiple concepts from a single idea.

How does openness affect the way individuals process ideas?

Open individuals tend to have fewer constraints when processing ideas, which means that one idea can lead to many others. They have a broad range of associations and connections, allowing their ideas to spread more freely through their cognitive network.

What neurological explanation does the transcript offer for the relationship between openness and creativity?

The transcript doesn't provide a specific neurological explanation for the link between openness and creativity. However, it mentions that open individuals show less constraint in the propagation of ideas, though the exact neurological mechanisms are unclear.

Is it common for individuals to be highly intelligent but low in openness?

Yes, it is possible to be highly intelligent (with a high IQ) but relatively low in openness or creativity. Although intelligence and openness often co-occur, they are distinct traits, and individuals can possess high intelligence without necessarily being highly creative.

What is the role of IQ in creative contributions, according to the transcript?

The transcript states that individuals who make major creative contributions typically have an IQ above 120. This is roughly the 90th percentile, meaning that creativity and intelligence, while related, often require a relatively high level of intellect to make significant creative impacts.

What is the 'pilou erection' phenomenon, and how is it related to openness?

The 'pilou erection' phenomenon refers to the experience of having the hairs on the back of your neck stand up in response to something aesthetically stimulating, such as music, dance, or art. This is linked to openness, as individuals high in openness are more likely to have these heightened aesthetic experiences.

How does the transcript explain the connection between awe and openness?

The transcript suggests that the sensation of awe—such as the physical reaction of hairs standing up—is connected to openness. This feeling is thought to be a remnant of the 'pilou erection reflex,' which is an emotional response combining elements of fear and wonder, and is more frequently experienced by open individuals.

What is the evolutionary origin of the 'pilou erection' reflex mentioned in the transcript?

The 'pilou erection' reflex likely has an evolutionary origin in animals. For instance, when a cat encounters a threat like a dog, it reacts by puffing up its fur, which serves as a defense mechanism to make the animal appear larger. This reflex is suggested to be a remnant of that response, and the experience of awe in humans might be an echo of this instinctual reaction.