Jordan Peterson: Why smart & intelligent people are called Nerds & Awkward

Summary

The script explores the relationship between intelligence and social skills, debunking the stereotype that highly intelligent people lack social skills. It highlights the differences between systematizing (often linked to autism) and empathizing tendencies. While a subset of intelligent people may struggle socially, intelligence generally correlates with better social skills. The discussion includes insights on the Big Five personality traits, the nature of cognitive ability, and how general intelligence plays a crucial role in various areas of life, such as education and professional success.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Highly intelligent people often do not lack social skills, contrary to popular belief.
• 🤔 Intelligence is frequently caricatured as systematizing versus empathizing, with examples like 'The Big Bang Theory.'
• 📊 There is a strong positive correlation between general cognitive ability (IQ) and performance across various cognitive activities, including social skills.
• ❌ Emotional intelligence (EQ) is not a valid concept; it's better explained as agreeableness within the Big Five personality traits.
• 📚 The Big Five personality traits are extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness, and they reliably predict behaviors.
• 🏫 Harvard students, especially those in the top third of intelligence, often possess both high intelligence and strong social skills.
• 🏆 General cognitive ability is the most powerful predictor of success in complex tasks, and differences in IQ have significant real-world impacts.
• 🔍 Clinical psychologists and other professionals are often selected for their roles based on general cognitive ability, as demonstrated by tests like the GRE.
• 💡 Intelligent people are generally better at reading others, as social interaction is a complex cognitive activity.
• 📈 Objective, merit-based screening based on intelligence and conscientiousness is key to maximizing talent in society, despite controversies about fairness in selection processes.

Q & A

What is the relationship between intelligence and social skills according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that while there is a stereotype that intelligent people lack social skills, in reality, intelligence is positively correlated with social skills. Highly intelligent individuals often have more social skills compared to less intelligent individuals, especially those who are systematizers.

What is the 'systematizing tendency,' and how does it relate to intelligence and social skills?

The systematizing tendency refers to the inclination to think systematically and prefer things over people. It is often observed in individuals on the autism spectrum. People with this tendency, who are highly intelligent, may lack social skills, but they generally have more social skills than less intelligent systematizers.

How does the speaker view the portrayal of intelligence in popular media, such as 'The Big Bang Theory'?

The speaker acknowledges that shows like 'The Big Bang Theory' caricature intelligent people, often portraying them as systematizers who lack social skills. While this stereotype has some merit, it doesn’t fully capture the complexity of intelligence and social skills.

What does the speaker say about emotional intelligence (EQ) and its relationship with IQ?

The speaker asserts that emotional intelligence, or EQ, does not exist as a distinct concept. Instead, it is seen as a manifestation of agreeableness on the Big Five personality scale. They argue that IQ, or general cognitive ability, is positively correlated with social skills, including the ability to read people.

What are the Big Five personality traits mentioned, and how are they relevant to the discussion?

The Big Five personality traits are extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. The speaker explains that these traits, derived through statistical techniques, are valid predictors of various behaviors and are relevant in discussing personality, social skills, and intelligence.

What is the speaker's opinion on the fairness of admissions to prestigious institutions like Harvard?

The speaker believes that admissions to prestigious institutions like Harvard should prioritize general cognitive ability for fairness. They suggest that admissions processes, while not perfect, could be less corrupt by focusing on objective criteria like intelligence and conscientiousness.

How does the speaker describe the general cognitive ability (GCA) and its impact on problem-solving?

The speaker describes general cognitive ability (GCA) as the ability to solve a wide range of abstract problems. It is a unitary phenomenon, meaning that individuals who are good at solving one type of problem tend to be good at solving others as well. GCA is positively correlated with success in complex cognitive tasks.

What is the speaker's experience with highly intelligent students at Harvard?

The speaker recounts that the highly intelligent students they interacted with at Harvard were not only smart but also socially skilled, humble, and often accomplished in other areas like sports. These students were selected based on their high general cognitive ability and remarkable achievements.

What criticism does the speaker have regarding the concept of diversity in college admissions?

The speaker criticizes the way diversity is handled in admissions, particularly the practice of screening out highly intelligent individuals, such as Asians, based on personality defects. They argue that this undermines the ability of society to take full advantage of human intelligence.

What does the speaker say about the limitations of intelligence in certain fields, such as mathematics?

The speaker admits that no matter how hard they work, they cannot match the abilities of mathematical geniuses. They use this to illustrate the inherent differences in general cognitive ability between individuals, which have real-world consequences in fields that require specific talents.