How can you tell a person is smart?

Question

If you meet a person (for a while or for a first time), how can you tell if that person is intelligent?

Answer 1

A person who is intelligent is observant and takes in information with all their senses. They have good judgement from logical thinking. There is also emotional intelligence. An emotionally intelligent person is turned into others and cares and has empathy when they sense troubles and joy for others when they are happy.

Answer 2

I find this question amusing!

How can you tell if someone is ignorant? Converse with the person and you will soon see.

How can you tell if someone is an athiest or a christian? How about a real blond, brunette or red head as opposed to a fake out of the bottle type?
It's not like people go around wearing t-shirts that say, Warning convicted pedophile or Hi, I'm a dummy! But man, wouldn't it be great if they did, sure would save a lot of time for the rest of us!

The only way to find out any of these things is by getting to know the person. Listen to the way they speak, their mannerisms and knowledge of a chosen subject. However, some people are not always as they portray themselves to be. Someone very intelligent may not seem so if they are nervous or shy in public. Some of the most talkative and popular people I've met have turned out to be morons. So I guess what I'm trying to spell out here is people overcompensate for which they do not have and those that have the smarts don't have to.

Funny question!

Answer 3

Interesting question. Does that person wear glasses? LOL j/j. It seems like you are interested in someone! For starters, I think CHARACTER is more important at the beginning of any relationship. Don't let flattery fool you into thinking that person is smart. They could simpply be "meddling with your soup". Let them be the talker. You be the interviewer. Intelligence can mean different things to different people. But in the case of first-timers first impression is everything. Go with your gut feeling, gestures have a natural way of display. And you can almost always distinguish a smart person by the way they speak. You can tell a lot too by what people laught at. Ask that person open-ended questions. Encourage him/her to think.And you'll see how they reason. Responsive conversation usually is a good sign. A good ice-breaker is to ask that person for their opinion on a popular subject. Try not to ask about politics or religion, do so after you aquaint better. Look at him/her in the eyes and see what acumen they project. Facial expression is keen. So stare at their face. You be the judge.

Answer 4

I guess society would judge them by careers, as majority of them would do. If you talk to a person and happened to know that he is a doctor, you would qualify him as a really smart person without a doubt right? Well, as for me, say i meet a person and did not get to know his job, i would look at the way he converse and portray himself during the meeting. Alertness, etiquette and knowing the general world issues would prove that he is smart and inquisitive. However, smart alone would not tell me much, but the ability to put it into life is what matters. Because innovation is what seperates us from other beings/ our primate ancestors.

Or if i had the chance, an IQ test would do.

Answer 5

Well, there is a difference between being book smart or street smart. Someone may be quite intelligent, but can't seem to ever find the right bus stop. On the other hand, a person could have supurb common sense, but may not be all thatr great academically.

Answer 6

I can usually tell by the way a person presents themselves. If a person speaks well, has good grammar, and is articulate. This is generally a good sign that they are reasonably intelligent. You really can't tell by a persons attire, I've seen some really smart guy's dressed as slobs!

Answer 7

Lol, talk to them. Ask them questions, see how they respond. Do they just speak, or do they think out their response? Do they say stupid things, or do they choose their words carefully?

Look at what they're saying. Do they *seem* to know what they're talking about? Do their thoughts seem to have depth, or are they shallow thinkers? Intelligent people think deeply. Shallow people say stupid things.

I hope that kind of helps ;)

Answer 8

Observe the way that they walk, talk, behave.

But don't judge them from what they look like.
You don't really know a person until you've talked to him or her.

So go up to someone and strike up a conversation.

See how he or she responds to your questions and how they think.

Answer 9

It depends on the circumstances. I assume that people have no clue, unless they exhibit some knowledge of the subject at hand.

Answer 10

Well it depends, mainly there introverted and some are extroverted. Well if they are to cocky or arrogant. Prefer to converse with people their "level". An Ocean of Knowledge.