Why do people with high IQ tend to act abnormally?

Question

by saying high IQ people, i m referring to those genius whose IQ are 140 and above.

there are 2 genuis in my class, one is 147 and another one is 168. It seems like they live in their own world, one of them like to talk to imaginative stuff, and another one looks like a loner and has extraordianary bad temper.

there's another genius from the next class who acts really abnormally. He would not listen to anybody, nor care about what's happening around him. He once played with a sponge in the art room, squeezing water, absorbing water, squeezing water, absorbng water (and this goes on) without noticing his uniform was soaked in water. Everyone got mad over him for wetting their bags and stuffs but he didnt response. It seems like he is totally emotionally unavailable.

They were in a special class in the past years, until this year that the school system had changed and they are allowed to study with us, the 'commoner'

Is there any explanation for their extraordinary behavior?

Answer 1

Look up Asperger's Syndrome. It's a disorder that affects some people who are very intelligent and impairs their social skills. There are plenty of people in the world who are extremely intelligent but don't call attention to their intelligence and fit in better with others.

Answer 2

As a person whose IQ is over 140 and whose brother's IQ is over 140 and who has dated many, many guys with IQ's over 140, let me share my theory with you:

IQ is like roses in the garden; some people are blessed with lots of roses but then it might not leave enough room in the garden for, say, vegetables (e.g. common sense) or maybe the roses (IQ) are inconsistent with other traits (such as social skills).

I've known many geniuses who don't know how to make friends, come across as rude or arrogant, etc. simply because they don't think about it or really grasp the concept.

You can't generalize because I also know geniuses that are very popular, have great social skills and seem just like anybody else.

Maybe it's a little like how some very expensive sportscars are also very, very touchy and high maintenance.

Did you ever see the Russell Crowe movie A BEAUTIFUL MIND? Perfect example of a genius who was brilliant in one way but an odd-ball in others.

Personally, I think there's different kinds of genius and the IQ tests only spot some kinds and then lump them all together. A person might make bad grades but be a social genius, the popular guy that everyone wants to be around. A person might be a computer genius but lack imagination and be unable to write even a short story of fiction while another person might be a literary genius, gifted at writing and communicating, but be unable to figure out how to fix a leaky faucet.

But great question and one that I've pondered before....

Answer 3

First, I'd just like to point out that in clinical psychology, there are very well defined definitions of what "abnormal" behavior is. This allows psychologists to accurately categorize thier patients into specific areas for diagnosis. If these two have had their IQs measured, I think its safe to say that they've been assesed for abnormal behavior and that there's nothing seriously wrong with them.
From my own personal experience, I've seen exactly what you're talking about. Smarter people tend to act...strangely sometimes. I'm really not sure why this happens. Sure, sometimes they're a bit haughty about their "superior" intelligence, and may look down on others. But other times, they act just plain weird for no apparent reason. I really don't have any idea why.
Its important to know that there are a great number of brilliant people that are perfectly normal people.

Answer 4

I think it would be an interesting experiment. Factually speaking, I am not aware of any evidence that points one way or the other, but the old aphorism "ignorance is bliss" says otherwise. You should do a survey--ask people to take a standard IQ test and rate themselves on how happy they are from 1 to 10 or something. I think you would have trouble with the "normal" IQ range because there are very happy and very sad people of "average" intelligence. I think it's more to do with the outliers--the geniuses and the mentally challenged. Since there are fewer of them in a community, getting a significant number of people could be challenging. All in all, I don't think that you would find much merit in your hypothesis.

Answer 5

They say there is a fine line between genius and insanity.
This is not to say geniuses are insane.
While the rest of us go about, these folks brains go the extra mile.I heard that most of us use about 10% of our brain.
I can onely speculate that whatever the genius is focosing on is pushing the other ordinary thoughts out, so that what we take for granted, isn't registering with them. I had a friend in college that was brilliant in class, but ordinary life left him more than a little baffled.

Answer 6

It seems like high IQ's come at a sacrifice of social skills. Most geniuses can navigate a text book without any problems, but couldn't figure their way out of a crowded room. In social situations they turn into cattle and their IQ drops 75 points.
It's rare to find someone that is well balanced.

Answer 7

A lot of "geniuses" are a bit odd, like this. Einstein, for instance, couldn't tie his shoes, or remember how to get home without the use of a map. What they have in extra "brain power" takes away from things like social or personality skills.

Answer 8

how do you know that we arent the ones acting abnormally and they are the ones acting normal,because they would know right...theyre geniuses.
i dont know,maybe they just feel that they are too smart to care about the "commoners"
and what school do you go to,to have so many geniuses?

Answer 9

yes,i know what you mean!i have a couple of friends with high IQ's,and one still can't tell the difference between his right and his left!the other friend,is alwasy quiet,as if he doesn't exist,and i'm always joking with him,and i'm the only one he talks to!:)

Answer 10

Common sense goes a long way!