Smart people see the world differently: Study
BY THANE BURNETT, QMI AGENCY
FIRST POSTED: MONDAY, MAY 27, 2013 02:56 PM EDT | UPDATED: TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013 09:22 AM EDT
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But they're really good with the small print, researchers of a U.S. study have found.
A team at the University of Rochester, NY, have developed a simple test involving lines moving across a screen that may explain the ways intelligent people view the world differently than others.
Using something similar to an eye exam, where different-sized black and white lines are flashed on a screen and you must determine which direction they're travelling, they measured the brain's unconscious ability to filter out movement.
Smart people simply don't see the larger background picture, but can quickly assess small movements.
Think of it in terms of sound. We don't hear the constant air conditioning drone because we need to filter out unneeded distractions, says Duje Tadin, a senior author of the study and an assistant professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester.
Those with a high IQ can do this visually, as well.
He says the simple visual test offers up valuable clues about "what makes a brain more efficient and consequently more intelligent."
In real-world terms, a person with a high IQ might notice a ball rolling on a beach before they would notice the nearby waves becoming larger.
"You would certainly notice moving objects quicker -- like a pedestrian that suddenly appears in front of you," Tadin tells QMI Agency.
The test may one day be used with those who have language difficulties to find what IQ may be locked inside.
