Good News for Swearing, Messy, Night Owls
Intelligent people use more curse words
You always hear that people who swear have a “limited vocabulary.” But if you think about it, those who don’t use any swear words are the ones who limit their own vocabulary, because they intentionally use fewer words than others.
In fact, there is a study deconstructing that myth about curse words. The result showed that people who could name the most swear words within a minute also tend to score higher on IQ tests. The study concludes that a rich vocabulary of swear words is a sign of rhetorical strength rather than the attempt to hide verbal deficits.
Intelligent people are night owls
Like to stay up late? This also could be a sign for intelligence.
Scientific research has linked night owls with higher IQ scores for quite some time now. President Obama, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, Keith Richards, and Elvis Presley are all famous for nocturnal activities. If you tend to go to sleep rather late, you’re definitely in good company.
Intelligent people are messy
You swear a lot and stay awake late? If you also tend to leave a bit of a mess behind, there’s good news for you.
A study by the University of Minnesota suggests that the messy desks of geniuses are actually linked to their intelligence. If you don’t spend much time cleaning and organizing everything around you, your mind is obviously occupied with more important stuff.
The study went on to show that a messy environment led to a more creative workflow. Psychological scientist Kathleen Vohs says: “Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights. Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.”
About the Author
Elizabeth G Fagan is a writer and artist who resides on Lake Michigan’s shoreline in southeastern Wisconsin—a place she calls Lake Michigan’s Left Coast. She has been a professional writer for more than 35 years.
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Contact Elizabeth G Fagan
Fagan attended The Hammonasset School, a private arts high school in Connecticut, where she began writing and taking photographs. She earned a BA in English at Grinnell College (Grinnell, Iowa) and the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC). She has an MA in Linguistics with a specialization in teaching English as a second language (ESL) from UIC. Fagan later gained an associate degree in Web Development from DePaul University in Chicago.
- “Art from Lake Michigan’s Left Coast,” Grinnell College Alumni Association
- Cedarburg Artists Guild
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ELIZABETH G FAGAN 