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Psychological studies stipulate that intelligent people are often more thoughtful, meticulous and uncertain. A finding that a psychologist is keen to qualify.
Do intelligent people lack self-confidence? That is the question. Claire Grenet, clinical psychologist, wants to moderate this consideration.Intelligent people can have a lack of self-confidence, but the opposite is possible. It is important to emphasize that in psychology nothing is definitive. Sometimes what we observe in an experimental context does not represent reality well.”, says the practitioner.
However, here are the factors that could impact the confidence of people with a higher IQ, according to the clinical psychologist.
Feeling good in your body, feeling good in your head!
A feeling of social isolation
According to the expert, interviewed in Psychologies, intelligent people can suffer from a feeling of social isolation and disconnection with others. Which increases the loss of self-confidence. The factors that explain this according to Claire Genet, are:
- Peer judgment : Intelligent children, for example, may be excluded by their peers because of their academic performance.
- Excessive cogitation : Individuals who are in constant analysis can develop mechanisms of internalization of affects. This impacts the way they relate to others, thus decreasing their self-esteem.
- Social Anxiety and Imposter Syndrome: Intelligent people often face this. Both disorders can affect self-esteem and confidence in one’s abilities. Anxiety can lead to excessive questioning, leading to feelings of insecurity and doubt.
While intelligent people can suffer from a lack of self-confidence, there is, according to Claire Grenet, one parameter to take into account: emotional intelligence. Indeed, people with high emotional intelligence are better able to understand and regulate their emotions, facilitating positive social interactions.
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