Having a high level of IQ might not be good for your love life, at least this is what a study suggests. A research done by the University of Western Australia looked into the factors that people seek in a partner and interestingly, intelligence was not on the top of the list.
​The survey
The researchers surveyed more than 200 young adults and asked them which characteristic they would look in their partner among intelligence, easygoingness, kindness, and physical attractiveness.
The next step
Next, these participants were asked how attracted they would be to their prospective partner if their intelligence would be more than one to 99 per cent of the population. In simpler words, the researchers tried to gauge how a person’s intelligence impacted their desirability amongst people looking for a romantic partner.
​Having these two characteristics might backfire!
This same question was asked for other three personality traits and the researchers concluded that being too intelligent and easy going were not sought-after characteristics. Interestingly, the study revealed there was a significant drop at the 99th percentile of these two traits, compared to the 90th percentile.
​What researchers opined
The researchers referred to the previously done studies and concluded that a very intelligent partner might lead to higher level of insecurity in the other partner and thus, reduce their desirability. Also, too easygoingness indicated lack of ambition or confidence.
The study also revealed that women valued kindness and intelligence more than men. However, the overall difference was low. The findings of this research were published in the British Journal of Psychology.
