Does the ability to hold a good conversation correlate with intelligence?

Question

Also why can’t some people seem to hold a conversation without it feeling painful and offensive or passive aggressive?

HawkPerception · Accepted Answer

It definitely does. One of the main aspects of intelligence is in communication. The ability to process information quickly, rationalize it, and respond quickly and accurately.

Think of it in relation to computers. If you type something into a computer like "What is the purpose of life?" and it takes 20 seconds to answer, then gives you an answer like "I cannot answer that question." that's a pretty slow computer right?

In comparison imagine a computer that you ask the same question to and it immediately responds with "The purpose of life is a subjective topic. However, theories behind it can be philosophical (to seek meaning, self fulfillment, and personal growth), religious or spiritual (fulfilling divine will, attaining spiritual enlightenment, or seeking union with a higher power), psychological (pursuing happiness, building meaningful relationships, achieving personal goals, and finding satisfaction in one's work and passions), or biological (survive and reproduce).

Obviously the second computer would be considered more intelligent because of its processing speed and how it processed the information to give output. It's the same with humans.

buzzword · Accepted Answer

Nope. "Good conversation" is subjective. What is a good conversation for one person will not be for another person. People have different levels of intelligence and various interests. If you feel like you communicate well with most people, then you are likely communicating with average intelligence given that most people are of average intelligence. If you struggle to communicate with most people than you are probably either 2 standard deviations above or bellow average in IQ. The further you are away from average intelligence, the more awkward communication will likely be. If you have a high intelligence, you can likely dumb everything down and communicate superficially with average people and they might think you're "really smart" or "really interesting", but you will likely be very bored. So while they may think you are a great communicator, you will think they are a fucking moron. It only feels mutual when people are somewhat close in intelligence to one another.

Account · Accepted Answer

You can be very intelligent in certain fields, yet lack the charisma or lack the ability to understand social cues.
You can also be of average intelligence in certain fields yet very charismatic in a way that you can win over people with your mere presence or with the way you talk and immediately make them assume that you are more efficient or smart than you are even in the fields that you do not excel that much at.

dustybiker2 · Accepted Answer

No. I dumb myself way down here. Otherwise I get nothing but "What do you mean?" Comments. I find lots of similar intelligent people to chatter with all doing the same. The people who do not grasp communication will lack the ability regardless.

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

Yes, I would think so...

Purpleronnie · Answer

Define “good” ? Is that when both conclude the conversation feeling entertained? Is it when there is a conclusion about what happens next? Is it when there is consensus? Is it when men all parties are interested or engaged? Is it when it fills the silence?
How enjoyable or “good” a conversation is in my opinion has little to do with intelligence generally speaking and more to do with the point of the conversation in my opinion.
Academic and technical conversations where one party or more have a significantly higher intellect could become frustrated and even aggressive due to lack of understanding by the other party. But does that make it a bad conversation?

FreyaRed · Answer

No. Intelligence isn't always verbal. Most high IQ people are rather mathematicians or strategists than eloquent talker. Talking is silver being silent is gold seems to be their maxim. Generally good talker have very good memory, general knowledge and good knowledge about human nature, of course they aren't just 80 IQ gifted, but I think they aren't mega IQ monsters either.

OfMiceandMen · Answer

It somewhat correlates, people who are intelligent tend to be quick on their feet and can hold a conversation. Note: schooling has little to no bearing on whether a person can keep a good conversation. Lots of intelligent people out there that are well-read and did not surpass high school. Similarly, lots of people attend college and university are book smart but can't carry a conversation either.

RavVid · Answer

Broadly I'd have to say yes. But there has to be something as a common interest or that both find interesting at the time.

Political conversations are often painful, offensive and aggressive rather than passive aggressive.

Anonymous · Answer

No it wouldn’t. Charisma and intelligence tap into two very different parts of the brain and don’t always overlap. I’d say most people in society can hold a good conversation this isn’t some phenomenon. Most people aren’t intelligent, though. I’d say a more clear indicator of intelligence are active listening skills which most people do not possess.

V_Injector · Answer

Dumb people can't hold a conversation. They'll make you carry all the water in that endeavor.

As to why so many get passive aggressive or feel the questions are painful... it's because they're dealing with dumb questions. They should know the answer already.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

It’s definitely a kind of intelligence, but a completely uneducated nitwit can hold up their end of a conversation. That’s why i don’t understand people who act like their presence is enough. Even less i understand people who put up with others who cannot hold up their end of a conversation to save their own life.

VanillaSalt · Answer

In the contrary I feel good conversation is harder to have with higher intelligence. Intelligent people like intelligent conversation but intelligent conversation is usually specialized. Having two intelligence prove both interested and knowing about the same topics difficult for that reason.

ohsheeT · Answer

Maybe a little bit I didn't have something more to do with actual carrying with the person is actually saying if you're only thinking about yourself you're not going to be in tune with what they're saying and everybody starts to daydreaming LOL and it also depends on the subject and who's telling it

Surely · Answer

Face to face conversation is out the window since the invention of the cell phone! I can’t wrap my head around when a young person will chat for hours, but won’t call that person. Because they don’t want to talk to them. Doesn’t take intelligence to hold an intelligent conversation. The subject may be different. But it can still be an interesting topic.

StudyingAuthor · Answer

Well no. I sometimes get lost when I'm speaking irl. (A good thing ab the internet is I can go back and see what I was talking ab.) But I'm highly intelligent. I've always been above the bar as far as academics but suffer in areas of speaking.

jshm2 · Answer

No.

Some people can be disabled, or have other conditions.

The example of late Steven Hawkings should be at your minds forefront.

A very difficult, and strenuous, conservationist, but very intelligent.

LifeHitMeandRan · Answer

Nope. Many people talk, but rarely have anything useful to say.

ProbablyClueless · Answer

Yes, definitely. The ability to be witty, read a room, and find common ground with someone takes a lot of mental horsepower.

MrOracle · Answer

Some people are shy, or awkward, or just have had very little experience and practice. Conversation is like anything else: you generally get better with practice.

Makeushiver · Answer

Some people. just seem to hey tongue tied. It correlated more with ability to be interested in someone besides yourself. A good listener is a pretty fair sign of a good personality just because it means they aren't completely ego driben

msc545 · Answer

Verbal ability is highly correlated with intelligence, and verbal ability and intelligence are also highly correlated with the ability to hold a good conversation.

NathanDavis · Answer

not really, no... there's different "types of intelligence"

Snakeyes7 · Answer

I would say so. As the breakfast question implies, those with low intelligence have a hard time thinking of hypothetical situations, like how they feel if they didn't have breakfast this morning.

MysticDevice · Answer

No. Not always. I've met talkers who were dumb as rocks and quiet people who were borderline geniouses.

Anonymous · Answer

Intelligence is one ingredient but experienced, communicative and charismatic might be others. You don't necessarily need to be smart to be interesting to listen or interact with.

Anonymous · Answer

That's only one component of intelligence. Some of the most intelligent people in the world, by far, are socially awkward and have a difficult time in social situations.

Goahead76 · Answer

Yes absolutely! I have run into countless examples of this.

Likes2drive · Answer

Maybe, I can hold a good conversation and reasonably intelligent

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Not necessarily. People can spend hours talking ish.

MrGSpotHer · Answer

Some people think so but not always, some people just don't have people skills

RedInnocent69 · Answer

Sometimes. But not always. Plenty of wicked smart introverts.

WhitneySnow · Answer

Yes. It does. I agree with you.

DrPepper12 · Answer

Abso-fucking-lutely!!

chrissykerdock · Answer

the art of conversation not everyone can

Squatting_Slav · Answer

I would say, with emotional intelligence

Anonymous · Answer

Keywords "good conversation".

FunkyMonkee · Answer

It helps.

jahaims · Answer

Nope

handsomelad70 · Answer

Usually.

Pterodon · Answer

I think so

Does the ability to hold a good conversation correlate with intelligence?

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