We All Need Friends, But Why Do Intelligent People Have So Few?

Friendships and relationships are necessary for our survival. They provide emotional support, and help us pass the difficult times. It gives us a sense of worth, we even learn vital life skills through friends and socializing with others. Those we bond with shape our priorities in life. If friendships are so important, then why do Intelligent people have few friends?

In a study published by the Journal of Psychology, Satoshi Kanazava from London School of Economics analyzed 15,000 people with different IQ levels. He decided to measure the levels of happiness of each subject when they were socializing and when they were alone. Satoshi concluded that those with lower to average IQ levels felt happier socializing with friends, and the greater number of friends they had the more self-fulfilled they felt. But what about those with higher levels of intelligence? Well, it was the complete opposite. Intelligent people felt happier when alone, and those on the higher end felt less happiness if they frequently hanged out with friends.

Now, let’s get to the bottom of these conclusions. Smart people find it more interesting to spend time doing things they consider to be more important to them. Meaning they find pleasure in activities that provide results. Socializing is seen as a distraction, affecting their goal. Not only that, but they can be a bit more skeptical of others. Intelligent people tend to look for faults in people. This doesn’t mean that high IQ people don’t values friendships and relationships. They just tend to be more selective with who they spend time with.

But is there an evolutionary theory to this? Well, Satoshi’s Savanna Principle states that the human behaviors remain connected to their ancestral environment. Back in the day, our ancestors in the African savanna felt happier living in rural areas in a tight knit hunter and gatherer tribes. This basically means that “the average human brain may have evolved to function best in a rural environment with fewer people. When placed in an urban setting with a higher population density, our brains may signal for us to split into smaller social circles”, Dr. Satoshi Kanazawa (The Huffington Post, 2016). This helps explain why those with lower to average IQ levels, feel grater satisfaction socializing with friends, and less happiness in a high populated area such as New York City. On the other hand, intelligent people are better equipped to deal with the modern world. It is easier from them to adapt, so high populated areas have less effect on their happiness, and socializing isn’t as important as to pursue their ambitions.

Here is a quote by Henry David Thoreau, on his interpretation of spending most of his time alone.

“I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.”

Do you agree with this point of view? Comment below and the me know why you think smarter people have few friends.

References

Bright Side. (2017). Psychologists explain why intelligent people have fewer friends. Retrieved from: https://brightside.me/inspiration-psychology/psychologists-explain-why-intelligent-people-have-fewer-friends-188105/

Carolyn Gregoire. (2016). People With Less Active Social Lives May Be Happier — If They’re Intelligent. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/psychology-fewer-friends_us_56f534fde4b0143a9b47ea31

Christopher Ingraham. (2016). Why smart people are better off with fewer friends. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/03/18/why-smart-people-are-better-off-with-fewer-friends/

Thoughty2. (2016). Intelligent People Have Fewer Friends, Here’s Why… Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJr226idrFg&feature=youtu.be