Doctor of psychology Mark Travers from Cornell University, US, identifies two behaviors of intelligent people often misunderstood.
Difficulty letting go of unresolved issues
During his work, Doctor Travers often encounters individuals who cannot stop thinking about a conversation that has ended. In psychology, this phenomenon is called "need for cognition"—a tendency to seek complete explanations and feel discomfort when issues remain unresolved.
This concept was developed by psychologist Arthur Cohen (US) and his colleagues. According to them, people have a need to create a consistent understanding of their surroundings. When this process is interrupted, the brain continues to process information until a logical explanation is found.
A 2025 meta-analysis published in the journal Intelligence, involving over 25,000 people, revealed that "need for cognition" correlates with fluid intelligence and general intelligence. Consequently, individuals with high cognitive ability often do not stop until they fully understand a problem.
Researchers state this is a cognitive tendency of the brain, not merely perfectionism.
Taking extensive time for minor decisions
The second behavior involves spending considerable time on simple decisions such as choosing a movie, ordering food, or deciding when to reply to a message. This often leads to them being perceived as indecisive.
Doctor Mark Travers explains that this phenomenon relates to a "maximizing" tendency—always seeking the absolute best option rather than settling for a "good enough" choice.
Analytical individuals often envision multiple scenarios, weigh pros and cons, and anticipate risks before making a decision. For significant choices, such as career paths, this is an advantage. However, the brain's mechanism does not always differentiate between major decisions and everyday minor choices.
Studies show that individuals who consistently seek the best option in important decisions also apply this approach to minor choices. They are not poor decision-makers; rather, their strong analytical skills make it difficult for them to determine when to stop analyzing.
Nhat Minh (According to Psychology Today)
