[cutemonster]

> I think it's likely that a lot of 'intelligent' people are simply people who actively (though usually not consciously) train these skills

I think it's odd how many people make up their own private theories about these things :-)

When there's research available about how intelligence "happens".

[Cogito]

You find it odd that people think about what intelligence is, or how it presents?

If you’ve got links/references/keywords for research that invalidates (or validates!) these ideas please share them, I’d love to look them up. From what I’ve read the idea “intelligence can be (at least in part) described as having knowledge and being able to apply that knowledge to new problems” is a well trodden one.

I haven’t seen much on the idea that some people may be predisposed to engaging with stimulating situations, so anything you have on that topic would be highly appreciated. I have seen writings on how a stimulating environment is important, and on how encouraging engagement can be effective (for example asking questions of children and allowing them to answer, vs answering for them).

[edit] In my original post I should probably have written “is to frame a lot of what people call intelligence as” - I definitely don’t think this is all intelligence but I do think it has a significant role in what the gp was talking about, this ability to see answers quickly.

[cutemonster]

> [edit] In my original post I should probably have written “is to frame a lot of what people call intelligence as” ...

Ok then i understand better what you mean.

Actually there's a word for that type of intelligence:

Crystallized intelligence.

And I had another type of intelligence in mind:

Fluid intelligence.

I think we spoke past each other (or I spoke past you) thinking about different things.

Anyway, one of those, one can improve eg by reading, getting life experience. But the other one, is fixed (from what I've read) once one is grown up.

If you want to, you could websearch for those words. And also, wikipedia has a section about intelligence and inheritance (hint: life is unfair).

> I have seen writings on how a stimulating environment is important, and on how encouraging engagement can be effective (for example asking questions of children and allowing them to answer, vs answering for them).

That sounds great :-)

From what I've read, those things do work (!), when one is a kid / young. And from what I've read, it also prevents the brain from deteriorating, when one is old (using one's brain reduces the risk for dementia).

(Thanks for the reply)