Is “smart” sexy? Singles think so. Today some 80% of singles say they “must have” or find it “very important” to have someone of the same level of intelligence. And 89% would make a commitment to someone who is “considerably” better educated or more intellectual than themselves. Why do we want a smart partner?
Because intelligence comes with a host of perks. It is statistically correlated with having a higher income and a keener sense of humor, as well as with creativity, social savvy, better motor coordination and skill at solving problems.
These are sexy traits. “Money” can buy an exciting weekend get-away. “Humor” and “creativity” boost dopamine activity, which, in turn, can trigger testosterone and sexual craving. “Good people skills” can translate into better communication between the sheets. A “well-coordinated” partner is exciting to watch in the sack. And those who are “skilled at solving problems” are likely to be better at resolving bedroom crises.
An anthropologist once asked a Kung Bushman living as a hunter in the grasslands of Botswana if he would marry a woman who was smarter than he was. He replied, “Yes, because she’d make me smart too.” A smart partner might even make you smarter.
Ignorance is bliss? No way. Smart is the new sexy.