Summary: A new research reveals that citizens across 12 countries and five countries perceive knowledge through two important aspects: reflective orientation and socio-emotional attention. Socio-emotional knowledge emphasizes compassion and social context, while reflecting on this area includes logical thinking and feelings control.
These dimensions constantly influence how people judge knowledge in officials, scientists, and others. The findings show the fundamental tenets that influence how people perceive intelligence and their effects on leadership and education.
Important Facts:
- Wisdom is judged by two aspects: reflective arrangement and socio-emotional attention.
- Reflective preference involves rational thinking, feeling manage, and knowledge application.
- Empathy and cultural knowledge are two key traits for cultural emotional awareness.
Origin: University of Waterloo
What causes people to appear wise? According to a new study conducted by University of Waterloo experts, people view knowledge through the lens of applying information and thinking naturally as well as taking into account other people’s feelings and perceptions. These views are examined in 12 countries and five continents.  ,
Experts examined the core principles guiding who we perceive as sensible in political leadership, technology, and everyday life. Across distinct cultures, participants ‘ judgements converged on two sizes: reflective arrangement and socio-emotional attention.  ,
Indicative thinking includes traits like having reason to think clearly, controlling emotions, and applying information. Socio-emotional knowledge includes traits like respect for one’s feelings and care for one’s cultural context.  ,
” To our surprise, the two measurements emerged across all ethnic parts we studied, and both were associated with obvious identification of wisdom” , , said Dr. Maksim Rudnev, a postdoctoral research associate in psychology at Waterloo and cause writer.  ,
The research suggests how people around the world does evaluate, support, and faith leaders, teachers, and others in positions of influence. How are people currently viewed by previous presidents of the United States, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, for instance.  ,
” While both aspects of intelligence work together, individuals associate intelligence more with the reflective preference. If someone is viewed as not able to reflect and think logically, then perceptions of them as socio-emotionally competent and moral wo n’t compensate”, said Dr. Igor Grossmann, the senior corresponding author and the director of the , Wisdom and Culture Lab , at the University of Waterloo.
” You could see it in the immediate aftermath of the infamous Trump-Biden 2024 presidential debate: both candidates did not appear reflective, yet Trump seemed to have won the debate with many viewers perceiving Biden as socio-emotionally well-meaning but cognitively frail” . ,
The collaboration among 26 research institutions was coordinated by the Geography of Philosophy consortium and included researchers from North and South Americas ( Canada, U. S., Ecuador and Peru), Asia ( China, India, Japan, and South Korea ), Africa ( Morocco and South Africa ), and Europe ( Slovakia ).  ,
The study involved 2, 707 members from 16 socio-economically and ethnically diverse organizations. They were prompted to examine 10 individuals, including professionals, officials, and teachers, in the framework of making a hard decision in a real-life situation without a clear right or wrong answer.
The members were then asked to rate these individuals’ and their own level of intelligence. The data was used to analyze the main factors that influence how perceptions of intelligence are perceived by people and groups.  ,
” Interestingly, our members considered themselves superior to most examples of intelligence in regard to indicative preference but were less self-conscious when it comes to socio-emotional features”, Rudnev said.
” Understanding perceptions of wisdom around the world has  , implications for leadership, education and cross-cultural communication. It is the first move in understanding general guidelines in how people perceive knowledge in various circumstances.”
About this latest research in social science and philosophy
Author: Ryon Jones
Source: University of Waterloo
Contact: Ryon Jones – University of Waterloo
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Start entry.
” Aspects of intelligence belief across twelve countries on five continents” by Maksim Rudnev and as. Nature Communications
Abstract
Dimensions of intelligence belief in twelve nations on five continents
Although the origin of cultural judgment is inherently illiterate, how people of all cultures recognize it is still a mystery because of the cardinal characteristics of various philosophical traditions.
We examine the perceptions of intelligent people in 16 socio-economically and ethnically diverse convenience samples from 12 nations. Individuals assessed knowledge exemplars, non-exemplars, and themselves on 19 socio-cognitive characteristics, immediately standing targets ‘ knowledge, expertise, and knowledge.
Assessments reveal two favourably related dimensions—Reflective Orientation and Socio-Emotional Awareness. These dimensions are consistent across the studied cultural regions and interact when informing wisdom ratings: wisest targets —as perceived by participants —score high on both dimensions, whereas the least wise are not reflective but moderately socio-emotional.
Moreover, individuals view themselves as less introspective but more socio-emotionally informed than most wisdom examples.
Our findings increase the field of folk psychology and cultural judgment research beyond the World North, showing how people perceive desired mental and socio-emotional qualities, and provide a framework for understanding how people perceive their own minds.
