 Hello, Psych2goers. Welcome back. Have you ever met someone who could fake their intelligence to fool everyone? They dazzle others with big words and lofty ideas, convincing everyone of their vast brain power. But in the end, it all turns out to be a ruse, leaving you confused. People like this are pseudo-intellectuals. Sudo, meaning false. An intellectual, meaning an intelligent person. But how can we spot pseudo-intellectuals before we get sucked into their false persona? To learn more about this, here are five signs someone is faking their intelligence. 1. They overuse and misuse advanced vocabulary Are they like a walking thesaurus? Sudo-intellectuals tend to always feel the need to inject the longest words and most advanced phrases into every conversation, even when it's unnecessary. Instead of inviting you to lunch, they intrigue you to partake in their midday sustenance ritual. They use language as a tool for intimidation and self-gain. So when you ask them to explain, they can respond with a self-satisfied smirk or personal insult. Even worse, they often use the wrong pronunciation or meaning for their advanced phrases, because they care more about showing off than really understanding what they're saying. On the other hand, people with genuine intelligence will value clear communication. This means using advanced vocabulary only when it's appropriate, and being open to explaining things when others don't understand. 2. They brag about their intelligence all the time Do you know someone who won't stop talking about their own intelligence? Their self-proclaimed genius is the only part of their personal identity, and they don't hesitate to let everyone know about it all the time. They constantly brag about their intellectual hobbies for no reason, complain about how their high intelligence is somehow a curse, or accuse all of society of being ignorant and tasteless. They take every opportunity to compare themselves to others, and proclaim how they are mentally superior. But people with genuine intelligence won't be like this. Instead, they're comfortable with their mental abilities, and won't need to or want to waste their time convincing people of how smart they are. 3. They always repeat profound quotes Are they constantly speaking in quotes? For every occasion, they can cite a profound saying from a high-level thinker. Talk about family, and they cite Confucius. About school detention, and they cite Kafka. And for pop music, they'll cite Adorno. It sounds quite intelligent at first, but upon deeper examination, you may come to realize that the quotes aren't valuable or even relevant to the conversation. Ultimately, pseudo-intellectuals will exploit the credentials of past thinkers as a smokescreen to appear knowledgeable. Rather than having any original ideas of their own. On the flip side, people with genuine intelligence will say a quote only when it contributes real value to the discussion, rather than just to show off the big names they know. 4. They derail conversations with pointless intellectual questions Can they stick to the point of a conversation without turning it into some grand intellectual argument? No matter how casual a discussion is, a pseudo-intellectual will always find a way to hijack it by asking provocative but pointless questions. Highly abstract questions that nobody can answer, or pedantic questions to undermine you. So if you say that you had a good day they may respond with, what does it really mean to enjoy life? People with genuine intelligence, on the other hand, will ask deep questions to make a meaningful contribution, indulge their curiosity and to further the main point of the discussion. 5. They act like they have everything figured out Are they always on about knowing how the world works? Pseudo-intellectuals often have very rigid beliefs about society, politics, religion, and so on. They're not open to genuine discussion, and when faced with a difference in opinion, they'll simply state that you're wrong. Insult your intelligence, inflate their own credentials and claim that their viewpoint is just too obvious to explain. This stands in stark contrast to people with genuine intelligence who are open-minded and who understand that the world has no simple answers. Do you relate to any of the traits we've mentioned? If you've made it to the end, drop an emoji in the comments below and let us know what you think. Also, don't forget to like and share this if you think it will help someone else. Thanks so much for watching and see you in the next video.