Why do many highly intelligent people find sports boring, and why do they prefer other activities, such as socializing, over playing a sport? A new study from the London School of Economics and Political Science investigates the relationship between intelligence and boredom. People with high IQs spend most of their waking hours absorbed in thought, which keeps them mentally stimulating and entertained. In contrast, people with lower IQs require more activities to fill their day. Sports are one of these activities. However, this does not mean that highly intelligent people hate socializing or physical activity.
One reason is the length of baseball and football seasons. In baseball, for example, a single season can involve over 2400 games, including playoffs. That means that baseball and football are played virtually the entire year. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that baseball is boring. In fact, many highly intelligent people find baseball and football to be among the most boring sports, and have shifted their attention elsewhere.
Another reason is the way we think. We often associate high intelligence with being less bored. In reality, it’s a different story. Boredom does not indicate that we are less creative or don’t have enough capacity to be entertained. Those who have a greater intellectual ability tend to be more likely to find sports boring than those with lower IQs. However, we also have to acknowledge the role of parental attitudes and their effect on our children. Parents tend to think that the more extracurricular activities we participate in, the better off our children will be.
