Intellectual Overexcitability in High-IQ People

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This post is part 4 of a series (see Part 1 for recent, peer-reviewed studies supporting the prevalence and nature of overexcitabilities).

You are picking up on a phenomenon if you have a high IQ and often find your intellectual curiosity on overdrive just as your high-IQ brain is supercharged. The same goes for what you might observe in a child, student, or other smart person.

Intellectual overexcitability is one of five intensities that Polish researcher Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902–1980) found in intellectually gifted individuals. People with an IQ of 130 or above can have at least one of five OEs (which are emotional, imaginational, intellectual, psychomotor, and sensual), most have two to five overexcitabilities (though they vary in dominance), and many (like me) may have all five. Part 1 of this series introduced the concept of overexcitability, and parts two through six delve into each overexcitability individually. This post will explore intellectual overexcitability.

What is intellectual overexcitability?

The markers of someone with intellectual OE are:

• Deep and or independent thinker
• Highly active mind
• Observant
• Passionate about acquiring knowledge
• Strong concentration and/or reading
• Strong visual memory
• Very curious

However, a gifted individual need not display every characteristic associated with intellectual overexcitability to have it, and some aspects of this overexcitability can be more dominant than others. For example, a gifted person might exhibit all of the characteristics listed above except “observant” or “strong visual memory,” yet still have intellectual overexcitability.

What specific strategies can parents and teachers use to help youth?

A student or child may show intellectual overexcitability, and someone guiding them can employ the following strategies to facilitate positive thinking, behavior, and outcomes:

• Guide the student in a variety of means for finding answers to questions and evaluating varied content—for instance, the skills needed to evaluate sources (Can a marketing website be trusted?), cross-check facts, and extract relevant information.
• Adjust projects or assignments to allow the gifted youth to investigate topics in-depth. For example, rather than explore “Which countries struggle with low life expectancy?” the student can explore “Why do some countries struggle with low life expectancy?”
• Watch for signs of depression, as a gifted youth’s awareness of life’s big problems can make them susceptible to this form of suffering. Work with parents, educators, and other experts if additional help is necessary. Engaging the youth in activism can help as long as you honor parents’ wishes (as some activist topics are controversial). For example, a student saddened by environmental destruction could feel less helpless when co-organizing a school’s recycling drive.
• Encourage humility and a growth mindset, as overexcited individuals are more prone to arrogance.

The above strategies can also help intellectually overexcited student or child practice controlling the intensity of this overexcitability, leading to long-term success. Try what seems most appropriate for the youth’s particular characteristics.

What comes next?

In subsequent posts, we will explore psychomotor and sensual overexcitability. Though all five overexcitabilities share the commonality of being intensities that high-IQ individuals can experience, each has a unique profile and specific strategies that teachers and parents can employ.

Continue to Part 5.