Why smart people do stupid thingsWhy smart people do stupid things
All In The Mind
Smart people are not only just as prone to making mistakes as everyone else—they may even be more susceptible to them. This idea has been dubbed the Intelligence Trap. It explains the flaws in our understanding of intelligence and expertise, and how the decisions of even the brightest minds and talented organisations can backfire.
29:06•19 May 2019
Why Bright Minds Still Make Bad Decisions
Episode Overview
- High intelligence can coexist with irrational beliefs and poor decisions, a pattern David Robson calls the intelligence trap.
- IQ predicts academic and some job performance but does not reliably protect against cognitive biases such as the bias blind spot.
- Curiosity and a growth mindset appear to reduce confirmation bias by keeping people open to new information and learning.
- A simple self-distancing technique—describing your situation in the third person or from an outsider’s view—can support calmer, wiser choices.
- Groups of clever people can underperform when conversation is dominated by a few voices, highlighting the importance of inclusive, questioning cultures.
“"It is not enough to possess a good mind. The most important thing is to apply it correctly."”
This episode dives deep into the challenges and triumphs of thinking clearly, especially when someone is highly intelligent on paper. Science journalist David Robson chats with host Lynne Malcolm about what he calls **"the intelligence trap"** – the way sharp minds can still make spectacularly bad decisions. You’ll hear the famous Cottingley fairies hoax retold, where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the hyper-rational Sherlock Holmes, was utterly convinced that cardboard fairies were real.
Robson links this to modern examples, like Nobel prize–winning scientist Kerry Mullis, who pioneered PCR yet publicly backed astrology, UFOs and AIDS denialism. As Robson puts it, a "brilliant mind, if wrongly applied, could actually be quite dangerous." Rather than rubbishing IQ, the conversation teases apart what it measures well – academic success and certain types of job performance – and what it misses, such as rationality, practical intelligence and resistance to cognitive biases.
Robson discusses dysrationalia (being smart but irrational) and "cognitive miserliness", where people with plenty of brainpower still lean on gut feelings, leaving them wide open to fake news and emotional framing. There’s plenty here for anyone trying to make better choices, whether in recovery, relationships or work.
Curiosity and a growth mindset come up as key buffers against bias, while a simple trick called self-distancing – talking about yourself in the third person or imagining an outsider’s view – is shown to calm emotions and widen perspective. The episode also looks at how group dynamics can sabotage clever teams, from overconfident experts to mansplaining that drags down collective intelligence.
By the end, you’ll be questioning quick answers, rethinking what "smart" really means, and maybe asking yourself: is my brain a powerful engine without decent brakes?
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