Having common sense is a distinct type of intelligence, one that differs from being book-smart. People with common sense use their innate street smarts, especially when it comes to making life’s tougher decisions.
While everyone is smart in their own way, not everyone relies on the same kind of common sense to guide them.
Here are 8 rare traits of people who have common sense, according to psychology
1. They’re adaptable
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Someone who has a lot of common sense is skilled at finding their place in new environments. They tend to be very adaptable, which one study described as a “key mental resource.” The study defined adaptability as someone’s ability for cognitive, behavioral, and emotional regulation in new or uncertain situations.
The researchers found that a person’s level of adaptability correlates to their well-being. The more adaptable a person is, the more they’re able to deal with sudden changes. They can recalibrate how they act according to the environment they’re in.
2. They listen to their intuition
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While it might seem counterintuitive, having common sense is related to having a strong emotional intuition. Being emotionally intuitive means that someone has an instinctive understanding of how they feel and how to harness their emotions without being overly reactive.
According to psychologist Nick Wignall, emotionally intuitive people listen to how they feel and constantly ask themselves if a particular emotion aligns with their values. They accept and validate their more painful emotions because they know that no feeling is permanent, and that it’s more than okay to let difficult feelings move through them.
3. They stay calm under pressure
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People who rely on their common sense don’t get easily flustered, because they focus on the task at hand, and deal with issues that arise in a rational way. Staying calm under pressure helps people to make quick decisions in tense situations.
Someone with common sense keeps their cool even when emotions are heightened around them. They know that everything has a solution, and that getting stressed out just makes matters harder to deal with.
They use their common sense as a coping mechanism, which allows them to observe challenges at a distance and act accordingly.
4. They’re perceptive
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A person who has strong common sense is highly aware of their own emotions and the emotions of people around them.
According to a study on common sense from the University of Pennsylvania, having high levels of common sense is linked to social perceptiveness.
The researchers defined social perceptiveness as someone’s ability to understand what others are thinking. They found that participants with strong common sense skills also had high levels of social perception.
People with strong common sense are good at fitting into different social groups, because they can tune into how others around them feel and match their energy.
5. They’re reliable
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Someone with common sense is a person you can definitely depend on. Not only are they unflappable in high pressure situations, they have a strong sense of follow-through. When they say they’re going to do something, they do it.
Because they’re rational people, they see the value in keeping their promises. They commit to the people they care about and show up as pillars of support when needed.
6. They learn from their mistakes
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Having common sense helps people easily learn from things they’ve done wrong in the past, making them unlikely to repeat their mistakes.
A study from the University of Exeter discovered just how quickly people can learn from their mistakes, identifying an “early warning signal” in the brain that helps people avoid making the same mistakes twice.
Researchers found a mechanism in the brain that reacts in .1 seconds to things that have led to past mistakes. The study showed that there’s truth to the adage that we learn most from our mistakes, and people with common sense put that concept into routine practice.
7. They’re aware of their surroundings
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Our world is full of distractions, but a person with common sense can stay centered amidst chaos. They pay close attention to the environment they’re in and keep their wits about them.
They use their common sense to assess if there’s any danger. They know not to take unwarranted risks, but they will take risks to propel them forward in life.
8. They’re efficient problem-solvers
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People who have common sense jump into action when they’re faced with any kind of challenge. Their minds work quickly, which means they’re able to solve problems with efficiency and ease.
They rely on rationality to guide their decisions, which helps them end up on top.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango’s news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.
