Individual Differences

Intelligence

Why Intelligent People Fail:
Sternberg (1986)

Last updated:
22 Jun 2004


Sternberg: Why Intelligent people fail

Sternberg (1986) believes that conventional intelligence tests tell us little about performance in everyday life and suggest a number of reasons why so-called intelligent people fail:

  • lack of motivation
  • lack of impulse control
  • lack of perseverance
  • fear of failure
  • procrastination
  • inability to delay gratification
  • too little/too much self-confidence

Remember Sternberg suggests that if intelligence properly defined and measured it MUST translate into real-life success (Sternberg, 1986)