Big Surprise, Men Are More Likely To Think They're Smarter Than Their Partner

While there are plenty of things out there that are up for debate, some things are just inarguably true. The sky is blue. Water is made of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. My name is spelled "Candice." And, of course, one gender is no better than the others. So, if you're sitting wondering, "Are men smarter than women in relationships?!" Let me make this easy for you: no. Of course they're not. In fact, in general, it's pretty unfair to believe you're "smarter" than anybody when intellect is such a broad category. That being said, a new study finds that certain men actually subscribe to this school of thought. SMH.

The market research firm YouGov conducted a study that involved asking Americans if they think they're smarter, equally smart or less smart than their partners. Their responses are disappointing, to say the least. First off, only 39 percent of both men and women actually thought their partner was just as smart as them. Good. Great. That's just awesome to hear.

Almost a quarter of people (23 percent) actually believe we're smarter than our partners. And here's where it gets extra disappointing for anyone dating a dude. While only 21 percent of women were likely to think that they were slightly more intelligent than their partners, a slightly larger 25 percent of dudes thought the same thing.

The study found that, in addition to gender, income played a role in whether or not we believe we're smarter than our partners. Almost a third (28 percent, to be exact) of people earning over $80,000 actually adhered to the belief that they're more intelligent than their partners, according to the study.

On the flip side, only 17 percent of those who earn less than $40,000 said the same. Who else is concerned about their intellect? Apparently, not that many people. Only seven percent of men believe their partners are smarter than they are, and only nine percent of women said the same. Hey, at least people are confident.

Of course, finding out that such a significant portion of men genuinely believe that they're smarter than their partners is disheartening. When it comes to relationships, we should always try to operate under the assumption that we are all on the same intellectual playing field. For me, personally, I like to see it like this: My boyfriend and I are smart in different ways. He's great with thinking about every little detail, while I'm great at thinking about the big picture. That doesn't mean he's smarter than me or I'm smarter than him! It just means that we shine in different intellectual areas and that's perfectly fine.

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