Part 3/7:
The belief that cynics are smarter and more socially adept than trusting people is known as the "cynical genius illusion." In a 2019 study, researchers found that 70% of people thought cynics were smarter than trusting individuals, and 85% believed a cynical person would be better at detecting lies. This illusion is perpetuated in popular media, where characters who are portrayed as pessimistic, harsh, and paranoid are often seen as the more intelligent ones.
However, the science tells a different story. Cynics actually perform worse on cognitive tests and are less effective at detecting lies than more trusting people. This is because cynics assume they already understand everyone, so they don't pay attention to what people are really like, while gullible people unthinkingly trust others.