People considered wise share key characteristics, global study finds

What makes a person wise? People perceive wisdom through the lens of applying knowledge and logical thinking, as well as considering the feelings and perceptions of others, according to a new study by University of Waterloo researchers who examined perceptions of wisdom in 12 countries and across five continents.

The study, “Dimensions of Perception of Wisdom in Twelve Countries on Five Continents,” by Rudnev and Grossmann, among other collaborators, is published in Nature Communications.

The researchers examined the underlying principles that guide perceptions of wisdom in political leadership, science, and everyday life. Across cultures, participants’ judgments converged on two dimensions: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. Reflective orientation includes characteristics such as logical thinking, emotional control, and application of knowledge. Socio-emotional awareness includes characteristics such as attentiveness to others’ feelings and attention to social context.

“To our surprise, both dimensions appeared across all the cultural regions we studied, and both were associated with an explicit attribution of wisdom,” said Dr. Maksim Rudnev, a postdoctoral researcher in psychology at Waterloo and lead author.

The study reveals how people around the world judge, support and trust leaders, educators and others in positions of influence. Examples include how people view former U.S. President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden.

“Although the two dimensions of wisdom work together, people associate wisdom more with reflective orientation. If a person is perceived as incapable of reflection and logical thinking, then perceptions that they are socio-emotionally and morally competent will not compensate,” said Dr. Igor Grossmann, corresponding senior author and director of the Wisdom and Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo.

“This was evident immediately after the infamous 2024 Trump-Biden presidential debate: both candidates appeared unthinking, but Trump appeared to win the debate, with many viewers perceiving Biden as socio-emotionally well-intentioned but cognitively fragile.”

The collaboration between 26 research institutions was coordinated by the Geography of Philosophy consortium and included researchers from North and South America (Canada, United States, Ecuador and Peru), Asia (China, India, Japan and South Korea), Africa (Morocco and South Africa) and Europe (Slovakia).

The study involved 2,707 participants from 16 diverse socioeconomic and cultural groups. They were asked to compare 10 individuals, including scientists, politicians and teachers, in a difficult choice in a real-world scenario with no clear right or wrong answer.

Participants were then asked to rate the wisdom of these individuals and themselves. The data were analyzed to identify underlying dimensions governing perceptions of wisdom across individuals and across groups.

“Interestingly, our participants rated themselves as lower than most exemplars of wisdom in reflective orientation, but were less self-aware in socio-emotional characteristics,” Rudnev said.

“Understanding perceptions of wisdom around the world has implications for leadership, education, and cross-cultural communication. It is the first step in understanding the universal principles that govern how others perceive wisdom in different contexts.”