[HPforGrownups] Is Hermione Supposed to be a Genius?

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 94579

On 30 Mar 2004 at 12:13, Susanne wrote:


> Hi,
> 
> Tuesday, March 30, 2004, 2:40:45 AM, Shaun wrote:
> 
> > The first if less certain - but her memory for what she has read
> > seems to be fairly close to photographic -
> 
> I've always thought that Hermione must have a photographic
> memory (which makes it very easy for her to remember facts
> she may have only read about once, and to remember
> incantations, potion's ingredients, spells...), but I've
> never been sure if this is a sign of superior intelligence
> in itself.

It is, and it isn't.

In psychometric terms, memory is an important component of 
intelligence. Basically, almost by definition, a person with an 
excellent memory *is* highly intelligent - however while it's 
common for such a person to also have other highly intelligent 
characteristics, it isn't absolutely universal. It's very close 
though.
 
> I'm sure it's a great boost in general, because she seems to
> be the only one able to do spells on the first try, while others
> mispronounce or leave out words, and it helps her to have
> access to a whole bunch of spells that others (incl. Harry)
> would have to spend a lot of time studying and repeating, to
> make sure they aren't forgotten down the road.
> 
> Hermione certainly seems very intelligent and inquisitive,
> and has the lack of social graces that's sometimes
> attributed to geniuses (is this really typical for very
> intelligent people, or just one of those generalizations?).

This is complex. *Generally* speaking the highly intelligent do not 
lack social skills. In fact, if anything, their natural social 
skills tend to be highly developed.

*However*, this is not always apparent. With highly gifted 
children, they can often appear to be socially inept when in fact 
they are precisely the opposite.

Consider a profoundly gifted 5 year old - a child with a mental age 
of 10. That mental age affects all sorts of things - including the 
child's interests, and some areas of their social skills. If this 
child has the social maturity of an average 8 year old say, coupled 
with the typical interests of an average 9 year old - how easy is 
it likely to be for them to make friends in a class of 5 years 
olds? The other children are unlikely to be interested in the same 
complex games that the gifted child is. They are unlikely to share 
the same interests - consider the 5 year old who has read all the 
Harry Potter books - and wants to play Harry Potter. How many other 
kids in the class are going to be at their level? Is the child 
socially inept? No, they are socially advanced - but an adult 
looking at the class is likely to see all the other children 
playing happily together - and assume there's something lacking in 
the child who sits apart.

And as time goes on - being less likely to have many friends, that 
child has less opportunity to develop common social skills. And may 
find that there's no real need for them. The situation can be even 
worse if the child is teased or bullied because of their 
intelligence - which does happen. Why would you want to be friends 
with those who torment you all the time?

I don't think Hermione really lacks social graces. When she sees 
the point of social interactions, she engages in them. But she has 
other things that she gives a higher priority to. That's not 
uncommon. 

> But what I've been curious about (and not just in regards to
> Hermione) is, if there are people with photographic memory,
> who *don't* appear to make good use of it in their lives.

Absolutely - natural abilities, no matter how spectacular or useful 
are just a starting point. If you want to use them in any real way, 
you still need to put some effort into it. 

 
> Private answers would be fine, since this isn't necessarily
> HP related.

I think I'll keep this post onlist - because I was thinking of 
Hermione as I wrote it, and described the social interactions.


Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia