When it comes to social networking, a new study has revealed that Twitter users could well be the smartest of them all.

Psychometric testing company Onetest surveyed 2,851 graduates from around Australia, exploring the outcomes (life satisfaction, salary and career progression) of people who had entered the workforce between 2002 and 2011, before cross-referencing this data against their social network of choice.

And the results? While only four percent listed Twitter as their preferred social tool, these respondents had the “highest cognitive abilities” of users across all the main social channels.

The survey revealed that Facebook was the most preferred social platform, followed by LinkedIn, but that there was no statistically significant difference between the average cognitive abilities of users other than those who favoured Twitter.

“Because social media is such a huge part of people’s identities and lives, we added questions about their social media preference and usage,” said Cherie Curtis, Onetest’s head of psychology. “We found that, while LinkedIn is often thought to be the tool of professionals, those who preferred Twitter were also those with the highest cognitive abilities.”

Curtis said that Twitter’s immediate and pace could be the reason why it appeals to smarter users.

“To really engage with Twitter requires lateral thinking and attention. It’s an ever-changing, information sharing platform and does require a greater degree of attention, concentration and the ability to retain, organise and apply information And to drill down a complex thought into 140 characters or fewer requires problem solving skills and clarity of thought,” she said.

(Source: ARN.)