The big head has been a target for jokes for years. Or maybe you were the kid they called Bobble-Head. Or maybe someone said you had a billboard for a forehead. Well, there may finally be some scientific support for the big-head bunch. But before anyone starts demanding that someone measure their skull for a corner office, an important caveat exists.
Some studies have found a correlation between larger head size, brain size, and some measures of cognitive ability. A systematic review of more than 100 studies published in 2024 found that most of the higher-quality studies in the general population showed a positive association between head circumference and intelligence. Researchers also found links to academic achievement.
That’s somewhat surprising, but it doesn’t mean we can predict whether your head size will determine whether you become a CEO. The relationship is small, and intelligence is complex, as scientists have pointed out many times. Intelligence is linked to brain size, but the size of a person’s head doesn’t tell us much about their personality, ambition, leadership skills, or ability to survive a Monday morning meeting.
So, sadly, a big forehead does not always mean a place in the boardroom. The research does, however, put a smile on the faces of those with big heads. If you’ve been hiding from jokes about your big head, you can now come back with something better than an insult. Just don’t go too far, there are some cognitive benefits to a big head, but it doesn’t come with an executive parking space, a private jet, or an assistant who knows your coffee order.