Why do I naturally want to debate everything anyone says?

I am a 21 year old college student. From my grades and ACT score I can conclude I have above-average intelligence, but I can't see the problem here. Almost anytime someone comes to a semi-debatable conclusion around me, a peer tries to give me advice, or something else happens where I am presented a fact that could be challenged in any way, I do it. I naturally call "bullcrap" in my head and start thinking of ways I can prove them wrong. I come up with full on arguments for the dumbest stuff.

Is it just a natural part of being a college student? Do you think I just lack respect for everyone? Am I just a jerk?

Usually I try not to say anything to the person because I am trying to be a nice person, but it bothers me that someone can't tell me something without my brain wanting me to argue. I'm hoping someone on here will have similar experience or professional opinion to offer. I promise I won't call BS on you. I am also interested in how someone like this is perceived by others.

It happens with stuff I don't even know about sometimes. I just hear a fact, think they're wrong, then google it or something. I don't tell them that I do this which makes it even more like I'm doing it to gratify some sick impulse.

That's one example. Another situation could involve my friend and I playing two video games. Let's assume one is clearly better than the other. If my friend stated this to me aloud, my brain would immediately start thinking of reasons the crappy game was actually better.

I can provide additional details if needed. I just want to know if there's a name for what I'm doing, if it's common, if it has a root, and if there is some way I can stymie it.

Its a natural human condition.

For what ever reason we all thrive of facts and if something seems wrong and out of place we feel compelled to correct it.
But life's to short to be constantly correcting everyone. Plus nobody likes a no it all.

Mans thoughts are foolishness to God

Perhaps you wish to assert yourself in this way, because you feel uncomfortable asserting yourself in other, more important ways.

A deep sense of insecurity is psychologically countered in the attempted expression of superiority in this area.

I know for a fact that I do this, maybe you do too.

I feel this way all the time and I have a higher than average IQ as well (129...so barely, apparently though it's enough.) I think it has a large part to do with societies BS that they try to feed us. If one more person tells me Raspberry Ketones will make you lose weight because they saw it on Doctor Oz I'm going to lose my mind. Other times when people tell me something that I feel is wrong, I find myself correcting them out of compassion. For instance my friend thinks she can get an apartment on 600 a month because city apartments are only 300. She has no concept of the cost of utilities or food. Ok it's half compassion and half 'WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.'

It's something that I'm learning to control though. When people tell me things about weight lifting being bad for women, or that they're planning to have another baby when their filing bankruptcy....I've learned to keep my mouth shut. I think it cancels out the 'arrogance' factor if you just smile and nod.

We have a bicameral mind. Great for survival, but a side effect is that we rationalize everything, We have a deep need to find order in everything,

We also have a hierarchal society. One's ability to rationalize correctly elevates one over another in the chain of respect. Again, helpful for group survival, but this too has side effects.

I do that sometimes too. Are you a middle child by any chance???

thx1137 is right - we are always looking for order in a completely unorganized world.

I am kind of like this - I constantly debate things with people - but I feel a stronger need to debate things that I feel really strongly about. What seems different about you is that you want to debate everything you have an opinion on no matter how small it is.

and SomeKindaCyan I totally agree with you about people watching things on tv or reading it on the internet and then deciding that is definitely true, just because some person said so. There is no evidence for any of that but people just believe it.