Why do more educated people tend toward centrism?

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Reminder again that one of the most loyal demographics in the rise of Hitler and the like were doctors, engineers, scientists, civil servants, businessmen etc.

The answer in short is that in America, Britain and most of the developed world the educated middle class are relatively content with their lives and see no reason to mess with a status quo that benefits them. In countries where the educated middle class are discontented (I.e. The middle class in Brazil, who feel that populism and corruption is having a detrimental effect on their quality of living) they are just as likely to fly into ideological extremes. Likewise certain elements of the educated classes are often very contemptuous of the status quo in developed countries - teachers, academics, doctors (who hilariously are stridently left in my country and stridently right in yours) and often swing in very ideological directions due to government policy.

And the relatively uneducated often are in the centre. Even in the context of modern America, you see large blocs like rural African Americans who are very loyal to the Clinton/Obama wing. That again is a calculation on their part - they feel that the perceived risk of a left swing would be more of a risk than a benefit, and so don't rock the boat. In fact the very uneducated are often a key part of large ideology-free centrist machines like Tammany Hall or the old German Centre Party.

And finally of course, one should be precise in our definitions if we are to make useful conclusions, and definitely avoid cross-contamination with other definitions.

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Because it's probably easier to understand both sides. Ideology is often a bad thing, because it saves from own thought. Ideologies are often a pure vision that is unlikely or even impossible to accomplish or to fully function. Often, pragmatic thinking leads to the most success and is within the possible. To explain it in brief on the economy for example, the best solutions are mostly in the middle: You need some common-sense regulations, you need to make sure that everyone is paying their fair share, but you also can't tax and regulate the hell out of everything. Economic growth is necessary to expand wealth to everyone, and therefore you need a business-friendly environment. However, a completely unregulated market doesn't work and only helps the upper class and the rich. The government needs to make sure that everybody is playing by the same rules, and there also needs to be safety net for everyone who needs help. On the other hand, only those who really need it should benefit from a welfare state.

imagine sounding this smug on a regular basis

Yes, especially as one might recall a certain red avatared German who enthusiastically supported Trump only a month before the general election.

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Has Mensa ever polled its members on their political views?