According to Sternberg and Kauffman (1998), intelligence is defined as “the ability to learn from one’s own experiences, acquire knowledge and use resources effectively in adapting to new situations or solving problems.”
This led to several research studies being conducted in the field of intelligence and its relationship to psychology.
However, many of the intelligence-based theories focused on describing and understanding “average” intelligence.
In the 19th century, the French psychologist Alfred Binet and a group of colleagues developed an objective measure of the intelligence of the primary grade school students and reduced it to a single number or “IQ” score.
Almost 80 years after the first intelligence tests were developed, a Harvard psychologist named Howard Gardner broadened the scope of human potential beyond the confines of the IQ score.
He seriously questioned the commonly held belief (IQ SCORE) and validity of determining intelligence through the practice of taking individuals out of their natural learning environment.
“It is of the utmost importance that we recognize and nurture all of the varied human intelligence. If so, I think we will have at least a better chance of dealing appropriately with the many problems that we face in the world.”
– Howard Gardner
Who is Gardner?
Howard Gardner is an American psychologist who is specialized in the field of developmental psychology.
Gardner argued that although reason, logic and knowledge sound similar, they are not alike at all. He believes that they are different aspects of intelligence. He wanted to ensure that intelligence was not limited to the “average” population but also measured the extremes such as those with limited mental capacity and those with extremely high mental capacity.
And therefore Gardner introduced the Theory of Multiple Intelligence. Initially, he introduced seven different types but later on added another, for a total of eight. Finally, a ninth one was introduced tentatively and added later on.
Consider the following example “Smith advertising agency”. Let us analyze how everyone is gifted with a unique set of skills and talents. But it’s purely in your hands to get it out to the limelight. All you need is years of practicing to level up all your abilities to achievements.
Smith is an advertisement designer. It is his biggest dream to start his advertising agency. He’s been on the lookout and has been working on the foundation of his venture. He realized that to be able to do that, he needed a team who were experts in their respective fields. He was expecting a bunch of diversely skilled people who would render their unique contribution to his company rather than a group of similar-minded people. So he uploaded an advertisement on LinkedIn and got to recruit the best in the market.
Types of Intelligence
1. Verbal/ Linguistic Intelligence
Those who have high verbal/linguistic intelligence can be able to comprehend and communicate effectively. Those with high verbal/linguistic intelligence are more likely to do better in careers such as content writers, public speakers etc.
People who are proficient in this type of intelligence:
• Enjoy solving word puzzles, reading, writing, storytelling, etc.
• Are well versed in playing with words, effectively translating their thoughts into words.
• Debates, journal writing, process writing, etc. are some of the strategies that can be utilized to teach students with this intelligence.
J.K. Rowling is a very famous author of the Harry Potter series. She is considered to have high intelligence in the verbal/linguistic domain.
Other celebrities such as Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill are also found to be high in linguistic intelligence.
Smith was looking for someone good with words; someone capable of portraying the company with proficiency of their words and Emma was selected. She can use language to her benefit and beautifully pen down her thoughts into words. She was selected as the scriptwriter, who does dialogue for advertisements.
2. Musical Intelligence
Musical intelligence is the ability to compose and perform music. Those who have high intelligence in this dimension are more likely musicians, singers etc.
People who are high on this intelligence:
• Can usually be found singing or humming, tapping their hands and feet to make music or even making music using pen or pencil.
• Respond to tonal intonations and auditory stimuli.
• Will learn through phonetics, songs, rhyming, and setting music to study content.
A.R. Rahman is a renowned composer and singer. He can compose and create music and hence he is known to have a high level of intelligence in the Musical Intelligence domain.
Mozart, Beethoven, and Leonard Bernstein are some world-class artists who’ve rendered their avant-garde compositions to this world.
Jaden applied for the role of music composer at Smith’s agency. When Smith heard Jaden’s earlier compositions, he was moved. He knew that Jaden’s music would be a prominent reason for his future advertisements to become a massive hit.
3. Logical/Mathematical Intelligence
This is a type of intelligence in which the person can look at things from an objective and logical point of view. These kinds of people are more likely to be satisfied in jobs that involve the usage of mathematics and logical reasoning. This may include people such as scientists and engineers.
Those with a high level of logical intelligence:
• Are logical and good at sorting and organizing, capable of understanding statements, complex propositions, and functions.
• Show high proficiency in reasoning and numbers.
• Are likely to learn through sequencing, critical thinking, logical thinking, data analysis, puzzles etc.
Aryabhata is one of the first mathematics and Indian philosophers. He studied the relativity of motion. His intelligence type is Logical/Mathematical.
Other renowned personalities such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and John Dewey are some of the most skillful logical thinkers.
Another role to be filled at Smith’s agency was that of someone logical. Although Smith could come up with grand ideas for the ads, he was looking for someone who would be able to put the ideas into figures and practically estimate the outcomes.
Maybe a candidate with years of experience in data analytics, or a statistician, a market researcher, and a business analyst can do it much better. Recruiting these kinds of candidates is the best option for Smith.
4. Visual/Spatial Intelligence
This intelligence is the ability to understand objects and their orientation in space. People with high intelligence in this field can understand depth perception. Jobs such as astronauts, pilots, artists, navigators etc.
Spatially intelligent people tend to:
• Think in images and pictures.
• Love designing, drawing and representing through diagrams.
• Be exceptional at visual arts.
• Infographics, picture books, and presentations are some of the tools that can be used to facilitate learning for children with this intelligence.
Those with high visual/spatial intelligence are able to understand the orientation of objects. This domain includes astronauts. Kalpana Chawla was one of the well-known astronauts and her intelligence type is considered to be Visual/Spatial Intelligence.
Picasso, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Vincent Van Gogh are some world’s best artists who were highly dexterous in this form of intelligence.
Will has a good eye for aesthetics. He is picky about what goes into his work and his choices never go wrong. Smith was utterly impressed with Will’s body of work and his creativity, which is exactly why Will was hired.
5. Movement/ kinesthetic Intelligence
This intelligence is associated with the ability to move one’s own body. This includes co-ordination, rhythm, bodily motion, etc. These include jobs such as background dancers, athletes, etc.
Those with kinesthetic intelligence:
• Can always be found running, jumping, dancing, building things, etc.
• Are good at dancing, sports, gymnastics, sculpting, crafting, etc.
• Hands-on experiments, dramatics, field trips, and creative movements are some of the techniques to be used to teach children with kinesthetic intelligence.
Usain Bolt is a famous Olympian who is also known as the “fast man alive”. He is able to beat the odds however, trains as much as possible to ensure he can do his best. Some other celebrities like Michael Jordan, Charlie Chaplin, and Sachin Tendulkar are high on kinesthetic intelligence.
Another role which was yet to be filled was that of a dancer. Smith looked for someone who was physically fit and could choreograph all the dance scenes for the advertisements very well. Of all the people, Kelly showed high potential because she seemed to be someone who had a good sense of body movements in general and was capable of being creative with her dance moves.
6. Interpersonal Intelligence
Interpersonal Intelligence is the ability to communicate, empathize, and motivate others. People with this specific kind of intelligence are more likely to enjoy jobs in which they are required to communicate and interact with others. This includes jobs such as psychologists, teachers and managers.
People with interpersonal intelligence are found:
• To be natural-born leaders.
• Enjoy classroom interactions and group activities.
• Leading teams and project groups.
• Learning through peer interactions, group projects, cooperative learning, and interviews.
Mother Teresa was a famous social worker who helped patients with leprosy. She was able to interact with others, help them and empathize with them. Hence she is considered to have high intelligence in the Interpersonal domain.
Other famous personalities like Oprah Winfrey, Gandhi and Ellen DeGeneres are also people with high interpersonal intelligence.
Paul is a people person. He loves addressing people and interacting with them daily. Smith understood that with recruiting people, he also needed someone who could act as the intermediate between him and the employees. To be precise, he was looking for a human resource manager who possesses a good amount of social skills as HR’s are required to be in touch with people at all times. Based on Paul’s accomplishments, he seemed like the top choice.
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence
The ability to understand one’s own emotions and own behavior. These people can understand their own emotions and can remain in touch with their feelings, bodily sensations and thoughts. People with this kind of intelligence are more likely to excel in fields that are people oriented.
Those who are gifted with Intrapersonal intelligence are:
• Quiet and dreamy.
• They set their own goals and work towards them.
• They are highly intuitive people.
These kinds of people are in touch with their own emotions and able to understand and acknowledge what they are thinking and feeling.
A good example of this kind of intelligence is Anne Frank. She was one of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust that happened during the 1940s. Although she was going through a difficult time, she was able to write down her thoughts and feelings and was also able to process them. She is said to have high intelligence in the Intrapersonal domain.
Apart from Anne Frank, there are world-renowned philosophers like Plato and the father of Psychology, Sigmund Freud, and the first lady of the United States of America, Eleanor Roosevelt were showed excellence in intrapersonal intelligence.
Smith is the type of person who would place high emphasis on mental health, so he was looking for someone who had good social skills and empathy to be able to attend to the emotional needs of the other employees of the agency. Therefore he hired Barbara as she is a licensed psychologist who seemed to have a high emotional intelligence and she always addressed people with empathy and respect.
8. Naturalist Intelligence
People with this kind of intelligence can able to identify different patterns in their natural surroundings. They thoroughly enjoy being in nature. Jobs include farmers, landscapers, biologists etc.
People who show an inclination towards the naturalist form of intelligence are:
• Nurturers of nature.
• They enjoy tending to plants and animals.
• They are highly interested in subjects such as botany, zoology, biology and geography.
• They enjoy learning through reading in an open space, taking nature walks, identifying insects, classifying plants and building habitats.
Jane Goodall is a very famous primatologist who is well known for her work with primates. She thoroughly enjoys being in nature and often advocates for environmental issues. She is considered to be intelligent in the domain of Naturalist Intelligence.
Charles Darwin, who was the founder of Darwin’s theory of evolution, Columbus and E.O. Wilson were some of the famous personalities who had a high naturalist intelligence quotient.
Smith has sworn to make eco-friendly choices due to the increase in climate change. So he wanted to hire someone who shared the same interest, who was an environmental enthusiast, and who would also make sure environmentally friendly choices were always made through the course of the process. When he found Nathan ticking off all the boxes, he was beyond himself and hired him right away.
9. Existentialist Intelligence
These people are able to see the meaning of life by asking questions on why things happen the way they do. These kinds of people enjoy philosophy and may even enjoy debating.
A person with high existentialist intelligence is:
• High intuitive and metacognitive.
• They use their senses to perceive the world beyond cognition.
• They reflect on the nature of the world and its purpose.
• They try to understand the concepts that transcend perception.
• They enjoy learning through discussions and by philosophically addressing concepts.
Dalai-Lama is a spiritual leader and a retired politician. He has committed his life to spreading his religious views and helping those in need. He is said to have high intelligence in the Existential Intelligence. Buddha, Socrates and Confucius are some of the most highly regarded philosophers who were exceptionally high on existentialist intelligence.
Rachel is a spiritually oriented person. She finds purpose in her life and contentment through practices of spirituality. She meditates, engages in yoga, has reflective moments about life, praying etc. among others to keep her spiritual self thriving. Smith believes that spiritual self-care practices help calm one’s senses. When he found Rachel’s resume, he realized that she was the best candidate to help his employees relax and take their mind off the stresses of work and personal life.
I DISCOVER MY INTELLIGENCE. DO YOU?
For example, I have a higher level of intelligence in Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence. I thoroughly enjoy reading and writing and often find myself seeking out places and ways I can express myself and my views through writing. I also have a higher level of intelligence in Interpersonal Intelligence. I can communicate and empathize with others on a very strong and personal level. I find it easy to create a deep and meaningful bond with others.
What is your type of intelligence? What are you inclined towards?
How can Gardner’s Theory be applied?
Gardner’s contribution to psychology will forever be exceptional. His theory of multiple intelligences broadened the way people viewed intelligence. Due to the theory of multiple intelligences, people were able to understand that intelligence can vary depending on the individual and their interests.
Furthermore, this led to the development of several other scales that measure interest (i.e. David’s Battery of Differential Abilities). These scales can be used to help the individual identify their strengths. This theory has also helped to shape and define the way students are being taught.
Several schools and curricula now focus on teaching students in ways that promote individual personal strengths and goals.
This theory is important and continues to help us understand ourselves and others better. I encourage you to look into yourselves and identify your interests.