Jj is for Jottings 109.  8 Types of Intelligence.

Most people know about the IQ (Intelligence Quotient) test, and you may have taken an IQ test at some stage.  Some scientists argue that tests like these favour people with logical and mathematical abilities, and ignore other areas like artistic, linguistic, musical or interpersonal skills.

Harvard scientist, Howard Gardner finally discovered, after many years of research, that there are 8 types of intelligence.  I think it’s good to know about them, both for your own view of yourself and your strengths and weaknesses, but also when looking at how your child is functioning.  A narrow focus on the more traditional view of intelligence may make a child look limited.  However, if we take the broader view, we may find that there is a lot more to be positive about in relation to how our children are performing.  And it may also help us to see how they may find a useful and happy place in the world as adults.

8 TYPES OF INTELLIGENCE.

1. VERBAL-LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE.

People who score high in verbal-linguistic intelligence are highly sensitive to the sound, meaning, and order (syntax) of words.

They love to talk, listen, read, and write; they often become authors, foreign language translators, or public speakers.

2. LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE.

This is the category of intelligence most widely measured by the old-school IQ tests. People who achieve a high score on this scale tend to have strong abilities in mathematics (there’s a big surprise!).  They also love to solve problems in the context of other complex systems.

They are often much more logical than emotional and think things through in a sequential pattern.

If you have a high logical-mathematical intelligence, you might be interested in a career in technology, engineering or a branch of science.

3. MUSICAL-RHYTHMIC INTELLIGENCE.

People who are high in this area understand and create music. They’re the singers and dancers, instrumentalists, musicians, and composers.  However, I might comment that there are quite a few popular musicians who are actually pretty average in this area of intelligence.  And, sadly, they don’t know that they don’t know.

4. VISUAL-SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Fighter pilots and graphic designers have this in common: to perform their jobs well, they must be able to precisely visualise the world they are navigating. For example, a Military Flight Aptitude test measure one’s ability to map 2-D images in 3-D space.

People with high visual-spatial intelligence have great depth perception and a talent for imagining layouts based on data points or images.  Albert Einstein had extremely high intelligence in this area.  From what I have read about him, his intelligence was uneven across the 8 areas, not surprisingly.  But he certainly found a niche in life!

5. BODILY-KINAESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE.

People with this special brand of intelligence love to use their bodies. They make excellent athletes, performers, and dancers.  And remember, movement is important in learning.

6. INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE.

These are the born diplomats.  They are sensitive to the needs of other people, hence they are very good at negotiating to find the compromise that will work for everyone concerned.

Interpersonally intelligent people are very perceptive of what motivates others—their moods, desires, and ambitions.  They are excellent communicators and listeners who can drive a tough bargain. They often become leaders, therapists, or politicians.

7. INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE.

Intrapersonally smart people also have high Emotional Intelligence (EQ).  (“Inter” means “between”; “intra” means “within/inner”.)  Those who score well on the intrapersonal scale know themselves well – perceiving and understanding their own emotions, values, and philosophy of life.  They know how to set goals and maintain the discipline it takes to achieve them, by being accountable to themselves.

These people are deep thinkers who often seek solitude. And they often become spiritual leaders, writers, and/or inventors.

8. NATURALIST INTELLIGENCE.

I bet you hadn’t considered this as an area of intelligence.

These are the people who know the names of many flowers, trees, insects, and birds. They love to be in nature: hiking, climbing mountains, or working on ecological projects.  And gardening.  They see patterns and connections throughout the universe, and tend to be spiritual, which is a result of their deep connection to the natural world.

They make excellent environmentalists, ecologists, zoologists, or workers in forestry.

YOU MIGHT BE MORE INTELLIGENT THAN YOU THINK.

So – you couldn’t do a quadratic equation to save your life.  Isn’t it comforting to know that there are other areas in which you might knock those mathematical nerds into a cocked hat?  You are officially intelligent and, what’s more, there are steps you can take to enhance the areas you would like to develop further.

Likewise, some children have obvious strengths and weaknesses.  Here are two points to consider:

1. You may be able to use their areas of strength to assist their learning in the weak areas. Children with good bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence who are struggling with literacy (verbal-linguistic intelligence), might benefit from making letters out of play dough or tracing over sandpaper letters etc. in order to learn their sound-letter links. For a simple explanation of the role of our brain and nervous system in learning, see Learning Part 1 and Learning part 2.
2. When children are weak in the more formal, academic areas of intelligence, it doesn’t mean that they are going to lead a less than happy and successful life. I have known a number of children over the years who have had great problems with literacy and numeracy, but I am confident that they will have a great life.  This is because they have other highly-developed areas of intelligence, particularly in the realms of emotional intelligence.  Great interpersonal intelligence, in particular, opens so many doors in life.  Even just presenting a cheerful face to the world results in more pleasant interactions with other people than a glum face will elicit.

 

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