Theories of Intelligence
Intelligence tests and psychological definitions of intelligencehave been heavily criticized since the 1970s for being biased infavor of Anglo-American, middle-class respondents and for beinginadequate tools for measuring non-academic types of intelligenceor talent. Intelligence changes with experience and intelligencequotients or scores do not reflect that ability to change. What isconsidered smart varies culturally as well and most intelligencetests do not take this variation into account. For example, in thewest, being smart is associated with being quick. A person whoanswers a question the fastest is seen as the smartest. But in somecultures, being smart is associated with considering an ideathoroughly before giving an answer. A well-thought out,contemplative answer is the best answer.
Multiple Intelligences
Gardner (1983, 1998, 1999) suggests that there are not one, butnine domains of intelligence. The first three are skills that aremeasured by IQ tests:
Logical-mathematical: the ability to solvemathematical problems; problems of logic, numerical patterns
Linguistic: vocabulary, reading comprehension,function of language
Spatial: visual accuracy, ability to read maps,understand space and distance
The next six represent skills that are not measured in standardIQ tests but are talents or abilities that can also be importantfor success in a variety of fields: These are:
Musical: ability to understand patterns inmusic, hear pitches, recognize rhythms and melodies
Bodily-kinesthetic: motor coordination, graceof movement, agility, strength
Naturalistic: knowledge of plants, animals,minerals, climate, weather
Interpersonal: understand the emotion, mood,motivation of others; able to communicate effectively
Intrapersonal: understanding of the self, mood,motivation, temperament, realistic knowledge of strengths,weaknesses
Existential: concern about and understanding oflife’s larger questions, meaning of life, or spiritual matters
Gardner contends that these are also forms of intelligence. Ahigh IQ does not always ensure success in life or necessarilyindicate that a person has common sense, good interpersonal skillsor other abilities important for success.
Triarchic Theory of Intelligence
Another alternative view of intelligence is presented bySternberg (1997; 1999). Sternberg offers three types ofintelligences. Sternberg provided background information about hisview of intelligence in a conference I attended several years ago.He described his frustration as a committee member charged withselecting graduate students for a program in psychology. He wasconcerned that there was too much emphasis placed on aptitude testscores and believed that there were other, less easily measured,qualities necessary for success in a graduate program and in theworld of work. Aptitude test scores indicate the first type ofintelligence-academic.
Academic (componential): includes the abilityto solve problems of logic, verbal comprehension, vocabulary, andspatial abilities.
Sternberg noted that students who have high academic abilitiesmay still not have what is required to be a successful graduatestudent or a competent professional. To do well as a graduatestudent, he noted, the person needs to be creative. The second typeof intelligence emphasizes this quality.
Creative (experiential): the ability to applynewly found skills to novel situations.
A potential graduate student might be strong academically andhave creative ideas, but still, be lacking in the social skillsrequired to work effectively with others or to practice goodjudgment in a variety of situations. This common sense is the thirdtype of intelligence.
Practical (contextual): the ability to usecommon sense and to know what is called for in a situation.
This type of intelligence helps a person know when problems needto be solved. Practical intelligence can help a person know how toact and what to wear for job interviews, when to get out ofproblematic relationships, how to get along with others at work,and when to make changes to reduce stress.
Compare Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences andSternberg’s triarchic theory ofintelligence. You must have at least 3 points ofcomparison.
Do you think that these types ofintelligences are cultivated in school orat home?
