Defining Intelligence

By: Sandra SalasSpeech 104

Dr. Howard Gardner

• An American developmental psychologist

• Born on July 11, 1943 in Scranton, PA

• Senior Director of Harvard Project Zero and author of over twenty books

• Best known for his Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983)

The Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Dr. Howard Gardner

Dr. Gardner’s theory states that not only do human beings have several different ways of learning and processing information, but that these methods are relatively independent of one another

• Many early theorists believed that intelligence is a single entity. Gardner disagreed and questioned these early theorists.

Culture was a large influence and helped determine a person’s intelligence. According to Howard, society held tasks and different types of intelligence at different levels.

His theory was seen that a person could be great in several forms of intelligence but can be below average in others.

Since 1999, Gardner has identified eight intelligence. A 9th one was recently added.

Linguistic Intelligence/Verbal Communication

Linguistic Intelligence/Verbal Communication: The capacity to use language to express what's on your mind and to understand other people.

Any kind of writer, orator, speaker, lawyer, or other person for whom language is an important stock in trade has great linguistic intelligence.

Logical/Mathematical Intelligence

• Logical/Mathematical Intelligence:

The capacity to understand the underlying principles of some kind of causal system, the way a scientist or a logician does; to manipulate numbers, quantities, and operations.

Musical Rhythmic Intelligence

Musical Rhythmic Intelligence: The capacity to think in music; to be able to hear patterns, recognize them, and manipulate them. People who have strong musical intelligence don't just remember music easily, they can't get it out of their minds, it's so omnipresent.

Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence

Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence:

The capacity to use your whole body or parts of your body to solve a problem, make something, or put on some kind of production. • Examples: people in

athletics or the performing arts, particularly dancing or acting.

Spatial Intelligence

Spatial Intelligence:The ability to represent the spatial world internally in your mind. It can be used in the arts or in the sciences.

Intrapersonal Intelligence Intrapersonal Intelligence:

Having an understanding of yourself; knowing who you are, what you can do, what you want to do, how you react to things, which things to avoid, and which things to gravitate toward. We are drawn to people who have a good understanding of themselves. They tend to know what they can and can't do, and to know where to go if they need help.

Interpersonal Intelligence

Interpersonal Intelligence:

The ability to understand other people. It's an ability we all need, but is especially important for teachers, clinicians, salespersons, or politicians -- anybody who deals with other people.

Naturalist Intelligence Naturalist Intelligence: The

ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) and sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). This ability was clearly of value in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers; it continues to be central in such roles as botanist or chef.

Recently Added: Existential Intelligence

Existential Intelligence:

The ability to pose and ponder questions about life, death, and ultimate realities.

“I want my children to understand the world, but not just because the world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better place”

-Howard Gardner