Multiple Intelligences
Have you ever been in the middle of class and felt like you had no idea what was going on? Did you feel like this was somehow a reflection on you? Maybe you had a teacher or a parent tell you that this lack of understanding is not a reflection on you. While it is true that your academic performance does not speak to your character, your lack of understanding in a specific subject is actually a reflection of part of who you are. According to a theory by a Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner introduced in 1983, there are eight types of intelligence. Each intelligence type describes a different aspect of our thinking.
The eight types of intelligence were later sorted into three groups by a man named Robert Sterenburg in 1985. The first group is Analytical. Within this category, there is logical/mathematical intelligence, linguistic intelligence, and naturalistic intelligence. Logical/mathematical intelligence can be associated with a love of math and science. This type of intelligence allows people to see patterns and use logic to solve problems. Linguistic intelligence allows people to learn other languages quickly. This is because this type of intelligence gives people an understanding of how languages work; in other words the structure of language. Lastly, naturalistic intelligence gives people a higher appreciation for nature. This can be more associated with hobbies than school, such as hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities. Scoring high in the Analytical intelligence group means you are good at problem solving and you love a good system. This is why you may excel at math, but struggle to write an essay.
The second group created by Sterenburg is creative intelligence. This includes an overlap from the previous group as linguistic intelligence has multiple facets to it, but it also includes musical intelligence, and visual-spatial intelligence. Musical intelligence allows people to see patterns in the same way logical/mathematical intelligence does, but instead of numbers, musical intelligence is keyed into rhythm, pitch, and tone. Visual/spatial intelligence makes a person very aware of their surroundings. They are able to understand the relationships between the things around them. Scoring high in the creative intelligence group means you have the ability to generate new ideas and flexible thinking. This just means you are able to process information in multiple ways. This can also be called “divergent thinking.”
The last of Sterenburg’s groups is called practical intelligence. Because visual-spatial intelligence also has multiple facets to it, it is included in this group as well, with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence joining it. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is characterized by the ability to control your body in such a way that allows you to engage in physical activities. This is most often exemplified by playing a sport. Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to be sensitive to the emotions of those around you. This is also sometimes referred to as empathy. Intrapersonal intelligence on the other hand is the ability to be sensitive to and understand your own emotions. Scoring high in the practical intelligence group means you are very aware of the world around you and good at abstract thinking. You are very “street smart” and can easily solve everyday problems. You are able to adapt and change to the environment around you, which is why you may have a very active social life.
Each of these types of intelligence describe a different aspect of a person's thinking. The multiple intelligences test linked below, can tell you what aspects of thinking you are strongest at. While your low scores are not a reflection of your character, they may help to explain why you struggle so much with a particular subject or activity. It may even explain why you enjoy the hobbies you do so much.
