Are you good at math?
Or perhaps you’re better at sport?
Or video games?
Maybe you’re really good with writing or learning a new language.
Today we’ll be talking about the 9 types of intelligence or the theory of multiple intelligence,
and what type of jobs or hobbies are related to what intelligence.
And be sure you stay until the end, because I do want to talk about the controversies
around this theory that many people don’t talk about.
It’s Your Unlocked Potential, and without further ado, let’s go!
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Dr. Howard Gardner‘s 1983 Book “Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences”
denied the narrow spectrum of IQ and extended the concept that there are multiple intelligences out there.
Because humans have multiple senses, that means there are multiple ways of collecting
data, and therefore, multiple ways of processing the information around us.
So, what are all the different types of intelligence?
Starting off with #1.
Musical Intelligence
Remember that at the start I mentioned that humans
have multiple senses, so we process the information differently.
Musical intelligence uses the sense of hearing to differentiate pitch, rhythm, timbre, tone, and melody.
This intelligence allows us to recognize a certain pitch, to create and reproduce music,
or appreciate and reflect on the said music.
People with high musical intelligence are usually humming or singing to themselves.
They have a good pitch or even perfect pitch.
They are senstitive to vibrations and rhythms.
Singers, composers, conductors, and instrument players are usually high in musical intelligence.
Whether they are performing as hobbies or professionally.
#2.
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
Logical-mathematical intelligence is the ability
to quantify items, to calculate numbers and to understand and use mathematical operations,
to consider and propose hypotheses, and understand reasonings and logic.
This intelligence allows us to see relationships and connections using sequential logical skills,
and come to a reasonable conclusion.
This form of intelligence is often well developed in mathematicians, scientists, and detectives.
If you often recognize patterns, see things in categories, like to do math, solve arithmetic
problems, play strategy games, you may be high in this intelligence.
This intelligence is usually what we attribute to what IQ is.
#3.
Linguistic Intelligence
Know someone who can speak just one language?
They are monolingual. And they make up 40% of the world population.
They can speak two?
They are called bilingual. They make up 43% of the world.
Three languages?
Trilingual
They make up 13% of the world's population.
Anyone who can speak more than 2 is considered “multilingual”, but more often used for
people who can speak four languages
And these people make up 3% of the world.
Speak 5 or more, and you’re called a polyglot (less than 1% of the world population).
People of high linguistic intelligence are often good with words and languages.
But, does that mean if you speak only 1 language, you’re not high in linguistic intelligence?
Not at all.
If you are good at reading, writing, or amazing at telling stories, you probably have a high
linguistic intelligence as well.
This form of intelligence allows us to understand the order of words, syntax, and semantics.
Occupations with high linguistic intelligence
are poets, novelists, journalists, translators, and effective public speakers.
People with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, learning new languages,
telling stories or doing crossword puzzles.
#4.
Spatial Intelligence
Spatial intelligence is the ability to think
in three dimensions and be aware of our surroundings.
Like to daydream?
Good at forming mental images?
People with high spatial intelligence usually have a good sense of direction
and remember where exactly you put your wallets and keys.
They are usually also good at drawing, copying artworks, and recalling objects and environments.
Occupations such as pilots, sailors, sculptors, painters, architects, and engineers all exhibit
spatial intelligence.
People with this kind of intelligence often like mazes or jigsaw puzzles (jenga), or likely
have a hobby in drawing or daydreaming.
#5.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
Bodily kinesthetic intelligence is the capacity
to use your own bodily motions and to handle physical objects in a skilled manner.
This intelligence also involves a sense of timing and a good body-to-mind coordination
or hand-eye coordination.
Fast reaction is an obvious form of high bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, but endurance, stamina, team
cooperation, etc. also fall under this category of intelligence.
Actors, athletes, builders, dancers, musicians, surgeons, and soldiers have well-developed
bodily kinesthetic intelligence.
Some hobbies include casual sport, rock climbing, going to the gym, and playing games.
But, of course, any of these hobbies can be professional if you are proficient at it.
#6.
Interpersonal Intelligence
Interpersonal intelligence is the ability
to understand others and work as part of a team.
Individuals with high interpersonal intelligence have the ability to be sensitive to the moods
and temperaments of others, and also able to view things from multiple perspectives.
People with high empathy and are active listeners would fall under this category.
Often, people with high interpersonal intelligence is also high in Emotional Quotient (EQ), which
makes sense, because another term for EQ is emotional intelligence.
Jobs such as teachers, social workers, counsellors, salesperson and politicians all exhibit interpersonal intelligence.
People with this intelligence are usually leaders, good communicators, and also good
followers when needed to be.
#7.
Intra-personal Intelligence
Intra-personal intelligence is the ability
to understand oneself and one’s thoughts and feelings.
They use their understanding of themselves to plan and carry out one’s life.
They often perform a lot of introspective and reflective thinking.
They are aware of their own strength and weaknesses, what makes them unique, their purpose in life, and
aware of their feelings and emotions.
Essentially, they’re self-aware, which is part of EQ as well.
These qualities are found in psychologists, spiritual leaders, writers, motivational speakers,
and philosophers.
One very interesting aspect I have observed is when taking personality tests, intelligence
tests, quizzes, and so forth is that it requires at least some level of intra-personal intelligence
to be accurate.
Many times, taking these tests is the person you ARE, not the person you THINK you are.
This requires the test taker to be self-aware and understand themselves well enough, so
they can be more objective when taking these tests.
If you would like to find out more about knowing your intelligences, I will link a free intelligence
test down in the description below
# 8.
Naturalist Intelligence
Do you love nature?
Or perhaps animals?
This intelligence was not in the original 7 intelligence Howard Gardner proposed.
It was later added to the theory.
Naturalist intelligence is the intelligence that an individual has to have distinction
among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to features of the natural
world (rock, sky, cloud configurations).
It is part of our evolutionary trait to be hunters, gatherers, and farmers.
Today, this intelligence can be found in animal rights activists, environmental supporters,
scientists, botanist, and chef.
Hobbies that involve naturalist intelligence is going camping, hiking, travelling, or simply
relaxing and feeling at ease with nature and animals.
In the modern age, this kind of intelligence is more important than ever.
With climate change and various animals going extinct, our natural intelligence should be
nurtured to let us be more aware.
9.
Existential Intelligence
Also not originally included in the book,
but Howard Gardner later himself said that “existential and moral intelligences may
also be worthy of inclusion”.
This form of intelligence deals with sensitivity and the capacity to tackle deep questions
about the existence of human, the world, and the universe.
It asks questions such as the meaning of life, why we die, and how did we get here.
Howard Gardner has specified that this form of intelligence is not the same as spiritual
intelligence (or spiritual quotient) as spirituality cannot be scientifically quantifiable, and
to that, I agree.
Now that you know about the theory of multiple intelligences, let’s talk about the controversy.
After decades of the introduction of the theory, many educators and psychologists criticized
the theory that it is too broad and the word “intelligence” is not used correctly.
Specifically, Dr. Jordan Peterson has stated that word “intelligence” should be tied
with Intelligence quotient (IQ), as it has been a rigorous metric in social science as
a predictor of a person’s ability.
When used in the sense as Dr. Howard Gardner has, it blurs the meaning of the word.
In addition, most of the “intelligence” in the theory simply represent talents, personality
traits, and abilities.
Lastly, Gardner’s theory also is lack of supporting empirical research.
However, Gardner has argued that it is based on applied evidence as opposed to experimental
evidence, since this theory is of theoretical synthesis.
With that, I want to ask you the questions
What do you think?
Do you think Howard Gardner is right and that there’s more than one form of intelligence?
Or you think only academic intelligence measured by IQ is the superior form of measurement
and all these others are talents and personalities?
Let me know the comment section down below.
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More improvement theories and self-help tips using science and organizational psychology
coming your way.
Keep on improving and keep learning.
I will see you all on the next week.
Cheers!
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