MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

Howard Gardner

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

Howard Gardner viewed intelligenceas 'the capacity to solve problems orto fashion products that are valuedin one or more cultural setting'(Gardner & Hatch, 1989).

Linguistic intelligence

It involves sensitivity to spoken and writtenlanguage, the ability to learn languages, and thecapacity to use language to accomplish certaingoals. This intelligence includes the ability toeffectively use language to express oneselfrhetorically or poetically; and language as ameans to remember information. Writers, poets,lawyers and speakers are among those thatHoward Gardner sees as having high linguisticintelligence.

Logical-mathematical intelligence

It consists of the capacity to analyze problemslogically, carry out mathematical operations,and investigate issues scientifically. In HowardGardner's words, in entails the ability todetect patterns, reason deductively and thinklogically. This intelligence is most oftenassociated with scientific and mathematicalthinking.

Musical intelligence

It involves skill in the performance,composition, and appreciation of musicalpatterns. It encompasses the capacity torecognize and compose musical pitches,tones, and rhythms. According toHoward Gardner musical intelligenceruns in an almost structural parallel tolinguistic intelligence.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence

It entails the potential of using one'swhole body or parts of the body tosolve problems. It is the ability to usemental abilities to coordinate bodilymovements. Howard Gardner seesmental and physical activity asrelated.

Spatial intelligence

It involves the potential torecognize and use the patterns ofwide space and more confinedareas.

Interpersonal intelligence

It is concerned with the capacity tounderstand the intentions, motivationsand desires of other people. It allowspeople to work effectively with others.Educators, salespeople, religious andpolitical leaders and counselors all need awell-developed interpersonalintelligence.

Intrapersonal intelligence

It entails the capacity to understandoneself, to appreciate one's feelings,fears and motivations. In HowardGardner's view it involves having aneffective working model of ourselves,and to be able to use suchinformation to regulate our lives.

Are there additional intelligences?

• Since Howard Gardner's original listing of theintelligences in Frames of Mind (1983) therehas been a great deal of discussion as to otherpossible candidates for inclusion (orcandidates for exclusion). Subsequentresearch and reflection by Howard Gardnerand his colleagues has looked to threeparticular possibilities:

Naturalist intelligence

It enables human beings torecognize, categorize and draw uponcertain features of the environment.It 'combines a description of the coreability with a characterization of therole that many cultures value'

Spiritual intelligence

The case for inclusion of naturalist intelligenceappears pretty straightforward, the positionwith regard to spiritual intelligence is far morecomplex. According to Howard Gardner (1999:59) there are problems, for example, aroundthe 'content' of spiritual intelligence, itsprivileged but unsubstantiated claims withregard to truth value, 'and the need for it tobe partially identified through its effect onother people'.

Existential intelligence

A concern with 'ultimate issues', is, thus, the nextpossibility that Howard Gardner considers - andhe argues that it 'scores reasonably well on thecriteria’. However, empirical evidence is sparse -and although a ninth intelligence might beattractive, Howard Gardner is not disposed to addit to the list. 'I find the phenomenon perplexingenough and the distance from the otherintelligences vast enough to dictate prudence - atleast for now' (ibid.: 66).

Moral intelligence

The final, and obvious, candidate forinclusion in Howard Gardner's list is moralintelligence. In his exploration, he beginsby asking whether it is possible todelineate the 'moral domain'. He suggeststhat it is difficult to come to anyconsensual definition, but argues that it ispossible to come to an understanding thattakes exploration forward.