Theory of Multiple Theory of Multiple IntelligencesIntelligences

Presented by Presented by

Prof..K.PrabhakarProf..K.Prabhakar

Prabhakar.krishnamurthy@gmailPrabhakar.krishnamurthy@gmail.com.com

Why all the interest in Why all the interest in Intelligence Intelligence

The educational opportunities depend The educational opportunities depend on one type of testing or otheron one type of testing or other

it is used as a predictive tool for it is used as a predictive tool for performance in the job situationsperformance in the job situations

Many a times we miss Einsteins, Many a times we miss Einsteins, Gandhis,Balamuralikrishnas and brand Gandhis,Balamuralikrishnas and brand them as dunces them as dunces

In fact human potential is not identified In fact human potential is not identified as we are not able to understand it as we are not able to understand it

What is Human Potential?What is Human Potential? We all go through various tests such as We all go through various tests such as

SAT,CAT,MAT,GMAT, IIT Entrance SAT,CAT,MAT,GMAT, IIT Entrance Examinations, IAS etc.Examinations, IAS etc.

Do they measure the potential of a Do they measure the potential of a Humanbeing to perform future tasks or Humanbeing to perform future tasks or tests what we know already? tests what we know already?

What it measures?What it measures? How it measures?How it measures? Is it more focussed on the tool than on Is it more focussed on the tool than on

what it is supposed to measure?what it is supposed to measure?

What is Intelligence ?What is Intelligence ?

It is the single It is the single general capacity general capacity that every that every Humanbeing Humanbeing possess to a possess to a greater or lesser greater or lesser extentextent

It can be It can be measured by measured by standardized standardized verbal verbal instruments, such instruments, such as short answers, as short answers, paper and pencil paper and pencil teststests

Who is true genius?Who is true genius? A mind of large general powers , A mind of large general powers ,

accidentally determined to some accidentally determined to some particular directions- S.Johnson particular directions- S.Johnson

What is large general powers?What is large general powers? The mind has potential to deal with The mind has potential to deal with

many different content, does it mean many different content, does it mean that persons ability with one kind has an that persons ability with one kind has an effect on other content?effect on other content?

No scientific proof is available to prove No scientific proof is available to prove the state ment of Samuel Johnson the state ment of Samuel Johnson

How Intelligence is How Intelligence is expressed?expressed?

Think and write five sentences on Think and write five sentences on your idea of intelligence your idea of intelligence

Keep it until we go the slide on Keep it until we go the slide on How it is expressed.How it is expressed.

Intelligence Intelligence Earlier viewsEarlier views

Joseph Gall has observed a Joseph Gall has observed a relationship between certain relationship between certain mental characteristics of his mental characteristics of his schoolmates and shapes of their schoolmates and shapes of their heads heads

Phrenological CharacteristicsPhrenological Characteristics

Gall’s HypothesisGall’s Hypothesis

Charles Spearman’ Two Charles Spearman’ Two factor theoryfactor theory

In examining correlation of various In examining correlation of various subsets of intelligence, he found that subsets of intelligence, he found that certain subsets tend to correlate higher certain subsets tend to correlate higher than othersthan others

His hypothesis is all intellectual tasks His hypothesis is all intellectual tasks must entail the exercise of a factor must entail the exercise of a factor known as general intelligence(g factor)known as general intelligence(g factor)

Each individual type of item requiring Each individual type of item requiring specific factor called S factor.specific factor called S factor.

Two Factor Theory Two Factor Theory

An individual has An individual has overall supply of overall supply of mental energy and mental energy and the S factor is the S factor is invoked for specific invoked for specific purpose as purpose as neurological neurological engine.engine.

He thought that it He thought that it can be represented can be represented by a single numberby a single number

LouisThrustoneLouisThrustone He contributed that He contributed that

Spearman’s g factor Spearman’s g factor consists of seven sub consists of seven sub factorsfactors

VerbalVerbal word fluency word fluency Number facility Number facility spatial Visualization spatial Visualization associative memoryassociative memory perceptual speedperceptual speed Inductive reasoningInductive reasoning

CattellCattell

Fluid IntelligenceFluid Intelligence characterized by Biological factorscharacterized by Biological factors Crystallized IntelligenceCrystallized Intelligence More characterized by More characterized by

environment environment

Historical Continuum of Phases of Historical Continuum of Phases of

Intelligence MeasurementIntelligence Measurement

Lay theoriesLay theories Standard Psychometric ApproachStandard Psychometric Approach PluralizationPluralization Hierarchization Hierarchization ContextualizationContextualization Distribution Distribution

Lay TheoriesLay Theories

For most of the part of history For most of the part of history there was no scientific definition of there was no scientific definition of intelligence.intelligence.

Out standing men and women are Out standing men and women are labeled as ‘Clever’labeled as ‘Clever’

Nobody challenged each other on Nobody challenged each other on what is intelligence. what is intelligence.

The standard The standard Psychometric ApproachPsychometric Approach

A century ago, psychologists made A century ago, psychologists made the first efforts to define intelligence the first efforts to define intelligence technically and to devise test that technically and to devise test that measure intelligence.measure intelligence.

However, there is no scientific However, there is no scientific advance in psychometric advance in psychometric community that really helped to community that really helped to improve upon the systemimprove upon the system

Pluralization and Pluralization and HierachizationHierachization

Charles Spearman-Lewis Terman Charles Spearman-Lewis Terman tended to believe that intelligence was tended to believe that intelligence was best conceptualized as a single general best conceptualized as a single general capacity for conceptualization and capacity for conceptualization and problem solving.problem solving.

They sought to demonstrate that a They sought to demonstrate that a group of scores on tests reflected a group of scores on tests reflected a single underlying factor of ‘General single underlying factor of ‘General Intelligence’.Intelligence’.

Pluralizaton and Pluralizaton and HierarchizationHierarchization

Thurstone-Guilford argued for Thurstone-Guilford argued for existence of a number of factors, or existence of a number of factors, or components of intelligence. In components of intelligence. In broader sense Howard Gardner broader sense Howard Gardner agrees with this tradition but he agrees with this tradition but he relies on different source of evidence. relies on different source of evidence. It is not on group of test but on It is not on group of test but on neurological ,evolutionary and cross neurological ,evolutionary and cross cultured evidence.cultured evidence.

ContextualizationContextualization

Is it possible for us to ignore critical Is it possible for us to ignore critical differences among contexts within differences among contexts within which human beings live and develop.which human beings live and develop.

Do you thing the person living in the Do you thing the person living in the same era as ours is same as in same era as ours is same as in Neolithic and Homeric era.Part of Neolithic and Homeric era.Part of intelligence can be attributed to intelligence can be attributed to cultures and their attributes rather cultures and their attributes rather than differences among individuals.than differences among individuals.

DistributionDistribution

Distribution goes a step further it Distribution goes a step further it talks about relation of person with talks about relation of person with things and objects in the things and objects in the immediate environment rather immediate environment rather than on structures and values in than on structures and values in larger context of culture.larger context of culture.

Distribution...Distribution...

Traditional View is that intelligence is Traditional View is that intelligence is carried within one’s head.i.e. it can be carried within one’s head.i.e. it can be measured in isolation.measured in isolation.

However it does not stop with one’s However it does not stop with one’s skin, It encompasses tools, skin, It encompasses tools, (paper,pencil,computer etc) and (paper,pencil,computer etc) and notional memory such as colleagues, notional memory such as colleagues, office files, library etc. We can say that office files, library etc. We can say that the Cognition is distributed.the Cognition is distributed.

It is not the end of the It is not the end of the storystory

Arthur Jensen-Eyseneck-BouchardArthur Jensen-Eyseneck-Bouchard They provided evidence on high They provided evidence on high

heritability of psychometric heritability of psychometric intelligence.The examples of twins intelligence.The examples of twins reared apart. reared apart.

They felt that there is no need to They felt that there is no need to pay attention to cultures,contexts pay attention to cultures,contexts and distribution of intelligence.and distribution of intelligence.

Anderson’s Anderson’s Electrophysiological ViewElectrophysiological View

They said that intelligence is They said that intelligence is reflected a basic property of the reflected a basic property of the nervous system and can be assessed nervous system and can be assessed electrophysiologically without going electrophysiologically without going through the paper and pencil tests.through the paper and pencil tests.

Anderson has evidence to suggest Anderson has evidence to suggest that indices of intelligence is found in that indices of intelligence is found in infants. infants.

Are we in a collision Are we in a collision course?course?

Cultural and Cultural and distribution nature distribution nature of intelligence, now of intelligence, now how do we account how do we account for the intelligence for the intelligence expressed outside expressed outside the paper and the paper and pencil tests? We pencil tests? We call it a tender side call it a tender side of intelligence.of intelligence.

Genetic and Genetic and Neurological basis Neurological basis of intelligence of intelligence

Speed and flexibility Speed and flexibility of nervous of nervous conduction is conduction is largely inborn.And largely inborn.And we go by tough we go by tough minded approach to minded approach to intelligence intelligence

Expression of IntelligenceExpression of Intelligence

Specific tasksSpecific tasks DomainsDomains DisciplinesDisciplines There is no pure spatial There is no pure spatial

intelligence, it is expressed in intelligence, it is expressed in puzzle-solutions,block building or puzzle-solutions,block building or

in passing basket ball for childrenin passing basket ball for children

What about adults? What about adults? How do we assess their How do we assess their

intelligence?intelligence? They exhibit as chess players, artists or They exhibit as chess players, artists or

geometriciansgeometricians We have to assess the intelligence by We have to assess the intelligence by

watching people who are familiar with watching people who are familiar with and have skills in these pursuits or we and have skills in these pursuits or we can introduce people to the domain can introduce people to the domain and observe how well one can move and observe how well one can move beyond the novice stage, with or beyond the novice stage, with or without specific support. without specific support.

What are Intelligence, What are Intelligence, domains and fieldsdomains and fields

At the level of individual we are At the level of individual we are speaking about one or more of human speaking about one or more of human intelligences. They are part of our birth.intelligences. They are part of our birth.

We are born in cultures that house a We are born in cultures that house a large number of domains-large number of domains-diciplines,crafts and other pursuits in diciplines,crafts and other pursuits in shich one can become encultured and shich one can become encultured and then can be assessed in terms of level then can be assessed in terms of level of competence one has attained.of competence one has attained.

Let us go further in this Let us go further in this pathpath

Individual practitionersIndividual practitioners Persons who elect to enter a Persons who elect to enter a

professional realm, secure training, and professional realm, secure training, and pursue their own personal and pursue their own personal and professional goalsprofessional goals

Individual practitionersIndividual practitioners

Important points Important points Knowledge was evenly distributed among Knowledge was evenly distributed among

prehistoric era , in a tribe if a person happens prehistoric era , in a tribe if a person happens to know about medicine, he continued to be to know about medicine, he continued to be hunter but his knowledge is used by hunter but his knowledge is used by community.community.

It took thousands of years for the society It took thousands of years for the society to develop the specialized profession.to develop the specialized profession.

DomainDomain

Knowledge ,Skill, practices, rules Knowledge ,Skill, practices, rules and values captured in various and values captured in various codes.A culture consists of codes.A culture consists of numerous domains and domains numerous domains and domains have ethical dimensions. have ethical dimensions.

Domain...Domain...

When sufficient knowledge is When sufficient knowledge is accumulated it is codified for smooth accumulated it is codified for smooth transmission to new practitionerstransmission to new practitioners

Culture has many domains which Culture has many domains which can be subdivided into further sub can be subdivided into further sub domainsdomains

Mathematics can be subdivided into Mathematics can be subdivided into Calculus, Algebra etc.Calculus, Algebra etc.

Domain...Domain...

Domain has both ideas and Domain has both ideas and symbolic codes.The symbols used symbolic codes.The symbols used by a particular set of people in a by a particular set of people in a domain has a specific system that domain has a specific system that helps them to communicate with helps them to communicate with each other and to profession.each other and to profession.

FieldField

The role that individuals practice The role that individuals practice when working with symbols of the when working with symbols of the domain; field also include domain; field also include institutions. A society consists of institutions. A society consists of numerous fields. There major numerous fields. There major roles: elite gatekeepers, expert roles: elite gatekeepers, expert practitioners, apprentices and practitioners, apprentices and students.students.

What is the relation What is the relation between Intelligence-between Intelligence-

Domain-Field?Domain-Field?

Think and give your comments Think and give your comments

Let us imagine that we do Let us imagine that we do not know about not know about

IntelligenceIntelligence

What are the roles or end states that are What are the roles or end states that are prized by cultures?prized by cultures?

HuntersHunters FishermenFishermen Religious leadersReligious leaders athletes athletes artistsartists MusiciansMusicians PoetsPoets

Let us consider three Let us consider three examplesexamples

Pulawat SailorPulawat SailorKoranic studentKoranic studentParisian composer Parisian composer Using computer Using computer

If we want to If we want to encompass the encompass the realm of Human realm of Human cognition what cognition what we have to do?we have to do?

We have to include wider We have to include wider Universal set of Universal set of CompetenciesCompetencies

If you closely observe the If you closely observe the competencies required by the end competencies required by the end states we said, they do not lend states we said, they do not lend themselves to measurement by themselves to measurement by standard verbal methodsstandard verbal methods

How do you identify the best?How do you identify the best?

We need better methodsCan we think of them together?

Thank you very muchThank you very muchand this presentation is and this presentation is dedicated to Dr. Howard dedicated to Dr. Howard

Gardner Gardner