Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Impact on Personal Success

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Impact on Personal Success

            Does a person have a single intelligence or various intelligences? This was the question psychologist Howard Gardner wanted to answer. Prior to Gardner, intelligence tests only measured intellectual abilities in reference to learning. Gardner wanted to know why people were smart rather than how smart he or she was. Gardner viewed intelligence as ability or abilities used to solve problems in a particular culture (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). The result of his research was the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.

The Eight Intelligences

            Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences included a list of eight intelligences. Gardner believed that every person had each of these intelligences in some degree. Because of this, we each learn in different ways (Santrock, 2010). The first of these was linguistic, or the ability to use language in thinking and communication. The logical/mathematical intelligence included skills in problem solving and scientific thinking. The spatial intelligence included skills with spatial configuration. Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence includes the ability to learn and perform physical movements. The musical intelligence includes sensitivity and understanding of aspects of music including pitch and rhythm. Interpersonal intelligence includes skills in relating to others whereas intrapersonal intelligence involves understanding the self. Naturalistic intelligence involves understanding nature and the environment. While all eight have an impact on personal success, this paper will focus on only three of the intelligences: spatial, intrapersonal and interpersonal.

 Three Ingredients to Personal Success

Spatial Intelligence

            Gardner’s spatial intelligence involved the ability to think three-dimensionally (Santrock, 2010). Also key to spatial intelligence is transforming mental images into a three – dimensional image (Grow, 1990). This intelligence goes beyond being just visual. It includes abstract and analytical abilities. For example, when an architect is designing a building they are able to see it as the finished product not as the lines we see on the paper. Some professions with high spatial intelligence are architects, artists, contractors, carpenters, engineers, and designers.

            Spatial intelligence can help with personal success, especially if one is in one of the above listed professions. Spatial intelligence helps a person see things as images instead of just a one – dimensional or two – dimensional object. When reading a map, a person with high spatial intelligence sees the roads, buildings, and other objects noted on the map as they truly are. People with low spatial intelligence see it just as it’s drawn – lines and symbols.

Interpersonal Intelligence

            Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand and interact effectively with others (Santrock, 2010). People with high interpersonal intelligence are able to perceive and understand the moods, characteristics, intentions, temperaments, motivations, and feelings of other people. Occupations that usually have high interpersonal intelligence are teachers, mental health professionals such as therapists and counselors, political leaders and religious leaders. These occupations have one thing in common: these occupations usually want to help others and/or lead. This involves having good relations with others.

            High levels of interpersonal intelligence can result in a person’s personal success. Communication is vital in many occupations. Persons with high interpersonal intelligence will thrive in these occupations as they have great communication skills. Since, a person with interpersonal intelligence can easily understand others, it is easy for him or her to embrace the problems and offer help. Those with interpersonal intelligence are able to help others with consideration to their distinctions in mind. These people can go on to become successful leaders, politicians, and counselors.

Intrapersonal Intelligence

            Interpersonal intelligence is closely related to intrapersonal intelligence. Intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to understand oneself (Santrock, 2010). In fact, some researchers believe that a person must be able to understand others in order to understand the self and vice versa (Nolene, 2003). People with intrapersonal intelligence are imaginative, original, patient, disciplined, and motivated. These people usually have a high self – respect. This intelligence is usually derived from internal resources. Occupations that thrive with this intelligence are theologians and psychologists.

            Intrapersonal intelligence involves having an understanding of one’s own dreams, goals, strengths, limitations, moods, anxieties, desires, and motivations. People with intrapersonal intelligence make decisions based on what is best for them and they have a strong sense of identity. People with intrapersonal intelligence usually want answers to deeper questions that relate to meaning and purpose. They can help others by understanding one’s self.

Conclusion

            In the beginning, psychologists could not define the word intelligence (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Psychologists have researched and refined intelligence as it relates to the world. Before Gardner, intelligence referred to specifically how smart a person was in academics. Gardner helped to increase the understanding of intelligence by developing his Theory of Multiple Intelligences. With his theory, he proved that people are intelligent in many different areas, not just academically. Gardner was one of the psychologists that began to prove that intelligence was multifaceted, functional and culturally defined (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Intelligence is multifaceted meaning that it can be expressed in many different areas. Intelligence is functional, as it directed towards a goal. Intelligence is culturally defined as its definition varies from one culture to the next. Intelligence can now be defined as the application of cognitive skills and knowledge to learn, solve problems, and reach results based on the individual and culture (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences is multifaceted, functional and cultural. The intelligences help people reach their goals; ultimately allowing him or her to obtain personal success.

References

Grow, G. (1990). Retrieved March 6, 2012, from Writing and multiple intelligences. Presentation given at

the annual meeting of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication.

ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 406 643: http://www.longleaf.net/ggrow

Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2011). Psychology (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Nolene, J. L. (2003). MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN THE CLASSROOM. Education, 124(1) , 115-119.

Santrock, J. W. (2010). Children. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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