Theory of Multiple Intelligence and Howard Gardner's Nine MI

The Theory of Multiple Intelligence (MI).
Dr. Howard Gardner
1983
Multiple Intelligence (MI) is a theory that separates intelligence from its formal understanding as a uniform cognitive capacity and differentiates it into specific kinds of intelligence that can be reflected by different ways of interaction with the world. The theory states that a person’s intelligence can be distinguished into nine different kinds of intelligence and each and every person has a distinctive mixture or profile. An individual can have all nine intelligences but no two persons can have the exact combination of intelligences, like our fingerprints. Established by professor and psychologist of Harvard University, Dr. Howard Garner, in 1983, Multiple Intelligence theory suggests that the concept of intelligence based on I.Q testing is far too limited and proposes nine unique kinds of intelligences that can stand account for humankind’s broad range of potentials. Howard Gardner’s nine multiple intelligences are:
1. Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”): the ability to manipulate language to speak out your mind and to understand others. People with great linguistic intelligence displays a good interest in reading, writing, story telling and memorizing historical events. Students with this type of intelligences are always successful in classroom studies and are capable of becoming writer, orator, speaker, lawyer or other department where language are the main aspect.

2. Logical/Mathematical intelligence (‘number/reasoning smart”): the ability to identify the fundamental principles of some kind of causal system and the capability to manipulate and operate numbers, quantities, and operations. Logical reasoning and critical thinking is closely related to this type of intelligence.

3. Musical Rhythmic intelligence (“music smart”): the ability to think and response in music, sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, and music. People with this type of intelligence are capable to hear patterns, identify them and also manipulate them. Due to strong auditory component, they learn best through lecture and able to use songs and rhythms to learn.

4. Bodily/Kinesthetic intelligence (“body smart”): the ability to control and manipulate your whole body or parts of your body in something to gain maximized benefit. People in athletics or performing arts such as dancing or acting are the examples for this intelligence. People with this intelligence learn by involving bodily motions and usually prefer physical activities.

5. Spatial intelligence (“picture smart”): the capability to use the mind’s eye to visualize the spatial world. People with this intelligence learn by visualizing and organizing things spatially. They prefer visual aids such as tables, charts, illustrations, and anything attention-grabbing. Spatial intelligence works best in the area of arts and sciences.

6. Naturalist intelligence (‘nature smart”): the capability to distinguish organisms and understanding of natural world. Ecological receptivity is genuinely rooted among the naturalistically intelligence people. This intelligence is said to be of value in our evolutionary past as hunters and farmers and has a role in humanity within ecosphere. These people are very much into outdoor activities, animals, and field trips and more likely to be botanist or chef.

7. Intrapersonal intelligence (“self smart”): the ability to understand your own self, knowing who you are, what are you capable of, what is your desire, how you response to things, and everything about yourself. They are well known about their own feelings, values and ideas. They are rather intuitive about things they learn and how it relates to them and they tend to be more reserved than others. They are interested the field of introspective and self-reflective capacities.

8. Interpersonal intelligence (“people smart”): the capability to understand and connect with other people in term of mood, feeling and emotions. These people are more people oriented, outgoing, and have the ability to cooperate in a group. They are able to empathize quickly and can achieve effective communication with others. They are more likely to be teachers, salespersons, politicians or any field that involve interaction with other people.

9. Existential intelligence: the tendency to ask and wander about questions about life, death, and ultimate realities. These people question their existent and their role in this world. This intelligence is prone to the field of philosophy.