Question- Give a brief account of Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence.

Answer-

Howard Gardner proposed a theory of intelligence in 1983 called the Multiple Intelligence Theory. Gardner said that the nature of the intellect is not solitary, but of many types. He told total 7 types of intelligence which are mutually independent of each other and each has a different way of functioning. There are the seven types of intelligence which are as follows :

(1) Linguistic Intelligence refers to the intellectual ability of word and sentences.

(2) Logical Mathematical Intelligence refers to the ability to reason and understand numbers.

(3) Spatial Intelligence refers to spatial representation and imagination.

(4) Physical Dynamic Intelligence refers to the ability to control the speed and to bring proficiency from it.

(5) Musical dexterity lies in Musical Intelligence.

(6) The Individual Self-Intellect has the ability to monitor one’s own emotions, differentiate and direct one’s own behaviour.

(7) Personal Intelligence refers to the ability to understand the wants, expectations, needs etc. of other persons and to form the complete formation of the behaviour of other etc.

According to Gardner, there are seven types of intelligence in every person, but due to the influence of heredity and environment, one or more of these types of intelligence can be more developed. Gardner theory states that all these seven types of intelligence interact with each other. Yet they mainly work independently. This is the reason why being proficient in one area may fail in the other.

Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory was also criticized by psychologists. Yet this theory drew attention to the need to understand intelligence in a broader sense rather than as a language, mathematics and skills.

...Prev | Next...