Some people are so good at Maths, it is almost scary ! 🙂 They may even leave us in a state of inferiority complex since while we are still just trying to understand the question/problem statement, they already come up with the answer. Like some engineering students are really good at solving numerical questions while others mostly rely on copy pasting! Or as we like to call it, CHAPA! Does this mean that those who are good at maths, and numericals and numbers are geniuses while the rest of us are dumb? It seems so, doesn’t it, since when we refer to someone as a Genius, we often use names such as Einstein, Newton,  etc.
If that is the case, and Einstein, Newton, Madam Curie, and other scientists, mathematicians, phycisits, are the only geniuses then what about Beethovan, Mozart, Steve Irwin, Martin Luther King, Winston Churchil, Benjamin Franklin, Allama Iqbal, Mirza Ghalib, Jim Carrery, Tiger Woods, Jahangir Khan, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, Steven Spielberg etc, Shakespeare? Were these highly accomplished people not geniuses? Is it easy to do what they did but harder to be a numbers genius? Certainly not! So there certainly are more than one type of intelligence. And knowing these intelligences will not only help you understand your own true potential by knowing where you intelligence lies, but it will help you communicate better with others by understanding them. For teachers, professionals in the industry, even parents, this is also very important that they know this key information to be more effective with their students, colleagues or kids. Thus, enters The theory of multiple intelligences, which was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences.
These 8 types of multiple intelligences are:
- Linguistic intelligence
Word Smart or the ability to communicate through language, Listening, Writing, Speaking.
- Logical-mathematical intelligence
Number/reasoning smart or the ability to understand logical reasoning and problem solving (Maths, Science, Patterns, etc)
- Spatial intelligence
Picture smart or the ability to understand spatial relationships and to perceive images (Visual Arts, Graphic Design, Charts, Maps)
- Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence
Body smart or the ability to use the physical body skillfully and to take in knowledge through bodily sensations (Coordination, Working with hands)
- Musical intelligence
Music smart or the ability to comprehend and create meaningful sound (Music, Sensitivity to sound)
- Interpersonal intelligence
People smart or the ability to relate to others, noticing their moods, motivations, and feelings (Social activity, cooperative learning, teamwork)
- Intrapersonal intelligence
Self smart or the ability to understand one’s own behavior and feelings (Time spent along, independence)
- Naturalist intelligence
Nature smart or the ability to understand features of the environment (Interest in nature, environmental balance, ecosystem, stress relief brought by natural environments)
The names are quite self-explanatory. Can you categorize the above celebrity names into these 8 different types of intelligences now? How does that change your view of intelligence.
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Author Bio
The author of this post, Rashid Ali, is a Mechanical Engineer and American Society for Quality Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Continuous Improvement professional, who has had experience of working with companies such as Unilever, Schlumberger, Nestle, AkzoNobel, British American Tobacco, P&G, Descon & Dawood Hercules through various stints. You may contact him through his Website, or Facebook