Multiple intelligences theory and applications

Multiple Intelligences (MI) Theory

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI) was first proposed by Howard Gardner as he obtained certain insights into his field of research (Gardner, 2006). Since its introduction the theory has received a great deal of attention and notoriety. One of the most interesting aspects to Gardner's theory is the criteria that he used to identify the various intelligences. His methodology included an eight step approach that he used to develop the first seven different types of intelligences as well as the eighth and ninth which were added later. This methodology was arguably the key to the development of the theory of MI and this paper will outline some of the profound impacts upon the development of theory that the methodology provided.

Discussion

The first criterion that was outlined in Gardner's theory is that there should be some form of exceptional example of human psychology in which the specific intelligence manifests. Examples of this include autistic savants, prodigies, or even stroke victims that represent a high level of any one of the various intelligences. This criterion was arguably one of the most useful ways of identifying various intelligences because there were countless known cases of exceptional skills in psychology. Therefore these cases could be used isolated potential categories of intelligences relatively quickly and serve as a filter of inquiry to narrow the categories for comparison with other criterion.

Another criterion was that the intelligence should have a distinct and identifiable developmental period. For example, language intelligence development can be identified in children and occurs within a predictable range for most individuals. However, if the intelligence did not develop independently of another intelligence then it would be hard to distinguish which intelligence was responsible for different behaviors or abilities. For example if the artistic intelligence developed along with the linguist intelligence then they could be a part of some larger category that represent some other intelligence that accounts for both skills. Another criterion that is also related is that each intelligence should also be distinguishable in the neural networks of an individual's nervous system. These two criterion allow for the research to make sure that the identified intelligence is independent and not a component of a larger category.