Here you’ll be introduced to a revolutionary idea that is gaining respect from both the
scientific community and the public at large. Developed over the last 20 years by
psychologist Howard Gardner, the theory of multiple intelligences challenges old beliefs
about what it means to be smart. Gardner believes that we are too focused on verbal
and logical thinking and neglect other ways of knowing. He suggests that there are at
least seven intelligences worthy of being taken seriously as important modes of thought.
Armstrong has worked with Gardner’s MI theory, translating it into “smarts” to help
people discover and unleash their own intellectual strengths. Check all that apply to
you.
characteristics
1. Word Smart
Linguistic: the ability to express oneself in words on paper and aloud and to
conceptualize ideas and thoughts verbally. People who are particularly smart in this area
can argue, persuade, entertain or instruct effectively through the spoken work.
2. Picture Smart
Spatial: art, architecture, engineering, graphic design, photography, etc. This is the
intelligence of thinking in pictures and images, and the ability to perceive, transform and
recreate different aspects of the visual-spatial world.
3. Music Smart
Musical: composing, playing musical instruments, singing, retaining melodies, pitch, etc.
Key features of this intelligence are the capacity to perceive, appreciate, and produce
rhythms and melodies.
4. Body Smart
Kinesthetic: athletic ability, physical strength, endurance, coordination. This is the
intelligence of the physical self. It includes talent in controlling one’s body movements
and also in handling objects skillfully.
5. Logic Smart
Logic/Mathematics: reasoning, math, science, computers, technology. Traits of this
intelligence include the ability to reason, sequence, think in terms of cause and effect,
create hypotheses, and look for conceptual regularities or numerical patterns.
6. People Smart
Interpersonal: people skills; dealing with others/relationships; working in teams, etc.
This is the ability to understand and work with other people. It is the capacity to
perceive and be responsive to the moods and temperaments and desires of others.
7. Self Smart
Intrapersonal: self-knowledge; search for enlightenment, inner peace, meditation,
spirituality, personal growth, etc. This is the intelligence of the inner self. A person
strong in this kind of smart can easily access their own feelings, discriminate between
many different kinds on inner emotional states and use their self understanding to
enrich and guide their life.
