Developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner – professor of education at Harvard University, the theory of Multiple Intelligence moves away from the traditional notion of intelligence being determined solely via I.Q. testing. Instead, Dr. Gardner discovered that there were 8 types of human intelligences, each representing different ways where we process information. Understanding these 8 intelligences will more accurately account for the broad range of human potential in children and adults. These 8 intelligences also commonly known as smarts are as follows:
Word Smart (Linguistic) – Competence in reading, writing, using language to express complex meanings, and to effectively persuade
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Logic Smart (Math-Logic) – Competence in thinking of cause and effect connections, understanding relationships of actions, objects or ideas and solving math problems at school and in daily life
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People Smart (Interpersonal) – Competence in understanding and communicating with others, working well with people and having social sensitivity
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Self Smart (Intrapersonal) – Competence in understanding oneself, self-regulating emotions and having the ability for meta-cognition (thinking about thinking)
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Body Smart (Kinesthetic) – Competence in using the body in skilled ways for expressive and goal-directed activities, including in athletic pursuits and using fine motor skills
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Picture Smart (Spatial) – Competence in thinking in pictures, visualising the physical world and in artistic design
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Music Smart (Musical) – Competence with sounds, rhythms, melodies and rhymes in various forms, including vocally, with instruments and music composition, as well as general music appreciation
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Nature Smart (Naturalist) – Competence in understanding the natural world, including plants, animals and scientific studies
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Application of Multiple Intelligences – MIDAS
In 1987, Dr. Branton Shearer developed the Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales(MIDAS™). Through a self-assessment process, individuals can identify their unique smarts and translate this information to enhance their intellectual performance, career development and personal satisfaction.
The MIDAS™ Profile has been described as the Swiss Army knife of self-assessments that guides people to a deeper appreciation for their intellectual and creative lives.
“To my knowledge, the MIDAS represents the first effort to measure the Multiple Intelligences, which have been developed according
to standard psychometric procedures. Branton Shearer is to be congratulated for the careful and cautious way in which he has created
his instrument and offered guidance for its use and interpretation.”
— Howard Gardner, Harvard University
Here are examples of how MIDAS has been used all around the world:
- Parents tell us that understanding their child’s MIDAS™ Profile helps them to be better parents.
- Teachers report that understanding students’ MI strengths guide their use of creative teaching strategies.
- Adults at work and in transition gain more useful self-knowledge from the rich and descriptive MIDAS™ profile than from other so-called MI intelligence “tests”.
- Teens and young adults can gain an keen appreciation for their intellectual passions that clarifies and affirms their career paths.
- Dr. Shearer also consults widely with business leaders to bring the power of the MIDAS™ profile to the many challenges that confront managers and HR directors.
Here’s what a satisfied parent says about Multiple Intelligence and how it has helped her children