A project to promote conceptual learning for all; Dr. Amjad ali arain; University of Sind; Faculty of Education; Pakistan Major theories of intelligence

1. ZAMIR ALI MALLAH
2K18-BEDS-92.
Assigned by: Dr. Amjad Ali Arain
University of Sindh.
Hyderabad.

2. Introduction:
 At various points throughout recent history, researchers have
proposed some different definitions of intelligence. While these
definitions can vary considerably from one theorist to the next,
current conceptualizations tend to suggest that intelligence
involves the level of ability to do the following:
 Learn: The acquisition, retention, and use of knowledge is an
important component of intelligence.
 Recognize problems: To put knowledge to use, people must be
able to identify possible problems in the environment that need to
be addressed.
 Solve problems: People must then be able to take what they have
learned to come up with a useful solution to a problem they have
noticed in the world around them.

3.  Not all psychologists are agreed upon the theory of
intelligence and it’s meaning. For a layman, an intelligent
person is that who is capable of facing various life
situation.
 But certain students learn rapidly and some other students
are slow in learning. There are others who cannot make
proper use of tools even after using them many times and
receiving instruction personally. What are the causes which
enable a person to produce effective responses in specific
situations? Interest, drives, motivation, achievement, and
success have an important place in learning. Still there is
definitely something else which makes one student
superior and more responsive than his mates in
psychology, it is called talent.

4.  Different scholars have tried to make the nature of
intelligence clear by defining it differently. Some main
definitions are given below.
“intelligence means intellect put to use. It is the use of
intellectual abilities for handling a situation or
accomplishing any task”. Woodworth(1938).
 “it is the capacity of flexible adjustment “.
Throndike.R.(1963)
 “Intelligence is the ability to adjust oneself to a new
situation”. Rogers,C.R(1961)
 “Intelligence is the ability to make profitable use of past
experience”. Thorndike
Terman, E.L. (1972,P.23) has called intelligence as an
“abstract thinking”. Furthermore he adds. “Intelligence is a
capacity to think well. To judge well, and to be self-critical”.

5.  All the above definitions show two effects i.e. they seems to
be incomplete and concentrate on one element only
instead of all the aspects of the personality. If these
definitions are analyzed, intelligence can be divided into
three categories i.e. intelligence in the form of ability to
learn, intelligence as abstract thinking, and intelligence in
the form of adjustment.
 To make the nature of intelligence clear, it is necessary to
know that intelligence is neither a skill nor a memory or
talent. Even knowledge cannot be called intelligence.
Intelligence is abstract, mechanical and social.

6.  Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
 Many of us are familiar with three general categories in which
people learn: visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic
learners. Beyond these three general categories, many theories of
and approaches toward human potential have been developed.
Among them is the theory of multiple intelligences, developed
by Howard Gardner, Ph.D., Professor of Education at Harvard
University. Gardner’s early work in psychology and later in
human cognition and human potential led to the development
of the initial six intelligences. Today there are nine intelligences
and the possibility of others may eventually expand the list.
These intelligences (or competencies) relate to a person’s unique
aptitude set of capabilities and ways they might prefer to
demonstrate intellectual abilities. Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligences .

7.  Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
 1. Verbal-linguistic intelligence (well-developed verbal skills and sensitivity to
the sounds, meanings and rhythms of words)
 2. Logical-mathematical intelligence (ability to think conceptually and
abstractly, and capacity to discern logical and numerical patterns)
 3. Spatial-visual intelligence (capacity to think in images and pictures, to
visualize accurately and abstractly)
 4. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (ability to control one’s body movements and
to handle objects skillfully)
 5. Musical intelligences (ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch and
timber)
 6. Interpersonal intelligence (capacity to detect and respond appropriately to
the moods, motivations and desires of others)
 7. Intrapersonal (capacity to be self-aware and in tune with inner feelings,
values, beliefs and thinking processes)
 8. Naturalist intelligence (ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals
and other objects in nature)
 9. Existential intelligence (sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions
about human existence such as, What is the meaning of life? Why do we die?
How did we get here?

8.  Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory can be used for
curriculum development,
 planning instruction, selection of course activities, and
related assessment
 strategies. Instruction which is designed to help students
develop their strengths
 can also trigger their confidence to develop areas in which
they are not as strong.
 Students’ multiple learning preferences can be addressed
when instruction
 includes a range of meaningful and appropriate methods,
activities, and
 assessments

9. Gardner’s (1983,1999) conception of intelligence as
pluralistic grew out of his observation that individuals
who demon strated substantial talent in domains as
diverse as chess, music, athletics, politics, and
entrepreneurship possessed capacities in these domains
that should be accounted for in conceptualizing
intelligence. Accord- ingly, in developing MI theory and
its broader characterization of intelligence, Gardner did
not focus on the creation and interpretation of
psychometric instruments. Rather,