Remarkable Ability For A Particular Skill example essay topic

381 words
Howard Gardner - American Harvard Lecturer Intelligence is the ability to solve problems or fashion products that are of consequence in particular cultural setting or community. ' (Gardner, Korn haber and Wake 1996 p 203). Intelligence = Potential. Wide spectrum of intelligences. 1.

Logical - Mathematical 2. Linguistic 3. Musical 4. Spatial - sense of direction 5. Bodily - Kinaesthetic 6.

Interpersonal - between people 7. Intra personal - knowing self 8. Naturalist - intelligent with environment Evidence for MI - Brain-damaged people. Individuals who were once 'normal' display a breakdown on capacity in one area of functioning. - Savants. These are individuals who score low on IQ tests but who display a remarkable ability for a particular skill.

- Prodigies. These are individuals who posses remarkable skills in certain areas and yet are unexceptional in other areas. - Experimental psychology. Some abilities operate independently and this has been shown from studies. - Psychometric findings. The autonomy of the seven intelligences is further demonstrated by the lack of correlation between similar IQ scores and scores on tests for specific MI fields.

- Evolution. The ways in which certain attributes develop naturally, e.g. language whilst other abilities do not go beyond the initial stage. e.g. mathematical ability. Crit isms of MI - Psychology does not observe intelligence as a monolithic structure. A supporter of IQ would state that IQ is not meant to reflect the range of human abilities rather it represents a sample of intellectual performance. - MI confuses intelligence, personality and areas of special ability. - Social considerations have motivated MI theory more than scientific considerations.

Society values some skills more than others therefore they are more likely to be deemed to be indicators of intelligence. - The seven areas are not entirely autonomous; degrees of correlation have been uncovered. - If MI's are truly autonomous then there must be an overarching processing centre or executive function. - On the application front, which has mainly been education, MI theory has been criticised for not giving concrete examples as to how the theory can be applied in an education setting.