Howard Gardner

Howard Gardner: Contributions to Psychology

Howard Gardner was born in Pennsylvania in 1943. Gardner was a studious child who was drawn particularly to musical pursuits. He became an accomplished pianist and even taught piano professionally for a time! Music and the arts continue to influence his ideas about cognition throughout his career.

Howard Gardner has an impressive academic journey. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social relations from Harvard College in 1965. While there, he studied under the famous psychologist Erik Erikson. Gardner completed his Ph.D. in developmental psychology at Harvard in 1971. He went on to be a renowned college professor at prestigious universities.

Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983)

Much of Howard Gardner’s research focuses on the nature of human intelligence. Gardner is concerned with what kind of intelligence we express, rather than just how intelligent we may be. This led to the development of his theory of multiple intelligences.

Initial research interpreted intelligence as a single general element called the g-factor. The g-factor theory suggests that intelligence can be generalized across different subjects and disciplines.

Other researchers have wondered about expanding the single g-factor. One example is Robert J. Stenberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence, but Gardner's theory contains 8 types instead of 3. Gardner believes that several different types of thinking abilities are at work whenever a person does a task. He theorizes that each different type of ability or skill is governed by a specific part of the brain.

Howard Gardner: Types of Intelligence

Gardner established a basic set of 8 different types of intelligence. However, he allows room for additional types of intelligence to be considered after future research. Gardner’s 8 basic types of intelligence are linguistic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, and naturalist intelligence.

Gardner's theory, StudySmarter Original

Bodily-Kinesthetic

Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence is all about the ability to control the body and to move with accuracy and skill.

Interpersonal

This refers to our social intelligence. Interpersonal intelligence includes things like the ability to make deep and lasting connections with others, communicate effectively, and manage and understand the emotions of others.

Intrapersonal

Intrapersonal intelligence is concerned with the self. It includes our ability to recognize and process our own emotions, self-awareness, mindfulness, and introspection.

Linguistic

Linguistic intelligence is all about language. It includes learning new languages, skills in using and understanding a native language, reading comprehension, writing, and vocabulary skills.

Logical-Mathematical

Logical-Mathematical intelligence includes basic math skills, formulating hypotheses, and generating logical solutions to problems. It includes logical debate, problem-solving, and reasoning skills.

Musical

Musical intelligence includes the ability to perform, learn, create, and appreciate music. It involves a sense of rhythm, learning to sing or play a musical instrument, recognizing musical patterns, and understanding music theory.

Naturalist

Naturalist intelligence includes the ability to appreciate and care for the natural world. This might involve the ability to cultivate plants or take care of pets and animals.

Spatial

Spatial intelligence shows up in the ability to comprehend and utilize spaces in our environment. These skills apply to athletes, performers, painters, sculptors, and simple spatial problem-solving involved in doing puzzles.

Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Test

Gardner’s notion of different areas of intelligence is influencing education and standardized testing. Standardized intelligence tests are usually designed to measure the g-factor. Now educators and academic institutions are beginning to share Gardner’s more dynamic view of human abilities and are interested in nurturing different types of skills.

Howard Gardner is working to reform schools and education in the United States. He uses his theory to create more individualized curriculums and intelligence testing in schools. Additionally, he is the co-director of Project Zero at Harvard College: a research group that studies intelligence, thinking, learning, and ethics, with an emphasis on the role the arts play in cognition.

Howard Gardner: Learning Styles

Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence has been embraced by many teachers and academic institutions. It effectively refutes a one-size-fits-all approach to education and testing. Gardner argues for different levels of abilities across the different categories of intelligence, but he also argues that different learning styles should be taken into consideration when designing effective learning environments.

Gardner warned that it is possible to limit a student’s potential by not taking learning style and individual abilities into consideration. If we measure every person by a single intelligence factor, we may end up with unfair, inaccurate scores. When we assess a person's abilities, we should always consider their strengths along with their weaknesses.

Critiques of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligence

Gardner's theory has faced its share of criticism. It is difficult to measure or quantify things like musical or naturalist intelligence.

Without a standard means of quantifying these skills, Gardner is left without the scientific backing needed for his theory to be completely embraced. Additionally, some studies have pointed out that Gardner's theory lends support to the concept of the g-factor, even without setting out to do so.²

Remember, the g-factor is generalized across different disciplines and subjects. It shows up in many areas of life and academic subjects. G-factor supports the notion that those who are highly gifted in one area are also more likely to be gifted in other areas as well. Broader research into intelligence has changed the way we think about the subject and influenced how we teach and evaluate learners. It is unlikely we will ever find one hard and fast theory of intelligence.

1. Gardner, Howard. The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How Schools Should Teach. Basic Books, 1991
2. Sternberg, R. J. (2022). The Search for the Elusive Basic Processes Underlying Human Intelligence: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. Journal of Intelligence, 10(2), 28.