Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

1. Musical - Rhythmic

It refers to the sensitivity to sounds, both musical and background sound. It is related to pitch and rhythm.

2. Visual - Spatial

It refers to the understanding of spatial relations. It includes the use of shapes, colors, appearance, and the ability to think in images, to imagine and visualize. It includes the understanding of the three dimensions, the sense of direction, and the ability to understand a map.

3. Verbal - Linguistic

It refers to the use of language in its written or oral form. Tests as standard tools at school are mainly based on this intelligence without taking into consideration what is being evaluated.

4. Logical - Mathematical

It refers to the use of numbers and abstract symbols. It refers to the recognition and interpretation of patterns and sequences and to the ability to develop a structured scientific approach towards problem-solving. This intelligence is being very appreciated in today’s technological society.

5. Bodily - Kinaesthetic

It is related to movement and the use of the body to express oneself with coordination. It includes the processing of information through body sensations and the possession of good physical skills.

6. Interpersonal

It refers to the ability to deal with people, understanding and predicting their answers, and to effectively communicate through body language and gestures. At present, this intelligence is being asked in some job advertisements. With the intrapersonal intelligence, they make up the Emotional Intelligence, whose theory has been developed by Goleman.

7. Intrapersonal

It refers to the awareness of one’s personal inner feelings and the knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses. It leads to self-esteem and self-control and includes internal motivation.

8. Naturalistic

It refers to the feeling of empathy towards our environment. It includes the ability to classify, categorize and analyze.

9. Existential - Moral

Later, Gardner suggested that existential and moral intelligence may also be worthy of inclusion, creating then a new kind of intelligence. Some proponents of multiple intelligence theory proposed spiritual or religious intelligence as a possible additional type. Gardner did not want to commit to spiritual intelligence but suggested that an existential intelligence may be a useful construct. The hypothesis of an existential intelligence has been further explored by educational researchers.