- In his 1983 book Frames of Mind, psychologist Howard Gardner argued that intelligence is not one general ability but a set of distinct intelligences, each with its own profile.
- Gardner's list comprises linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic intelligence.
- Teachers embraced it because it values a wide range of strengths and treats every learner as gifted in some way.
- Many researchers argue Gardner's intelligences are better described as talents or skills, and note they lack a validated test and strong empirical support.
What did Gardner propose?
In his 1983 book Frames of Mind, psychologist Howard Gardner argued that intelligence is not one general ability but a set of distinct intelligences, each with its own profile. He challenged the idea that a single IQ score captures the range of human talent.
What are the eight intelligences?
Gardner's list comprises linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic intelligence. He has discussed a possible existential intelligence but has not firmly added it to the set.
Why is the theory popular in education?
Teachers embraced it because it values a wide range of strengths and treats every learner as gifted in some way. It encouraged varied teaching methods and a more inclusive view of ability than a single test score.
What do scientists criticise?
Many researchers argue Gardner's intelligences are better described as talents or skills, and note they lack a validated test and strong empirical support. Critics also point out that the proposed intelligences still tend to correlate, which is hard to square with their being independent.