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Howard Gardner (2006), in his book Multiple Intelligences, states that “Every cognitive act involves an agent that carries out an action or set of actions in some task or domain.” This statement suggests that every individual has a specific way or ways of cognition in doing certain things. Such cognition is used to conceptualize what one’s intelligence is. And it can be manifested through gifts, expertise, and creativity. For instance, a child may simply observe a particular action from his/her mother, and the result of such observation can be manifested through the child trying to do the same action. In other words, people can be described to be of multiple intelligences. Every individual has a form of perceiving things around and of processing those things in the human mind. This will be discussed with examples throughout this paper.
There are seven categorized intelligences, namely: visual/spatial intelligence, verbal/linguistic intelligence, logical/mathematical intelligence, bodily/kinaesthetic intelligence, musical/rhythmic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence (Sagepub, 2010). As for me, I my forms of intelligence can be described as the three: visual intelligence, verbal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence.
Second, my form of intelligence is also verbal. First, whenever there is verbal communication, it easily gets my attention. This is what they describe as the single process of attention, perception, and intelligence (Sternberg, 1982). For some individuals, getting their attention may require one to make bodily movements. But as for me, talking to me easily gets my attention, making me expect that such conversation will have me gain knowledge. Moreover, I prefer verbal explanations more than visual ones. Simply looking at a certain picture or movie will not be enough for me to full understand it. Beside, verbal explanation from someone has the ability to go further into what my intelligence can process. A movie cannot explain further than what it contains [in a certain time], but verbal communication can go deeper into what I can comprehend. Verbal intelligence makes me understand things more.
Lastly, my form of intelligence is intrapersonal intelligence. This is the ability to have self-reflection and awareness of one’s inner condition (Sagepub, 2010). As for me, I always examine myself in light of my strengths and weakness, my goals and aspirations, and other things in me. Actually, I have this directly related to my two [previous] forms of intelligence. For instance, whenever I see a poor man in the streets, I make self-reflection. I contemplate on what reasons could have led that man into serious poverty. And I think about what things could have made him prevent such thing to happen. In this way, intelligence is definitely exercised, making me knowledgeable and wise in light to that matter. Another, whenever people talk about some life issues, I make self-examination. I contemplate on what I hear about, and I think of certain things – particularly my strengths and weaknesses in light of what is being discussed in the conversation – that will make me intelligent for that particular matter.
Intelligence is often characterized as an individual trait in human beings. Nevertheless, no matter what form of intelligence one has, he/she has to accept it and nurture it.
Bibliography
Gardner, H., 2006. Multiple intelligences: New horizons in theory and practice. New York: Basic Books.
Sagepub, 2010. Theories of learning and intelligence. Effective Teaching, [online] Available at:
Sternberg, R., 1982. Handbook of human intelligence. New York: Cambridge University Press.
