A man named Howard Gardner proposed his theory of multiple intelligences in 1983 with his book Frames of Mind. Gardner thought of intelligence as the ability to solve problems. He believed that intelligence could be broken down into eight different types, and that even though we use all of these intelligences we tend to be stronger at some than others. In the development of his theory, he first wanted to set up a criterion to help him determine what would be worthy of being called intelligence. He then came up with seven intelligences: Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Spatial, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal. He later added an eighth intelligence in 1999 which he referred to as Naturalistic Intelligence. The first two of these intelligences are typically seen in our school systems, the next three are usually tied to the artsier types of intelligences, and the final two Howard Gardner attributes to the personal Intelligences. The three of these that impacts my life the most are Logical Mathematical, Bodily Kinesthetic, and Interpersonal Intelligences.
Logical-Mathematical intelligence has to do with the ability to understand and carry out complex mathematical functions with ease, analyze problems logically, and investigate issues from a scientific standpoint (Smith, 2008). It is often assumed that people with this kind of intelligence will naturally do well in things that involve logical or numerical activities such as mathematics, but this intelligence actually has more to do with a person’s scientific thinking, reasoning capabilities, solving complex calculations, and the ability to recognizing abstract patterns. People strongly influenced by this intelligence typically like work in the scientific and mathematical fields. I believe to have a strong logical-mathematical intelligence because I tend to do very well in math classes and understanding the concepts behind the problems. I enjoy puzzle games like soduko, and usually handle problems in a logical manner.
Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence’s main focus is based on the ability to control of one’s own bodily motions with skill and grace. People with strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence also tend to have a great sense of timing, a clear sense of their goals; they like physical action, and may have very fast reflexes. They may enjoy activities involving the performing arts, building or constructing things, and a wide variety of sports. They often learn best by physically doing an activity, rather than reading something out of a text book or hearing a lecture about it. Those with a strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence seem to use more muscle memory than those with a lower score. Careers that would suit those with a strong connection to the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence include: Athletes, soldiers, dancers, musicians, pilots, actors, surgeons, construction workers, and police officers. Bodily kinesthetic intelligence is another one of my strengths. I have always excelled in sports, I started soccer when I was 5 and progressed very rapidly, making it on to year around traveling teams. Then in high school I played soccer for both my city and the school, water polo, ran cross-country, participated in pole vault, and swam the 50 and 100 meter for my school. After high school I joined the military to be an infantryman, and thoroughly enjoyed kicking in doors and clearing houses.
Interpersonal intelligence has to do with the ability to understand and interact with others. Basically, individuals who have high interpersonal intelligence are typically very sensitive to others’ moods, feelings, temperaments, and motivations. They usually have the ability to cooperate with others in order to work as part of a team. One of the characteristics of having a high interpersonal intelligence is that you understand people’s needs and will accommodate those needs so that the group works more efficiently. People who have this intelligence usually communicate effectively and easily with others, and may take the roll of either a leader or a follower. They typically learn best by working with in groups and often enjoy playing devils advocate. Indaviduals with this type of intelligence typicaly like careers like being a politician, managers, teachers, counselors, social workers, and sales people. This intelligence is another of my intelligences that I score highly in. As a child I never had problems finding friends, it did not matter if I went to the beach for the day or camping for a week with in a few minutes of being there I had met someone to hang out with. I enjoy working in teams or groups. I tend to go out of my way to make everyone feel comfortable and make things go smoothly. I do not typically like to lead a group but I will work hard to make sure the team is getting along and progress is being made.

In 1983, Gardner introduced his thoughts on intelligence, which he called the theory of multiple intelligences. The theory of multiple intelligence states that everyone has at least eight types of intelligence, which we use on a regular bases, but everyone has different strengths and weaknesses within these intelligences. The three areas in which I show the most comprehension towards are Logical-Mathematical intelligence, Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, and interpersonal intelligences. This model has gained great support over the year by the academic community but this theory also has its critics. Some would argue that these are just abilities and not intelligences, for instance the Musical and bodily kinesthetic intelligences. Another criticism is that this model does not really explain why some people are more intelligent than others. There is also a lot of confusion between inter- and intrapersonal intelligences. Despite this Gardner would say that the intelligences give us a new perspective on human nature in relation to our cognition and that all people have a unique blend of these intelligences (Smith, 2008). I believe that Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences can be used in both educational and business applications to further understand human cognition, behaviors and learning styles.

Reference Page: 1) Chapman, A. (2012) Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved from http://www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm 2) Smith, M. K. (2002, 2008) Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences, http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm