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1. According to our textbook, intelligence is defined as goal-directed, adaptive behavior. The theories of intelligences all discuss rather intelligence is a single, broad ability, or an actually set of capabilities. Thurstone argued that the core of intelligence resides not in one factor, but rather in seven basic interrelated factors, or primary mental abilities. His theory of primary mental abilities states that student's achievement in school can be understood partly in terms of their relative amounts of these different abilities. Cattel and Horn suggested that we can view general ability as the top of the hierarchy. The two sub factors that follow this are fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence. Fluid intelligence is the ability to understand abstract concepts. Crystallized intelligence represents the accumulation of knowledge and is measured by tests of vocabulary and general information.

Gardner and Sternberg are both contemporary theorists who tend to view intelligence as a complex system. Gardner proposed a Theory of Multiple Intelligences, which proposes that 8 distinct and relatively independent intelligences exist. Each system is a separate one, even though they can interact with each other to produce overall intelligent performance. The systems are linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist intelligence. He has even talked about another possible system known as existential, which is when people can find meaning in their lives. Gardner's theory is a reminiscent of Thurstone's theory of primary mental abilities. Gardner sees each intelligence originating from a distinctive part of the brain, and not just another ability. 

Where Gardner's theory consist of independent structures, Sternberg's triarchic theory of human intelligence has emphasized a set of relatively interdependent processes. The processes include metacomponents (higher-order executive processes used to plan what you are going to do, monitor while you are doing it, and evaluate it after it is done), performance components (used for implementing the commands of the metacomponents), and knowledge-acquisition (used for learning how to solve problems in the first place).  

2. I think both Thurstone's theory and Gardner's theory both describe human intelligence. I believe that students' success of different abilities vary from child to child. This is why we see that some students excel in reading but not in math because they might have more ability in verbal comprehension and not so much in number. I agree with Thurstone when he says a student's success could be because of their relative amounts of these different abilities. Gardner sees intelligence has a more complex system, where he suggests that everyone has different types of intelligences that are coming from certain parts of their brains. I do believe that students are all different and they are going to learn in different ways. For example, one student might need to learn through body movements and another student through logical mathematical concepts. I do not necessarily believe these are all coming from distinct parts of the brains, I think they are just different abilities and children can have more ability at one than another and vice versa.  

Reference:

Sternberg, R. J., Williams, W.M. (2010). Educational psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Discussion two reply needed: J

Week 4 Discussion

1. There are many theories of intelligence that have been proposed.  Four theories that I am going to address have been developed by Thurstone, Cattell and Horn, Sternberg, and Gardner.  Thurstone’s and Cattell and Horn’s theories are considered psychometric in that they rely on conventional tests of intelligence.  Sternberg’s and Gardner’s theories are considered cognitive in that they view intelligence as a complex system that cannot be evaluated by an intelligence test.

Thurstone proposed that intelligence involves 7 interrelated factors.  He believed that a students’ ability to do well in school could be understood in terms of how much of these primary mental abilities the student possessed.  The amount of these abilities could be evaluated through various testing measures.

Cattell and Horn suggested that intelligence is a combination of what they describe as fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence.  Fluid intelligence involves understanding abstract and novel concepts, while crystallized intelligence involves the accumulation of knowledge.  As with Thurstone, these areas can be measured quantitatively.

Sternberg proposed a triarchic theory of intelligence.  His theory involves three interrelated components which contribute to three independent abilities that are aspects of intelligence.  People apply their relative abilities towards solving life’s problems.  Within this theory an intelligent person is someone who recognizes his or her strengths and weakness and uses the strengths and learns to compensate for the weaknesses.  It is possible for someone to be strong in all areas.

Finally, Gardener proposes a theory of multiple intelligences.  He believed there are eight distinct and independent intelligences, and possibly a ninth as well.  Individuals can be “intelligent” in one area, but not another.  A person can also possess intelligence in multiple areas.  Gardner claims each area is a separate intelligence, not simply separate abilities.

 

2.  Of these theories, I find Gardner’s theory to better align with my personal beliefs.  I have worked with students who were extremely weak in what are considered standard academic skills, but who were strong in art, music, or athletics.  I like to believe that these strengths denote a type of intelligence that is not measured by a standardized test, instead of simply an ability to be appreciated.  I do believe there is value to psychometric intelligence theories, and to standardized intelligence tests, but I think we place far too much emphasis on these types of evaluations.  I prefer to take a broader view of intelligence.

 

 

Sternberg, R. J., & Williams, W. M. (2010). Educational psychology (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.