INTELLIGENCE THEORIES
INTELLIGENCE VS.
ACHIEVEMENT
Intelligence: ability to learn from
experience
Achievement: knowledge and skills gained
from experience
Involves specific content (Spanish, History,
Art)
Intelligence makes achievement possible by
giving people the ability to learn
CHARLES SPEARMAN’S
TWO FACTOR THEORY
All behaviors to be considered intelligent
have a common underlying factor
G Factor: general intelligence
Ability to reason and solve problems
S Factor: specific abilities
Writing, Music
LOUIS THURSTONE’S THEORY OF
PRIMARY MENTAL ABILITIES
8 factors make up intelligence
Must have all 8 to be considered intelligent
Visual/spatial
Perceptual speed
Numerical ability
Verbal meaning
Memory
Word fluency
Deductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning
HOWARD GARDNER’S THEORY OF
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
Intelligence is based on different areas of
the brain
Intellectual potentials can be tapped given
the right environment
See attached handout
THURSTONE VS. GARDNER
Thurstone: 8 factors, when taken together,
make up intelligence
Gardner: different intelligences are
independent of each other; may change over
time
Criticism of Gardner: musical and
bodily/kinesthetic are talents
ROBERT STERNBERG’S
TRIARCHIC THEORY
3 different kinds of intelligence all work
together
1. Analytic: problem-solving skills
2. Creative: ability to deal with new
situations
3. Practical: ability to accomplish everyday
tasks
DANIEL GOLEMAN’S EMOTIONAL
INGELLIGENCE THEORY
5 factors that are involved in success in
school or on the job
1. Self-awareness: ability to recognize own
feelings
2. Mood management: ability to distract
oneself from an uncomfortable feeling
3. Self-motivation: ability to move ahead
with confidence and enthusiasm
DANIEL GOLEMAN’S EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE THEORY
4. Impulse control: ability to delay pleasure
until the task at hand has been
accomplished
5. People skills: ability to empathize,
understand, communicate and cooperate
with others