Traditional Intelligence: IQ
The symbol of intelligence, the guideline of abilities, the unity of performance, the measure of social value – IQ. There are many ways to describe the intelligence quotient. If you were to ask me, the most fitting description is probably “price tag.”
Nowadays, a high score on an IQ test can define someone’s worth to others or to themselves. IQ tests measure a range of cognitive abilities, including logical reasoning, mathematical skills, linguistic ability, and spatial visualization. In the end, you get a score, a number comparing you to others on a scale from dumb to Terence Tao.
Critics of IQ tests argue that they are incapable of capturing the full spectrum of human intelligence, completely ignoring qualities such as creativity, emotional understanding, and practical problem-solving. Additionally, cultural and socioeconomic biases can affect test outcomes, raising questions about their fairness and universality.
What we’re trying to say is: don’t let a number define your worth. A high IQ is definitely not a bad thing; you can be proud of that. But, the criteria you are evaluated on based on an IQ test are limited and do not represent your whole self. A high IQ simply indicates that the qualities in question are ones you have the potential to excel in everyday life. Work on refining them and use them to get everything you want. If you want to learn about other qualities you could work on to get ahead in life, read our other article about Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory.
Couldn’t identify completely with any of Gardner’s types? Don’t worry, maybe this next one is just what you’re waiting for.
Emotional Intelligence
Last time we talked about Howard Gardner, this time, let’s face Daniel Goleman. In the mid-1990s, meaning not that long ago, Goleman introduced another significant expansion of traditional intelligence to the world. This new concept, nowadays, rises in significance and popularity. We are talking about Emotional Intelligence (EI).
Empathy, perceiving, understanding, and regulating emotions in oneself and others are the key components of EI. People with high EI are masters of feelings, holding the power to adapt, control, and heal. This might sound familiar in comparison to Howard Gardner’s interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence types. Well, I wouldn’t say you need to split them. Why? Understanding emotions is easier to experience through feelings than to express through words. As long as we haven’t completely understood something, there won’t be a right or wrong way to describe its impact and way of revealing.
Daniel Goleman came up with five key elements of emotional intelligence:
1. Self-Awareness – Recognizing: The power drawn towards oneself, the ability to reflect on and categorize one’s own emotions.
2. Self-Regulation – Managing: The power of forming and manipulating one’s emotions in healthy ways.
3. Motivation – Operating: Pursuing goals or maintaining persistence by using emotions to one’s advantage.
4. Empathy – Understanding: Healing, sharing and resonating with others and their feelings.
5. Social Skills – Forming: Understanding the dynamics and the ability of managing relationships to move people in desired directions.
Emotional intelligence has been shown to be a critical factor in personal and professional success, often more so than traditional cognitive intelligence. People with high EI tend to have better relationships, effective communication skills, and greater leadership abilities.
Therefore, don’t mistake people with high EI scores for crybabies. These are powerful individuals with natural talents for understanding the deepest parts of human nature, the ones that can’t be described with words or logic.
Practical Intelligence
The third and last man we want to include is Robert Sternberg. He is an American psychologist who suggested the “Triarchic Theory of Intelligence.” In case you’re wondering, this theory includes three components, which refer to areas of life rather than Gardner’s defined skills. Therefore, his model can be effectively used to navigate one’s strengths in everyday life. It consists of:
1. Analytical Intelligence:
Similar to the cognitive abilities measured by IQ tests, Sternberg’s analytical intelligence refers to qualities such as problem-solving and logical reasoning. These are typically applied in academic situations and computations, describing a rather abstract form of intelligence helpful in envisioning and solving intangible problems.
2. Creative Intelligence:
Sternberg’s creative intelligence does not only describe someone being good at the arts. Rather, it refers to one’s way of thinking. Describing a different way of problem-solving, creative intelligence is the capacity to deal with novel situations and generate innovative solutions. These individuals hold the power to consider every resource, objectively and free of limitations in usage. They can also easily adapt to different perspectives.
3. Practical Intelligence:
Street smarts and common sense, the ability to adapt to changing environments and apply knowledge to real-world contexts. Practical intelligence encompasses skills such as time management, decision-making, and the ability to influence others — skills that everyone uses every day. The ability to manage these effectively equates to the ability to use our societal structure efficiently. It’s a key component to organizing your everyday life and managing challenges that cross your path.
Cultural and Social Intelligence
In addition to these forms of intelligence, there is growing recognition of the importance of cultural and social intelligence.
Cultural Intelligence (CQ):
Individuals with high cultural intelligence are social and accepting, have a good sense of tact, and are interested in learning about different perspectives and ways of living. Cultural intelligence refers to the ability to understand and interact effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. This is increasingly vital in our globalized world. Nowadays, cross-cultural interactions are common in both personal and professional contexts, making this type of intelligence valuable for success and development.
Social Intelligence:
This type involves the ability to navigate complex social environments and build networks of relationships. In comparison to the other types, if you’re very socially intelligent, you probably know it, and everyone else does too. These are the people always surrounded by others, sometimes without even trying. Socially intelligent individuals embody skills such as empathy, social awareness, and conflict resolution. High social intelligence is often associated with successful leadership and teamwork.
The idea of multiple forms of intelligence highlights the diverse ways in which individuals can excel and contribute to society. This broader perspective challenges the traditional emphasis on cognitive abilities and encourages a more holistic understanding of human potential.
By appreciating and nurturing different types of intelligence, educators, employers, and individuals can create environments that support varied talents and foster personal and collective growth. No talent is useless as each skill behind it can be adapted to different areas of life.
In a world that values diversity, embrace the full spectrum of intelligence, and you’ll be left with unimaginable potential for growth, for innovation, for the future. This is the only way to overcome our times’ complex challenges and use its diverse opportunities.