Types of Intellect

The 7th, 8th & 9th Intelligence (according to Howard Gardner)

Linguistic Intelligence

Being the intelligence most commonly shared by humans, linguistic intelligence involves the human capacity to

think in words and use these to make oneself understood. It is this type of intelligence that allows a person to appoint complex meanings and express these through the use of language.

Though this human competence is widely used, it is most evident in the way effective public speakers, novelists, journalists, and poets make use of their meta-linguistic skills. In the early stages of life, linguistic intelligence is exhibited in a person's enjoyment of crossword puzzles, storytelling, I reading, and writing. So the next time you think of these as "geeky" activities, you'll do a better job of describing them as activities "word smart" people take pleasure in.

Intra-Personal Intelligence

People who have the remarkable ability to understand themselves, their thoughts, and their emotions and are capable of using this knowledge to plan their lives possess intra-personal intelligence. While intra-personal intelligence does involve self-appreciation, it also comprises a wider understanding of the human condition. As young adults, "self smart" people possess a deeper awareness of their own emotions, are self-motivated, and tend to be shy. Examples of people with evident intra-personal intelligence include philosophers, spiritual leaders, writers, and psychologists.

Spatial Intelligence

The last domain is spatial intelligence, which is defined as the human capacity to consider things in three dimensions. This type of intelligence involves the following core capacities: a dynamic

imagination, image manipulation, mental imagery, artistic and graphic skills, and spatial

reasoning. People with spatial intelligence are highly creative. At a young age, people with high

spatial intelligence are deeply entrenched in solving jigsaw puzzles or mazes, or they may be using up their extra time by daydreaming or drawing. Spatial intelligence is demonstrated mainly by "picture smart" people such as architects, sculptors, painters, pilots, and sailors.