Intelligence: The Triarchic Theory Of Intelligence

Psychologists have tried to define and measure intelligence for years. The definition of intelligence is the capacity to understand the world, think with rationality, and use resources effectively when faced with challenges (Wechsler, 1975). Many psychologists have tried to define intelligence in their own words and develop tests to measure the intelligence quotient (IQ). These tests can lead to positive and negative outcomes. In the beginning, Alfred Binet created the first IQ test to identify students that might need special instruction in Paris. The mental age of the student was calculated using the test. Then, the mental age was divided by the student’s chronological age and multiplied by 100. This formula created the intelligence …show more content…
They are musical, naturalist, intrapersonal, interpersonal, spatial, linguistic, logical mathematical, and bodily kinesthetic. He believed that these intelligences were basically independent of each other and we used the appropriate intelligence(s) depending on the situation. Another approach to intelligence is the triarchic theory of intelligence. Psychologist Robert Sternberg felt intelligence was composed of componential, experiential, and contextual elements. The componential element looked at individual’s ability to process and analyze information. The experiential element focused on insight. Practical intelligence was known as the contextual …show more content…
In the past, people felt their IQ score was a magical number that predicted future success. For the most part it does predict success in academics, but it doesn’t measure social skills or personality traits. Now it is understood that a combination of smarts, social skills, and personality make up intelligence. A person with a high IQ, but lack of social skills and personality may not do so well in society or be successful as measured by the culture they live in. A person with an average IQ, great social skills, and personality may do very well in society and be extremely successful. Don’t put too much stock in IQ scores, they are not magic numbers that can determine the course of your life. In conclusion, intelligence is very hard to define. Many psychologists have different views as to what constitutes intelligence. Some feel it is only cognitive. Others feel it is fluid, crystalized, or triarchic in theory. Because of these varying beliefs, many different intelligence tests have been developed to measure intelligence. Intelligence tests can help predict academic success, but not necessarily future success in