Collective Intelligence . . .

[flyintheointment]

Here is a site which describes various types of intelligence, going beyond Gardener's 8 or 9 types. It offers a wider variety of intelligences to choose from.

Multi-Modal Intelligence and Multiple Intelligences
The Co-Intelligence Institute

People know their worlds in many ways. All of us have many cognitive capacities, but most of us are particularly strong in some and weak in others. Our cognitive patterns are part of who we are, part of our diverse uniqueness. Most importantly, those patterns are gifts we can contribute to each other and to the groups and communities of which we are a part, so that those human collectives can know themselves, their world, and the universe more fully than any of us can individually. And for that reason, it behooves groups and communities to support us at being the most whole, competent people we can be, and to support synergy among us so that we can be even more whole and competent together.

In this effort, it helps to have a sense of our diverse cognitive capabilities, our multi-modal intelligence. In the last fifteen years an increasing number of people are reaching far beyond IQ to research and comment on the multi-dimensional quality of human intelligence -- or, as some see it, multiple intelligences. Here is a composite (and sometimes overlapping) list of human intelligences drawn from a half-dozen such explorations. As you read it, think about your own capacities in each area, and about people you know who are especially gifted or incapable in these various intelligences.

• PRACTICAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to think in concrete examples and solve daily problems directly without necessarily being able to explain how; the tendency to survive or succeed through taking straightforward, responsive, concrete action. (Also called marketing, strategic or political intelligence -- since it focuses on "the art of the possible" -- or just common sense or simple effectiveness.)
• VERBAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to think and communicate effectively and creatively with words; and to recognize, use and appreciate linguistic patterns.
• LOGICAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to think in terms of (and to appreciate) abstract parts, symbols and sequential relationships, conceptual regularities or numerical patterns, and to reach conclusions or construct things in an orderly way. (Also called rational, analytic or mathematical intelligence.)
• ASSOCIATIVE INTELLIGENCE is the ability to think in non-sequential associations -- similarities, differences, resonances, meanings, relationships, etc. -- and to create (and appreciate) totally new patterns and meanings out of old ones.
• SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to visualize, appreciate and think in terms of pictures and images; to graphically imagine possibilities; and to observe, understand, transform and orient oneself in visual reality. (Also called pictorial or imaginative intelligence.)
• INTUITIVE INTELLIGENCE is the ability to know directly, to perceive and appreciate whole or hidden patterns beyond (or faster than) logic.
• MUSICAL INTELLIGENCE is the capacity to perceive, appreciate, resonate with, produce and productively use rhythms, melodies, and other sounds.
• AESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE is the ability to produce, express, communicate and appreciate in a compelling way inner, spiritual, natural and cultural realities and meanings. (This can include aspects of verbal, musical and spatial intelligences.)
• BODY INTELLIGENCE is the ability to sense, appreciate, and utilize one's own body -- movement, manual dexterity, tactile sensitivity, physical responsiveness and constraints; to create and think in terms of physiological patterns; to maintain physical health; and to relate to or meet the needs of others' bodies. (Also called kinesthetic or somatic intelligence.)
• INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to perceive, understand, think about, relate to and utilize other people's subjective states, and to estimate their likely behavior. This includes, especially, empathy.
• SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to work with others and find identity and meaning in social engagement; to perceive, think, and deal in terms of multi-person patterns, group dynamics and needs, and human communities; it includes a tendency towards cooperation and service. (Also called team intelligence.)
• AFFECTIONAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to be affected by, connected to or resonant with people, ideas, experiences, aesthetics, or any other aspect of life; to experience one's liking or disliking of these things; and to use one's affinities in decision-making and life.
• MOOD INTELLIGENCE is the ability to fully experience any mood as it happens (without having to judge it or do anything about it), to learn from it, and to move out of it at will -- especially to generate resilience.
• MOTIVATIONAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to know and to work with what moves you; to sense, think and initiate in terms of needs, wants, will, courage, responsibility and action -- one's own and others. (This can include that aspect of mood intelligence that can marshal emotions in the service of a goal.)
• INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to recognize, access and deal with one's own subjective (or inner) world. (This can include aspects of affectional, mood, motivational and body intelligences.)
• EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to experience, think and deal with emotional patterns in oneself and others. (This can include aspects of interpersonal, intrapersonal, affectional, mood and motivational intelligences.)
• BASIC INTELLIGENCE is the ability to move toward what is healthy and desirable and away from what is unhealthy or undesirable. (This can use affectional and practical intelligences, or be almost automatic and instinctual.)
• BEHAVIORAL PATTERN INTELLIGENCE is the ability to recognize, form and change one's own behavioral patterns, including compulsions, inhibitions and habits.
• PARAMETER INTELLIGENCE is the ability to create and sustain order and predictability -- to recognize, establish, sustain, and change rhythms, routines/rituals, boundaries, guiding principles/values/beliefs, etc., in one's own life.
• HABIT INTELLIGENCE is the ability to recognize, form and change one's habits (which naturally embraces many aspects of behavioral and parameter intelligence).
• ORGANIZING INTELLIGENCE is the ability to create order in one's own life and in other lives/groups/systems. (This can include aspects of parameter, team/social, and logical intelligences)
• SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE is the ability to sense, appreciate and think with spiritual and moral realities and patterns -- to operate from an awareness of ultimate common ground (consciousness, spirit, nature, or some other sacred dimension). (This is usually dependent on intrapersonal intelligence.) (Also called moral or transcendental intelligence.)
• NARRATIVE INTELLIGENCE is the ability to perceive, know, think, feel, explain one's experience and influence reality through the use of stories and narrative forms (characters, history, myth, dreams, scenarios, etc.).
• ECO-INTELLIGENCE is the ability to recognize, appreciate, think and feel with, and utilize natural patterns and one's place in nature, and to empathize with and sustain healthy relationships with animals, plants and natural systems.

All of these are needed by each of us, at least to some degree, in order to have a successful life. Some people are blessed with great endowments of one or more of these. Some have very little of one or more of these. Some situations require one particular kind of intelligence or combination of intelligences not needed in other situations. This is a very powerful aspect of our diversity.

[thewindlistens]

This list seriously needs to be condensed. At least half of these types of intelligence could be paired up into one.

[pianopraze]

I subtract form it...

-2

[flyintheointment]

Originally Posted by thewindlistens

This list seriously needs to be condensed. At least half of these types of intelligence could be paired up into one.

There are differences however finite. I appreciated the variety. It's pretty helpful to have a wider set of choices to identify with than just a few.

Classifying the entire world using only 9 types of intelligences and 16 personality types is a bit too much homogeneity for 6 billion people.

[kdm1984]

Interesting list. windlisten's apt Ti of course took note of the overlapping

I am dissatisfied with many of the descriptions, though, especially the logical description. It actually stresses what we construct as _N_J tendencies more than anything. I can't imagine an ESTP or ISTP relating to that description, for instance - abstract patterns? Organization? Sequences? Symbols? Reaching conclusions? Sheesh! That's all the crap I like focusing on and doing on a regular basis. And I wouldn't consider myself more adept at "logical intelligence" than they are! 16 types FTW!

Also, people can be imaginative without necessarily being spatial, and vice versa.

And I won't even get too much into my WTF reaction to basic intelligence.. Does anyone naturally gravitate toward what is undesirable, and who in da hell can determine all of what that is anyhow? Pbbt!

[flyintheointment]

Originally Posted by kdm1984

Interesting list. windlisten's apt Ti of course took note of the overlapping

And I won't even get too much into my WTF reaction to basic intelligence.. Does anyone naturally gravitate toward what is undesirable, and who in da hell can determine all of what that is anyhow? Pbbt!

I think what they describe as basic intelligence is probably "common sense," referring to those who have the ability to make simple decisions about what to approach and what to avoid everyday. There is a sector of the population who doesn't have those instincts, and needs someone to stop them from following the crumbs to the ginger bread witch's house. Some are more in tune than others. Some things which most consider common sense, others may be completely clueless about because they lack the ability to pick up on things and reason through it.

I don't think the list is suggesting that each type of intelligence is only limited to a few. Some have more of one intelligence than another. It may simply mean that one or two types of intelligence are better developed than others. We know that people can be booksmart but not street smart (i.e. practical intelligence). We know there are some who have emotional intelligence but fail in logical intelligence. You can have one type of intelligence and not another. It doesn't mean that an intelligence can't be developed.

Basic education has a lot to do what we know or don't know. We take it for granted everyday that most of us have common, basic intelligence. But take away foundational education from childhood to young adulthood and see how we would fare in this world. In that scenario, those with basic and practical intelligence would be treated like gods or kings. Few of us will admit that if it were not for basic education, we wouldn't know how to maneuver this world.

[Closet Extrovert]

I think the list is interesting.

[peterpan2k]

You'll probably hate me for this, but I think this list a bit of waffle (term for too many words for little information in Brit).

The reason for that is that I think some of the categorization is lifestyle choices and habits, not to be considered as intelligence. Intelligence is, in my opinion, something you are born with, not something you acquire.

Please forgive me if I am wrong.

[flyintheointment]

this list a bit of waffle (term for too many words for little information in Brit).

I could see that. Some of the list is a bit repetitive.

The reason for that is that I think some of the categorization is lifestyle choices and habits, not to be considered as intelligence. Intelligence is, in my opinion, something you are born with, not something you acquire.

I do see some variety. The list seemed interesting because it was more expansive than previous descriptions of intelligence types. I guess it depends on how you interpret what you see.

Please forgive me if I am wrong.

I don't think I can forgive you. Sorry.