Neural Connections and the Multiple Intelligence Theory

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NEURAL CONNECTIONS AND THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE THEORY Have you ever wondered why, while cramming (last minute)for that history quiz in your freshman year at high school ,you just never seem to be able to remember all those names and dates ? What method did you use to memorize them ? Acronyms ? A tune ? A numerical pattern ? Chances are, at least one of these methods works for you ,if you consider yourself an average , schooled individual. The reason for this is explained by the Multiple Intelligence Theory. The MI theory states that intelligence is differentiated into specific modalities rather than the traditional notion of seeing intelligence dominated by a single general ability. This theory was propounded by Howard Gardner in 1983 through his book Frames of Mind:Theory of Multiple Intelligences. He articulated eight indicators that he used to classify certain behaviors as intelligences . The eight criterion were : potential isolation for brain damage, an identifiable core operation or set of operations, a distinct developmental history, an evolutionary history, support from experimental psychological tasks, support from psychometric findings , and susceptibility to encoding in a symbol system. The eight intelligences are : logical/mathematical, linguistic, visual/spatial, musical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic. It is this flexibility of the mind that allows us humans to exhibit a rather large repertoire of complex actions and higher function. And this flexibility is a result of our elaborate sensory and motor systems. These elaborate systems provide detailed information about the external environment thereby making available the large repertoire of actions. But, the same information also introduces potential for confusion and uncertainty about decisions. To counter this confusion caused by the multitude of data, we have evolved

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