The Intelligence Theories of Charles Spearman and Howard Gardner

Charles Spearman and Howard Gardner both created two of the most widely used theories of intelligence. In order to understand the similarities between the two theories we must first determine the difference. In order to do this we must take an in-depth look into the creation of intelligence theories and their basic principles.

Charles Spearman's "Model of Intelligence Theory". In the early 1900's Charles Spearman made an observation that has sense continued to influence many of today's theories of intelligence. In this observation, Spearman noted that all tests of mental ability are positively correlated. Spearman discovered that people who score high on IQ or mental ability tests usually scored higher on other types of tests, and people that scored lower generally had lower scores on other tests.

Spearman speculated that if all mental tests are positively correlated there must be some common variable or factor that produces this positive correlation. In 1904 Spearman published and article that used a statistical method to show that the positive correlations among mental tests indeed resulted from a common underlying factor. This method is knows as factor analysis. Using factor analysis Spearman believed it would be possible to identify clusters of tests that measure a common ability.

Based on his factor analysis techniques Charles Spearman stated that tow factors could directly affect an individual's score on mental tests. "He called the first factor the general intelligence or the general factor" (Encarta.msn, 2006). The general factor represented what all mental tests have in common. Scores on all of these tests were positively correlated. He believed that this was because all of these tests drew on the general factor.

The Second factor Charles Spearman identified was the specific factor. The specific factor related to whatever unique abilities a particular test required so it differed from test to test. Spearman and his followers place much more importance on general intelligence than on the specific factor.

The next theory is Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory. In 1983, Howard Gardner proposed a theory was intended to broaden the traditional definition of intelligence. He felt that the concept of intelligence, as it was previously defined did not truly capture all of the ways that humans can excel. Gardner argued that human beings do not have underlying general intelligence, but rather that we have multiple intelligence's and that they are each part of an independent system in the brain.

While formulating this theory, Howard Gardner placed less emphasis on explaining the results of mental tests than on accounting for the range of human abilities that exist across a vast majority of cultures.

Howard Gardner drew his conclusions from very diverse sources of evidence so that he could determine the number of intelligences in this theory. One example of this is studies he did on brain damaged people who had lost one ability such as spatial thinking but managed to retain another such as language or motor functions. He believed that because two separate abilities could operate independently of one another; this suggested that existence of separate intelligences was not that far fetched. He also suggested that evidence of multiple intelligence could also be the various idiot savants or prodigies. He believed that the presences of high level or extraordinary abilities in the absence of other abilities more than solidified his theory.

Garner Later proposed that there where seven intelligence. The first intelligence was Linguistic Intelligence, which involves aptitude with speech and language. The next was Logical-Mathematical Intelligence; this involves the ability to reason abstractly and solve mathematical and logical problems. The third is Spatial Intelligence; this is used to perceive visual and spatial information and to conceptualize the world in tasks such as navigation or art. Musical Intelligence is the fourth ability, this is the ability to perform, read write or decipher music. The next ability is Bodily- Kinesthetic intelligence this is the ability that people use in activities such as sports, dancing, and so on. Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand others while Intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to understand ones self. Finally, we have "Naturalist intelligence, which is the ability to recognize and classify plant life" (Encarta.msn, 2006).

The major difference between ttheir two intelligence theories is that Spearman believed that intelligence could measured by IQ tests or mental abilities tests. Gardner however believed that intelligence could not be tied down to just one definition because there is more one type of human intelligence. Now the major way that both of these great psychologist theories are similar is that during there development they where criticized for not having enough empirical evidence. Many other psychologists believed they were basing these theories on pure intuition and guessing rather than on real physical evidence. Both mean when developing there theories sought to reshape and broaden there era's general definition of intelligence. They both succeed in this task in that as of today many people are still using those theories in classes around the world and many psychologist use there theories as the basis for there own investigations.

Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence is more in line with today's psychology for the several reasons. One of the first reasons is that we live in a society in which extraordinary talent is applauded and highly respected. We see this in every time we turn on our television, and athlete receiving an award or some musical prodigy that can barely complete a sentence. There is so much evidence now that points to peoples having more than one intelligence. For example, students that take the SAT and score extremely well are considered exceptional students; however, a student that receives average scores, but excels in music or sports or has several extracurricular activities is more likely to be accepted into a prestigious college especially if there GPA is desirable. We are living in an age now were people understand that tests are not the ultimate judge of intelligence. This is why Spearman's theory though innovative in it's time is no longer relevant.

MSN Encarta Premium (2006).Intelligence. Charles Spearman .Retrieved February 27, 2006, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopecia_761570026_4/Intelligence.html MAN Encarta Premium (2006). Intelligence. HowardGardner .Retrieved February 27, 2006, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopecia_761570026_4/Intelligence.html