Intelligence Code: Where Do You Fit?

by Tina Donvito

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The 8 types of intelligence 

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Each of the types of intelligence has its own strengths—but being strong in one doesn’t mean you’ll have a weakness in any other specific area. “There’s no person who possesses some of the intelligences and not others,” Seider says. “Everyone has all of these intelligences, but the question is what you have that’s stronger than some others.”

At the same time, there’s no guarantee you’ll be off-the-charts gifted in any of them either. “We all have unique profiles of these eight intelligences,” he says. What does yours look like?

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1. Linguistic intelligence

The first two intelligences, linguistic and logical-mathematical, are the abilities generally measured on an IQ test. Linguistic intelligence means you’re good with words—you might excel at writing, giving speeches or reading (which means you also reap the many benefits of reading).

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You can “analyze information and create products that come at you through language,” Seider says. “What’s interesting is that a person high in linguistic intelligence could decide to become a poet, but they could also decide to become a TV news anchor—both of those are very, very different types of people.”

A poet, for instance, may be introverted and internal, while a TV news anchor is extroverted, dynamic and charismatic. But they’re both drawing on their linguistic intelligence to do their work, he says.

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Strengths:

• Reading and analyzing written information

• Communicating through speech or writing

• Doing tasks involving written or spoken language

Top career choices:

• Novelist or poet

• Public speaker

• Journalist or television anchor

• Editor

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2. Logical-mathematical intelligence

If you’re a numbers whiz who’s really good at math riddles, you’re high in logical-mathematical intelligence. People with this intelligence have “the ability to analyze information and create products that draw on numbers,” Seider says. “Someone high in logical-mathematical intelligence might become a computer programmer or a code breaker.”

Those working with equations, calculations, scientific proofs and abstract problems are also likely high in logical-mathematical intelligence. “The linguistic and the logical-mathematical intelligences are the academic intelligences that get heavily prioritized in most schools,” he says.

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Strengths:

• Doing calculations and equations

• Working with numbers

• Using the scientific method

Top career choices:

• Mathematician

• Computer coder

• Scientist

• Accountant

 

3. Spatial intelligence

Can you “see” in three dimensions in your mind? If you are great at solving puzzles or understanding charts, maps and graphs, or if you have a great eye for visualizing images and patterns in your head, you are high in spatial intelligence.

“Spatial intelligence is the ability to manipulate and produce spatial images,” Seider says. “Someone high in spatial intelligence might be drawn to architecture, almost any kind of art or graphic design.” Chess players who can picture the board several moves ahead are also good in spacial intelligence—so if you’re looking for a new hobby, this might be the one for you. This intelligence is also high in those who are able to navigate larger-scale spaces, such as space or sea.

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Strengths:

• Visualizing in three dimensions

• Creating and manipulating images

• Understanding charts, graphs and maps

Top career choices:

• Artist

• Graphic designer

• Architect

• Pilot or boat captain

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4. Musical intelligence

Those high in musical intelligence aren’t just great singers or guitar players but specifically have an aptitude for sensing rhythm, pitch, meter, tone, melody and timbre. In addition to being a musician, those with this intelligence might be a conductor, songwriter or even an audio technician or sound engineer.

This is one intelligence that even people with lower natural ability may try to strengthen. “I took piano lessons for eight years, from 4 to 12, but I never got particularly good at reading notes or playing by ear,” Seider says. “But if I decided now I was going to work really, really hard at becoming a stronger piano player, I could certainly strengthen my musical intelligence through hard work, practice and lessons.”

With MI theory, you can learn something new every day and actually get smarter.

 

Strengths:

• Sensing the elements of music

• Remembering musical patterns and sounds

• Creating, producing or manipulating music

Top career choices:

• Vocalist or musician

• Conductor

• Songwriter or composer

• Sound engineer

 

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5. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence

If you are good at using part of your body (such as your hands) or your whole body to do things, you have this type of intelligence. “That’s the ability to use one’s own body to create products or solve problems,” Seider says.

Although you can bolster your strength in this area, if you’re high in it naturally, your body might have a gut instinct for how to move effectively. “What’s interesting is that, again, depending on what that combines with, you may be an orthopedic surgeon, who needs very high bodily-kinesthetic intelligence to do surgery, or a ballet dancer or an athlete, who also need to possess high levels of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence,” he says.

That’s why more than one intelligence may forge your path in life; it’s a combination of intelligences, along with personality traits, that might make one person more likely to become a carpenter and another a basketball player.

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Strengths:

• Having coordination, either physical or hand-eye

• Using fine and/or gross motor skills

• Exhibiting excellent muscle memory

Top career choices:

• Athlete or dancer

• Surgeon

• Carpenter or other craftsperson

• Typist or stenographer

 

6. Interpersonal intelligence

Are you the friend everyone goes to when they have a problem to discuss? Do you possess the instinctual knowledge of how to read people? Then you’re probably high in interpersonal intelligence, which is the ability to interact with others effectively.

“Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand other people’s moods, desires and motivations,” Seider says. “Almost all of us in our professions benefit from high interpersonal intelligence.” So whether you’re a manager at a store or collaborating with co-workers in an office, this intelligence is going to be useful. Some professions, such as therapists and teachers, even require it.

“In terms of the ways in which different intelligences are combined, someone high in linguistic intelligence and interpersonal intelligence would be a terrific English teacher,” he says. Or if you’re a charming “people person” who’s good at reading others, you might also go into sales, hospitality or politics.

“If you connect with interpersonal intelligence, working with others in social and relational domains is likely to be a good match,” Yeilding says.

 

Strengths:

• Being able to “read” people

• Resolving situations and negotiating effectively

• Understanding others

Top career choices:

• Therapist

• Teacher

• Politician

• Salesperson or manager

 

7. Intrapersonal intelligence

If you’re really good at understanding yourself and embracing who you are, you have high intrapersonal intelligence. “Intrapersonal intelligence is an ability to recognize your own moods, desires, motivations and intentions,” Seider says.

As with interpersonal intelligence, we all benefit from this type of intelligence. But there are some careers in which it’s especially useful—anyone who works for themselves, such as an entrepreneur or freelancer, or on their own, such as a writer, needs this kind of intelligence.

“Anyone whose work is very self-directed would particularly benefit from intrapersonal intelligence: being attuned to when you do your best work, what motivates you to be effective and what’s un-motivating, and how you prefer to receive feedback,” Seider says. Your ability to self-reflect might also make you a good philosopher or theologian—in the words of the ancient Greeks, to be high in this intelligence is to “know thyself.”

 

Strengths:

• Being very self-aware

• Easily motivating yourself

• Understanding your own needs and wants

Top career choices:

• Entrepreneur

• Business owner

• Freelancer

• Philosopher

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8. Naturalistic intelligence

Gardner added this one in 1999 in his book Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century because he felt that it met the criteria for being a separate domain. Naturalistic intelligence is the ability to “recognize and distinguish things found in the natural world, whether that’s plants or animals or weather formations,” Seider says.

People who work with plants and animals or who study aspects of nature and the environment are usually high in this intelligence. If you have this intelligence, you know how to remember things in nature, like the difference between a poisonous mushroom and an edible one, or the characteristics of different cloud formations.

“If you connect with naturalistic intelligence, working in relation to the natural environment or in some area of observing and categorizing of objects might be a good direction to go,” Yeilding says.

 

Strengths:

• Distinguishing different plants, animals and/or other aspects of the environment

• Effectively interacting with the environment, such as having a “green thumb”

• Being sensitive to the needs of the natural world

Top career choices:

• Gardener or botanist

• Zoologist or veterinarian

• Meteorologist

• Conservationist

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SOURCE

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