he Lheory of mulLlple lnLelllgences was proposed by Poward Cardner ln 1983 as a model of

lnLelllgence LhaL dlfferenLlaLes lnLelllgence lnLo varlous speclflc (prlmarlly sensory) modallLles
raLher Lhan seelng lL as domlnaLed by a slngle general ablllLy
Cardner argues LhaL Lhere ls a wlde range of cognlLlve ablllLles and LhaL Lhere are only very weak
correlaLlons beLween Lhese lor example Lhe Lheory predlcLs LhaL a chlld who learns Lo mulLlply
easlly ls noL necessarlly generally more lnLelllgenL Lhan a chlld who has more dlfflculLy on Lhls Lask
1he chlld who Lakes more Llme Lo masLer slmple mulLlpllcaLlon 1) may besL learn Lo mulLlply
Lhrough a dlfferenL approach 2) may excel ln a fleld ouLslde of maLhemaLlcs or 3) may even be
looklng aL and undersLandlng Lhe mulLlpllcaLlon process aL a fundamenLally deeper level or
perhaps as an enLlrely dlfferenL process Such a fundamenLally deeper undersLandlng can resulL ln
whaL looks llke slowness and can hlde a maLhemaLlcal lnLelllgence poLenLlally hlgher Lhan LhaL of a
chlld who qulckly memorlzes Lhe mulLlpllcaLlon Lable desplLe a less deLalled undersLandlng of Lhe
process of mulLlpllcaLlon
1he Lheory has been meL wlLh mlxed responses 1radlLlonal lnLelllgence LesLs and psychomeLrlcs
have generally found hlgh correlaLlons beLween dlfferenL Lasks and aspecLs of lnLelllgence raLher
Lhan Lhe low correlaLlons whlch Cardners Lheory predlcLs neverLheless many educaLlonallsLs
supporL Lhe pracLlcal value of Lhe approaches suggesLed by Lhe Lheory1
ConLenLs hlde
1 1he mulLlple lnLelllgences
11 LoglcalmaLhemaLlcal
12 SpaLlal
13 LlngulsLlc
14 8odllyklnesLheLlc
13 Muslcal
16 lnLerpersonal
17 lnLrapersonal
18 naLurallsLlc
19 LxlsLenLlal
2 use ln educaLlon
3 CrlLlcal recepLlon
31 1he deflnlLlon of lnLelllgence
32 1auLology
33 neolageLlan crlLlclsm
34 SpaLlal lnLelllgence
33 Modern lC LesLs measure many ablllLles
36 Lack of emplrlcal evldence
4 See also
3 noLes
6 8eferences
7 lurLher readlng
8 LxLernal llnks
edlL1he mulLlple lnLelllgences


1hls secLlon needs addlLlonal clLaLlons for verlflcaLlon lease help lmprove Lhls arLlcle by addlng
clLaLlons Lo rellable sources unsourced maLerlal may be challenged and removed (CcLober 2010)
Cardner arLlculaLed several crlLerla for a behavlor Lo be an lnLelllgence2 1hese were LhaL Lhe
lnLelllgences
oLenLlal for braln lsolaLlon by braln damage
lace ln evoluLlonary hlsLory
resence of core operaLlons
SuscepLlblllLy Lo encodlng (symbollc expresslon)
A dlsLlncL developmenLal progresslon
1he exlsLence of savanLs prodlgles and oLher excepLlonal people
SupporL from experlmenLal psychology and psychomeLrlc flndlngs
Cardner belleves LhaL elghL ablllLles meeL Lhese crlLerla3
SpaLlal
LlngulsLlc
LoglcalmaLhemaLlcal
8odllyklnesLheLlc
Muslcal
lnLerpersonal
lnLrapersonal
naLurallsLlc
Pe conslders LhaL exlsLenLlal and moral lnLelllgence may also be worLhy of lncluslon4
1he flrsL Lhree are closely llnked Lo fluld ablllLy and Lhe verbal and spaLlal ablllLles LhaL form Lhe
hlerarchlcal model of lnLelllgence3
edlLLoglcalmaLhemaLlcal
1hls area has Lo do wlLh loglc absLracLlons reasonlng and numbers Whlle lL ls ofLen assumed LhaL
Lhose wlLh Lhls lnLelllgence naLurally excel ln maLhemaLlcs chess compuLer programmlng and
oLher loglcal or numerlcal acLlvlLles a more accuraLe deflnlLlon places less emphasls on LradlLlonal
maLhemaLlcal ablllLy and more on reasonlng capablllLles recognlzlng absLracL paLLerns sclenLlflc
Lhlnklng and lnvesLlgaLlon and Lhe ablllLy Lo perform complex calculaLlonsclLaLlon needed Loglcal
reasonlng ls closely llnked Lo fluld lnLelllgence and Lo general ablllLy6
edlLSpaLlal
Maln arLlcle SpaLlal lnLelllgence
1hls area deals wlLh spaLlal [udgmenL and Lhe ablllLy Lo vlsuallze wlLh Lhe mlnds eye Careers
whlch sulL Lhose wlLh Lhls Lype of lnLelllgence lnclude arLlsLs deslgners and archlLecLs A spaLlal
person ls also good wlLh puzzlesclLaLlon needed SpaLlal ablllLy ls one of Lhe Lhree facLors
beneaLh g ln Lhe hlerarchlcal model of lnLelllgence
edlLLlngulsLlc
1hls area has Lo do wlLh words spoken or wrlLLen eople wlLh hlgh verballlngulsLlc lnLelllgence
dlsplay a faclllLy wlLh words and languages 1hey are Lyplcally good aL readlng wrlLlng Lelllng
sLorles and memorlzlng words along wlLh daLes 1hey Lend Lo learn besL by readlng Laklng noLes
llsLenlng Lo lecLures and by dlscusslng and debaLlng abouL whaL Lhey have learnedclLaLlon
needed 1hose wlLh verballlngulsLlc lnLelllgence learn forelgn languages very easlly as Lhey have
hlgh verbal memory and recall and an ablllLy Lo undersLand and manlpulaLe synLax and
sLrucLureclLaLlon needed verbal ablllLy ls one of Lhe mosL gloaded ablllLles7
edlL8odllyklnesLheLlc
1he core elemenLs of Lhe bodllyklnesLheLlc lnLelllgence are conLrol of ones bodlly moLlons and
Lhe capaclLy Lo handle ob[ecLs sklllfully (206) Cardner elaboraLes Lo say LhaL Lhls lnLelllgence also
lncludes a sense of Llmlng a clear sense of Lhe goal of a physlcal acLlon along wlLh Lhe ablllLy Lo
Lraln responses so Lhey become llke reflexes
ln Lheory people who have bodllyklnesLheLlc lnLelllgence should learn beLLer by lnvolvlng
muscular movemenL (eg geLLlng up and movlng around lnLo Lhe learnlng experlence) and are
generally good aL physlcal acLlvlLles such as sporLs or dance 1hey may en[oy acLlng or performlng
and ln general Lhey are good aL bulldlng and maklng Lhlngs 1hey ofLen learn besL by dolng
someLhlng physlcally raLher Lhan by readlng or hearlng abouL lL 1hose wlLh sLrong bodlly
klnesLheLlc lnLelllgence seem Lo use whaL mlghL be Lermed muscle memory Lhey remember
Lhlngs Lhrough Lhelr body such as verbal memory
Careers LhaL sulL Lhose wlLh Lhls lnLelllgence lnclude aLhleLes plloLs dancers muslclans acLors
surgeons docLors bullders pollce offlcers and soldlers AlLhough Lhese careers can be dupllcaLed
Lhrough vlrLual slmulaLlon Lhey wlll noL produce Lhe acLual physlcal learnlng LhaL ls needed ln Lhls
lnLelllgence8
edlLMuslcal
1hls area has Lo do wlLh senslLlvlLy Lo sounds rhyLhms Lones and muslc eople wlLh a hlgh
muslcal lnLelllgence normally have good plLch and may even have absoluLe plLch and are able Lo
slng play muslcal lnsLrumenLs and compose muslc Slnce Lhere ls a sLrong audlLory componenL Lo
Lhls lnLelllgence Lhose who are sLrongesL ln lL may learn besL vla lecLure Language skllls are
Lyplcally hlghly developed ln Lhose whose base lnLelllgence ls muslcal ln addlLlon Lhey wlll
someLlmes use songs or rhyLhms Lo learn 1hey have senslLlvlLy Lo rhyLhm plLch meLer Lone
melody or Llmbre
Careers LhaL sulL Lhose wlLh Lhls lnLelllgence lnclude lnsLrumenLallsLs slngers conducLors dlsc
[ockeys oraLors wrlLers and composers
edlLlnLerpersonal
1hls area has Lo do wlLh lnLeracLlon wlLh oLhers ln Lheory people who have a hlgh lnLerpersonal
lnLelllgence Lend Lo be exLroverLs characLerlzed by Lhelr senslLlvlLy Lo oLhers moods feellngs
LemperamenLs and moLlvaLlons and Lhelr ablllLy Lo cooperaLe ln order Lo work as parL of a group
1hey communlcaLe effecLlvely and empaLhlze easlly wlLh oLhers and may be elLher leaders or
followers 1hey Lyplcally learn besL by worklng wlLh oLhers and ofLen en[oy dlscusslon and debaLe
Careers LhaL sulL Lhose wlLh Lhls lnLelllgence lnclude sales pollLlclans managers Leachers and
soclal workers9
edlLlnLrapersonal
1hls area has Lo do wlLh lnLrospecLlve and selfreflecLlve capaclLles eople wlLh lnLrapersonal
lnLelllgence are lnLulLlve and Lyplcally lnLroverLedclLaLlon needed 1hey are sklllful aL declpherlng
Lhelr own feellngs and moLlvaLlonsclLaLlon needed 1hls refers Lo havlng a deep undersLandlng of
Lhe self whaL your sLrengLhs/ weaknesses are whaL makes you unlque belng able Lo predlcL your
own reacLlons/emoLlons Careers whlch sulL Lhose wlLh Lhls lnLelllgence lnclude phllosophers
psychologlsLs Lheologlans lawyers and wrlLersclLaLlon needed eople wlLh lnLrapersonal
lnLelllgence also prefer Lo work aloneclLaLlon needed
edlLnaLurallsLlc
1hls area has Lo do wlLh nurLurlng and relaLlng lnformaLlon Lo one's naLural surroundlngs
Lxamples lnclude classlfylng naLural forms such as anlmal and planL specles and rocks and
mounLaln Lypes and Lhe applled knowledge of naLure ln farmlng mlnlng eLc Careers whlch sulL
Lhose wlLh Lhls lnLelllgence lnclude naLurallsLs farmers and gardeners
edlLLxlsLenLlal
Some proponenLs of mulLlple lnLelllgence Lheory proposed splrlLual or rellglous lnLelllgence as a
posslble addlLlonal Lype Cardner dld noL wanL Lo commlL Lo a splrlLual lnLelllgence buL suggesLed
LhaL an exlsLenLlal lnLelllgence may be a useful consLrucL10 1he hypoLhesls of an exlsLenLlal
lnLelllgence has been furLher explored by educaLlonal researchers11
AblllLy Lo conLemplaLe phenomena or quesLlons beyond sensory daLa such as Lhe lnflnlLe and
lnflnlLeslmal Careers or calllngs whlch sulL Lhose wlLh Lhls lnLelllgence lnclude shamans prlesLs
maLhemaLlclans physlclsLs sclenLlsLs cosmologlsLs and phllosophers
edlLuse ln educaLlon

Cardner (1999) deflnes an lnLelllgence as ''blopsychologlcal poLenLlal Lo process lnformaLlon LhaL
can be acLlvaLed ln a culLural seLLlng Lo solve problems or creaLe producLs LhaL are of value ln a
culLure'' (pp 3334) Accordlng Lo Cardner Lhere are more ways Lo do Lhls Lhan [usL Lhrough
loglcal and llngulsLlc lnLelllgence Cardner belleves LhaL Lhe purpose of schoollng should be Lo
develop lnLelllgences and Lo help people reach vocaLlonal and avocaLlonal goals LhaL are
approprlaLe Lo Lhelr parLlcular specLrum of lnLelllgences eople who are helped Lo do so he
belleves feel more engaged and compeLenL and Lherefore more lncllned Lo serve socleLy ln a
consLrucLlve way12
1radlLlonally schools have emphaslzed Lhe developmenL of loglcal lnLelllgence and llngulsLlc
lnLelllgence (malnly readlng and wrlLlng) lC LesLs (glven Lo abouL 1000000 sLudenLs each
year)clLaLlon needed focus mosLly on loglcal and llngulsLlc lnLelllgence upon dolng well on Lhese
LesLs chances of aLLendlng a presLlge college or unlverslLy lncrease whlch ln Lurn creaLes
conLrlbuLlng members of socleLy (Cardner 1993) Whlle many sLudenLs funcLlon well ln Lhls
envlronmenL Lhere are Lhose who do noL Accordlng Lo Peldlng (2009)13 SLandard lC LesLs
measure knowledge galned aL a parLlcular momenL ln Llme Lhey can only provlde a freezeframe
vlew of crysLalllzed knowledge 1hey cannoL assess or predlcL a person's ablllLy Lo learn Lo
asslmllaLe new lnformaLlon or Lo solve new problems (pp196) Cardners Lheory argues LhaL
sLudenLs wlll be beLLer served by a broader vlslon of educaLlon whereln Leachers use dlfferenL
meLhodologles exerclses and acLlvlLles Lo reach all sLudenLs noL [usL Lhose who excel aL llngulsLlc
and loglcal lnLelllgence lL challenges educaLors Lo flnd ''ways LhaL wlll work for Lhls sLudenL
learnlng Lhls Loplc'' (Cardner 1999 p 134)
Many Leacherswho? see Lhe Lheory as slmple common sense Somewho? say LhaL lL valldaLes
whaL Lhey already know LhaL sLudenLs learn ln dlfferenL ways 1he challenge LhaL Lhls brlngs for
educaLors ls Lo know whlch sLudenLs learn ln whlch ways Cn Lhe oLher hand !ames 1raubs arLlcle
ln 1he new 8epubllc noLes LhaL Cardners sysLem has noL been accepLed by mosL academlcs ln
lnLelllgence or Leachlng Cardner sLaLes LhaL ''whlle MulLlple lnLelllgences Lheory ls conslsLenL
wlLh much emplrlcal evldence lL has noL been sub[ecLed Lo sLrong experlmenLal LesLs WlLhln
Lhe area of educaLlon Lhe appllcaLlons of Lhe Lheory are currenLly belng examlned ln many
pro[ecLs Cur hunches wlll have Lo be revlsed many Llmes ln llghL of acLual classroom experlence''
(Cardner 1993 p 33)
Ceorge Mlller Lhe psychologlsL credlLed wlLh dlscoverlng Lhe mechanlsms by whlch shorLLerm
memory operaLes wroLe ln 1he new ?ork 1lmes 8ook 8evlew LhaL Cardners argumenL bolled
down Lo hunch and oplnlon (p 20) Cardners subsequenL work has done very llLLle Lo shlfL Lhe
balance of oplnlon A recenL lssue of sychology ubllc ollcy and Law devoLed Lo Lhe sLudy of
lnLelllgence conLalned vlrLually no reference Lo Cardners work MosL people who sLudy
lnLelllgence vlew Ml Lheory as rheLorlc raLher Lhan sclence and Lhey are dlvlded on Lhe vlrLues of
Lhe rheLorlcclLaLlon needed
1he appllcaLlon of Lhe Lheory of mulLlple lnLelllgences varles wldely lL runs Lhe gamuL from a
Leacher who when confronLed wlLh a sLudenL havlng dlfflculLles uses a dlfferenL approach Lo
Leach Lhe maLerlal Lo an enLlre school uslng Ml as a framework ln general Lhose who subscrlbe
Lo Lhe Lheory sLrlve Lo provlde opporLunlLles for Lhelr sLudenLs Lo use and develop all Lhe dlfferenL
lnLelllgences noL [usL Lhe few aL whlch Lhey naLurally excelclLaLlon needed 1here are many
dlfferenL onllne LesLs Leachers can have Lhelr sLudenLs Lake ln order Lo deLermlne whlch of Lhe
lnLelllgences are besL sulLed for Lhelr personal learnlng An example of one can be found aL14
Cf Lhe schools lmplemenLlng Cardners Lheory Lhe mosL wellknown ls new ClLy School ln SL
Louls Mlssourl whlch has been uslng Lhe Lheory slnce 1988 1he schools Leachers have produced
Lwo books for Leachers CelebraLlng MulLlple lnLelllgences and Succeedlng WlLh MulLlple
lnLelllgences and Lhe prlnclpal 1homas Poerr has wrlLLen 8ecomlng a MulLlple lnLelllgences
School as well as many arLlcles on Lhe pracLlcal appllcaLlons of Lhe Lheory 1he school has also
hosLed four conferences each aLLracLlng over 200 educaLors from around Lhe world and remalns a
valuable resource for Leachers lnLeresLed ln lmplemenLlng Lhe Lheory ln Lhelr own classrooms13
1homas ArmsLrong argues LhaL Waldorf educaLlon organlcally engages all of Cardners orlglnal
seven lnLelllgences1
edlLCrlLlcal recepLlon

edlL1he deflnlLlon of lnLelllgence
Cne ma[or crlLlclsm of Lhe Lheory ls LhaL lL ls ad hoc LhaL Cardner ls noL expandlng Lhe deflnlLlon
of Lhe word lnLelllgence raLher he denles Lhe exlsLence of lnLelllgence as LradlLlonally
undersLood and lnsLead uses Lhe word lnLelllgence whenever oLher people have LradlLlonally
used words llke ablllLy 1hls pracLlce has been crlLlclzed by 8oberL ! SLernberg (1983 1991)
Lysenck (1994) and Scarr (1983)
uefenders of Ml Lheory argue LhaL Lhe LradlLlonal deflnlLlon of lnLelllgence ls Loo narrow and Lhus
broader deflnlLlon more accuraLely reflecLs Lhe dlfferlng ways ln whlch humans Lhlnk and learn
1hey would sLaLe LhaL Lhe LradlLlonal lnLerpreLaLlon of lnLelllgence collapses under Lhe welghL of
lLs own loglc and deflnlLlon noLlng LhaL lnLelllgence ls usually deflned as Lhe cognlLlve or menLal
capaclLy of an lndlvldual whlch by loglcal necesslLy would lnclude all forms of menLal quallLles noL
slmply Lhe ones mosL LransparenL Lo sLandardlzed lC LesLs
Some of Lhese crlLlclsms arlse from Lhe facL LhaL Cardner has noL provlded a LesL of hls mulLlple
lnLelllgences Pe orlglnally deflned lL as Lhe ablllLy Lo solve problems LhaL have value ln aL leasL one
culLure or as someLhlng LhaL a sLudenL ls lnLeresLed ln Powever he added a dlsclalmer LhaL he
has no flxed deflnlLlon and hls classlflcaLlon ls more of an arLlsLlc [udgmenL Lhan facL
ulLlmaLely lL would cerLalnly be deslrable Lo have an algorlLhm for Lhe selecLlon of an lnLelllgence
such LhaL any Lralned researcher could deLermlne wheLher a candldaLes lnLelllgence meL Lhe
approprlaLe crlLerla AL presenL however lL musL be admlLLed LhaL Lhe selecLlon (or re[ecLlon) of a
candldaLes lnLelllgence ls remlnlscenL more of an arLlsLlc [udgmenL Lhan of a sclenLlflc assessmenL
(Cardner lrames of Mlnd 1he 1heory of MulLlple lnLelllgences 1983)
Cardner argues LhaL by calllng llngulsLlc and loglcalmaLhemaLlcal ablllLles lnLelllgences buL noL
arLlsLlc muslcal aLhleLlc eLc ablllLles Lhe former are needlessly aggrandlzed CerLaln crlLlcs balk
aL Lhls wldenlng of Lhe deflnlLlon saylng LhaL lL lgnores Lhe connoLaLlon of lnLelllgencewhlch
has always connoLed Lhe klnd of Lhlnklng skllls LhaL makes one successful ln school16
Cardner wrlLes l balk aL Lhe unwarranLed assumpLlon LhaL cerLaln human ablllLles can be
arblLrarlly slngled ouL as lnLelllgence whlle oLhers cannoL17 CrlLlcs hold LhaL glven Lhls
sLaLemenL any lnLeresL or ablllLy ls now redeflned as lnLelllgence 1hus by adopLlng Lhls Lheory
sLudylng lnLelllgence becomes dlfflculL because lL dlffuses lnLo Lhe broader concepL of ablllLy or
LalenL Cardners addlLlon of Lhe naLurallsLlc lnLelllgence and concepLlons of Lhe exlsLenLlal and
moral lnLelllgences are seen as frulLs of Lhls dlffuslon uefenders of Lhe Ml Lheory would argue LhaL
Lhls ls slmply a recognlLlon of Lhe broad scope of lnherenL menLal ablllLles and LhaL such an
exhausLlve scope by naLure defles a slmple onedlmenslonal classlflcaLlon such as an asslgned lC
value
edlL1auLology
1he Lheory and deflnlLlons have been crlLlqued by erry u kleln as belng so unclear as Lo be
LauLologous and Lhus unfalslflable Pavlng a hlgh muslcal ablllLy means belng good aL muslc whlle
aL Lhe same Llme belng good aL muslc ls explalned by havlng a hlgh muslcal ablllLy18
edlLneolageLlan crlLlclsm
Andreas uemeLrlou suggesLs LhaL Lheorles whlch overemphaslze Lhe auLonomy of Lhe domalns are
as slmpllsLlc as Lhe Lheorles LhaL overemphaslze Lhe role of general lnLelllgence and lgnore Lhe
domalns Pe agrees wlLh Cardner LhaL Lhere lndeed are domalns of lnLelllgence LhaL are relevanLly
auLonomous of each oLher19 ln facL some of Lhe domalns such as verbal spaLlal
maLhemaLlcal and soclal lnLelllgence are ldenLlfled by mosL llnes of research ln psychology
Powever ln uemeLrlous Lheory one of Lhe neolageLlan Lheorles of cognlLlve developmenL
Cardner ls crlLlclzed for underesLlmaLlng Lhe effecLs exerLed on Lhe varlous domalns of
lnLelllgences by processes LhaL deflne general processlng efflclency such as speed of processlng
execuLlve funcLlons worklng memory and meLacognlLlve processes underlylng selfawareness
and selfregulaLlonclLaLlon needed All of Lhese processes are lnLegral componenLs of general
lnLelllgence LhaL regulaLe Lhe funcLlonlng and developmenL of dlfferenL domalns of lnLelllgence
1hus lL ls argued LhaL Lhe domalns are Lo a large exLenL expresslons of Lhe condlLlon of Lhe general
processes AL Lhe same Llme Lhe domalns may vary because of Lhelr consLlLuLlonal dlfferences buL
also dlfferences ln lndlvldual preferences and lncllnaLlons Moreover Lhelr funcLlonlng boLh
channels and lnfluences Lhe operaLlon of Lhe general processes2021 1hus one cannoL
saLlsfacLorlly speclfy Lhe lnLelllgence of an lndlvldual or deslgn effecLlve lnLervenLlons programs
unless boLh Lhe general processes and Lhe domalns of lnLeresL are evaluaLed2223
edlLSpaLlal lnLelllgence
Cardner argues LhaL lC LesLs only measures llngulsLlc and loglcalmaLhemaLlcal ablllLles
sychologlsL Alan S kaufman argues LhaL lC LesLs have measured spaLlal ablllLles for 70 years24
edlLModern lC LesLs measure many ablllLles
Modern lC LesLs are greaLly lnfluenced by Lhe CaLLellPornCarroll Lheory whlch lncorporaLes a
general lnLelllgence buL also many more narrow ablllLles Whlle lC LesLs do glve an overall lC
score Lhey now also glve scores for many more narrow ablllLles24
edlLLack of emplrlcal evldence
Accordlng Lo a 2006 sLudy many of Cardners lnLelllgences acLually correlaLe wlLh Lhe g facLor
supporLlng Lhe ldea of a slngle domlnanL Lype of lnLelllgence Accordlng Lo Lhe sLudy each of Lhe
domalns proposed by Cardner lnvolved a blend of g of cognlLlve ablllLles oLher Lhan g and ln
some cases of noncognlLlve ablllLles or of personallLy characLerlsLlcs23
Llnda S CoLLfredson (2006) has argued LhaL Lhe resulLs of Lhousands of sLudles supporL Lhe
lmporLance of lC for school and [ob performance lC also predlcLs or correlaLes wlLh numerous
oLher llfe ouLcomes ln conLrasL emplrlcal supporL for nong lnLelllgences ls lacklng or very poor
She argued LhaL desplLe Lhls Lhe ldeas of mulLlple nong lnLelllgences are very aLLracLlve Lo many
due Lo Lhe suggesLlon LhaL everyone can be smarL ln some way26
A crlLlcal revlew of Ml Lheory argues LhaL Lhere ls llLLle emplrlcal evldence Lo supporL lL
1o daLe Lhere have been no publlshed sLudles LhaL offer evldence of Lhe valldlLy of Lhe mulLlple
lnLelllgences ln 1994 SLernberg reporLed flndlng no emplrlcal sLudles ln 2000 Alllx reporLed
flndlng no emplrlcal valldaLlng sLudles and aL LhaL Llme Cardner and Connell conceded LhaL Lhere
was llLLle hard evldence for Ml Lheory (2000 p 292) ln 2004 SLernberg and Crlgerenko sLaLed
LhaL Lhere were no valldaLlng sLudles for mulLlple lnLelllgences and ln 2004 Cardner asserLed LhaL
he would be dellghLed were such evldence Lo accrue (p 214) and he admlLLed LhaL Ml Lheory
has few enLhuslasLs among psychomeLrlclans or oLhers of a LradlLlonal psychologlcal background
because Lhey requlre psychomeLrlc or experlmenLal evldence LhaL allows one Lo prove Lhe
exlsLence of Lhe several lnLelllgences (2004 p 214) (WaLerhouse 2006a p 208)
1he same revlew presenLs evldence Lo demonsLraLe LhaL cognlLlve neurosclence research does noL
supporL Lhe Lheory of MulLlple lnLelllgences
Lhe human braln ls unllkely Lo funcLlon vla Cardner's mulLlple lnLelllgences 1aken LogeLher Lhe
evldence for Lhe lnLercorrelaLlons of subskllls of lC measures Lhe evldence for a shared seL of
genes assoclaLed wlLh maLhemaLlcs readlng and g and Lhe evldence for shared and overlapplng
whaL ls lL? and where ls lL? neural processlng paLhways and shared neural paLhways for
language muslc moLor skllls and emoLlons suggesL LhaL lL ls unllkely LhaL each of Cardner's
lnLelllgences could operaLe vla a dlfferenL seL of neural mechanlsms (1999 p 99) Lqually
lmporLanL Lhe evldence for Lhe whaL ls lL? and where ls lL? processlng paLhways for
kahneman's Lwo declslonmaklng sysLems and for adapLed cognlLlon modules suggesLs LhaL Lhese
cognlLlve braln speclallzaLlons have evolved Lo address very speclflc problems ln our envlronmenL
8ecause Cardner clalmed LhaL Lhe lnLelllgences are lnnaLe poLenLlallLles relaLed Lo a general
conLenL area Ml Lheory lacks a raLlonale for Lhe phylogeneLlc emergence of Lhe lnLelllgences
(lrom WaLerhouse 2006a p 213)
A number of arLlcles have surveyed Lhe use of Cardners ldeas and conclude LhaL Lhere ls llLLle Lo
no academlcally subsLanLlaLed evldence LhaL hls ldeas work ln pracLlce SLeven A SLahl found LhaL
mosL of Lhe prevlous sLudles whlch clalmed Lo show poslLlve resulLs had ma[or flaws
Among oLhers Marle Carbo clalms LhaL her learnlng sLyles work ls based on research l dlscuss
Carbo because she publlshes exLenslvely on her model and ls very promlnenL ln Lhe workshop
clrculL 8uL glven Lhe overwhelmlngly negaLlve flndlngs ln Lhe publlshed research l wondered
whaL she was clLlng and abouL a decade ago l LhoughL lL would be lnLeresLlng Lo Lake a look
8evlewlng her arLlcles l found LhaL ouL of 17 sLudles she had clLed only one was publlshed llfLeen
were docLoral dlsserLaLlons and 13 of Lhese came ouL of one unlverslLySL !ohn's unlverslLy ln
new ?ork Carbo's alma maLer none of Lhese had been ln a peerrefereed [ournal When l looked
closely aL Lhe dlsserLaLlons and oLher maLerlals l found LhaL 13 of Lhe 17 sLudles LhaL supposedly
supporL her clalm had Lo do wlLh learnlng sLyles based on someLhlng oLher Lhan modallLy27
1o daLe Lhe currenL no Chlld LefL 8ehlnd LesL leglslaLlon ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes does noL encompass
Lhe mulLlple lnLelllgences framework ln Lhe exams deslgn and/or lmplemenLaLlon28