IA: Sternberg's Triarchic Theory and Nature Vs. Nurture

There is another theory on intelligence called Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory. In this theory, Sternberg labels three separate areas of intelligence: Analytic, creative, and practical.

1. Analytic intelligence- ability to analyze, judge, evaluate, compare and contrast
2. Creative intelligence- ability to create, design, invent, originate, and imagine
3. Practical intelligence- ability to use, apply, implement, and put ideas into practice.

As you may notice many of the 8 intelligences of Gardner’s theory can be categorized under the three intelligences of Sternberg’s. In fact, the analytic intelligence can be paired with linguistic and mathematical intelligences; the creative intelligence can be paired with spatial, body-kinesthetic, and musical intelligences, and the practical with the interpersonal, intrapersonal and emotional intelligences. This does exclude the naturalistic intelligence, but this demonstrates effectively the evolution of our understanding of intelligence. The following pictures are diagrams of Sternberg’s and Gardner’s theories.

   

Now all of these intelligences are very specific, and you may find yourself saying that you have the ability to demonstrate many of these. The question that you should be asking yourself is, “why don’t I have the ability to do all of them?” This question can have multiple answers, but what it all boils down to is the debate between nature vs. nurture. In other words, do your surroundings and genetics influence your intelligence or does your upbringing? 

Your genetic make-up defines what kind of eye and hair color you will have, how tall you will be, and even what your voice will sound like. Your genetics can also decide how fast your brain will develop, and, in the nature argument, even how smart you will be. There are different parts of the brain dedicated to the different types of intelligences explained earlier. If for some reason your genes have predestined one or more of these parts of the brain to develop differently then you may become stronger or weaker in that respective intelligence.

                 

                Your surroundings, nature, also play a key role in your development in the sense that if your surroundings are not healthy (i.e. pollution) then the brain could be adversely effected, and therefore your ability to develop these intellectual skills could be effected.

                

                On the other side of the argument some people attribute a person’s upbringing to being the sole contributor to their intellectual ability. How a person is raised, their nutrition, and the support they get from the community all play a factor in how a person develops cognitively.

                 

                The fact of the matter is that both nature and nurture play an important part in a person’s cognitive advancement. No single factor is more important because they all work together. If, for some reason, there is a weakness in one area then the entire development of the child is effected, and this means that intellectually the child will be affected.