Spartan Scroll

by Tiffany Liu 

graphic by Jayden Liu

In a diverse society, people with different types of intelligences apply their skills to improve technology, agriculture and make various advances in other fields.

Proposed by American psychologist Robert Sternberg, the Triarchic theory of intelligence describes the three types of intelligences: analytical, creative and practical. While no one is supposedly better than the other, each intelligence type has its own advantages, according to education.stateuniversity.com.

Analytical intelligence is involved when the components of intelligence are applied to analyze, compare and contrast. People with high analytical intelligence tend to attempt to solve problems through academic problem-solving strategies. Analytical thinkers like appealing to logic and making inferences.

Quick to adapt to unique situations, individuals with high creative intelligence tend to ask questions such as “imagine if…” or “suppose that…”, according to thesecondprinciple.com. They tend to have the most diversified solutions to problems as creative intelligence is heavily influenced by imagination. Creative thinkers enjoy activities such as designing machines and inventing new recipes.

According to bigthink.com, people with more practical intelligence best apply their abilities to simple, daily problems. “Street smarts” is one example of practical intelligence, where individuals learn to rapidly resolve problems through personal experience and knowledge. Practical thinkers like taking things apart and advising friends.

Similar to the components of an ice cream sundae, each type of intelligence has many advantages on its own. But when one utilizes all intelligence types at a high level, the results may turn out to be much more desirable.

“Capitalize on your strengths, but also identify what you don’t do so well and find help to make up for those deficiencies,” said Sternberg.

While analytical thinkers have high analyzing abilities, they require support with presenting ideas in a non-argumentative way, according to the “Triminder Strategy Guide” on lcps.k12.nm.us. Quick, short-term projects are more difficult for analytical thinkers, who prefer long-term studies.

On the other hand, creative thinkers have quick, highly productive working periods. However, they may get sidetracked and require support with turning ideas into reality.

Prone to action rather than deep thought, practical thinkers are not traditionally “book smart” and are susceptible to impatience.  Although not ncessarily the highest achievers, these thinkers make effective leaders, according to the “Triminder Strategy Guide” on lcps.k12.nm.us.

Discovering one’s intelligence type through research may aid in utilizing strengths and realizing weaknesses, skills which can be used to improve school, work and daily life.