Abstract
Human intelligence is redefined in light of new evidence that, in addition to general intelligence, broad mental abilities exist such as quantitative, spatial, and verbal-comprehension intelligences. Many of these broad intelligences pertain to circumscribed topics; that is, to reasoning within a broad content-area. For example, quantitative intelligence is concerned with mathematical reasoning, and spatial intelligence with reasoning about objects and their shapes and movements. Some among the broad intelligences are focused on reasoning about people: People-focused intelligences include personal intelligence (an intelligence about personality), social intelligence, and emotional intelligence. I argue for an understanding of each broad intelligence as involving a group of abilities necessary to reason about a specific subject area. To help organize the broad intelligences, a rationale is provided for categorizing them according to whether they focus mostly on things or on people.
Department
Psychology
Publication Date
1-1-2018
Journal Title
The Nature of Human Intelligence
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Document Type
Book Chapter
Recommended Citation
Mayer, J. D. (2018). Intelligences about things and intelligences about people. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.). The nature of human intelligence (pp. 270-286). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.