The neuroscience of intelligence: Empirical support for the theory of multiple intelligences?

Abstract

Abstract Objective: The concept of intelligence has been strongly debated since the introduction of IQ tests in the early 1900s. Numerous alternatives to unitary intelligence have achieved limited acceptance by both psychologists and educators. Despite criticism that it lacks empirical validity, multiple intelligences theory (Gardner, H. (1983, 1993) Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, New York: Basic Books), has had sustained interest on the part of educators worldwide. MI theory was one of the first formulations about intelligence to be based on neuroscience evidence. This research aimed to determine if there is neuroscience evidence that provides support for the neural validity of the eight identified intelligences.Methods: This investigation reviewed 318 neuroscience reports and extracted neural regions cited for the core cognitive components of each intelligence. This neural data was organized into four levels: primary regions, sub-regions, particular structures, and multi-regions per intelligence. Using descriptive statistics, the patterns of neural citations were compared and contrasted.Conclusion: In was determined there is robust evidence that each intelligence possesses neural coherence that is clear, distinct and aligned with accepted cognitive – neural correlates. Furthermore, these neural patterns are consistent with Gardner’s 1983 hypothesis that general intelligence is most closely associated with the linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences. Implications for using MI theory as a bridge between cognitive neuroscience and instruction are discussed.