- What is intrapersonal intelligence?
- Characteristics of intrapersonal intelligence
- Examples of intrapersonal intelligence
- Development of intrapersonal intelligence
- Other types of intelligence
We explain what intrapersonal intelligence is, its characteristics, examples and how it develops. Also, interpersonal intelligence.
What is intrapersonal intelligence?
Intrapersonal intelligence refers to the awareness that an individual has about their own capabilities and limitations. This type of intelligence enables you to understand with realism who he is and what he wants, not only from a rational point of view, but from the understanding of his emotions. The individual is capable of knowing himself through his self-analysis.
Intelligence is the (potential) capacity of the mind to learn, understand, reason, take decisions and form a certain idea of the reality. The concept of "intrapersonal" refers to the consciousness of the human being, to the knowledge you have on your own existence, their emotions and their actions.
Intrapersonal intelligence is one of the types that make up the revolutionary "Theory of multiple intelligences”Prepared in 1983 by Howard Gardner, an American psychologist, researcher and professor at Harvard University.
His theory runs counter to the idea that there is a unique intelligence in the human being that can be measured with a number as with the calculation of the intelligence quotient (IQ).
Characteristics of intrapersonal intelligence
Intrapersonal intelligence is one of the eight types raised in the "theory of multiple intelligences" (in addition to linguistics, logical-mathematical, visual and spatial, musical, corporal and kinesthetic, naturalistic and interpersonal).
According to the model proposed by Gardner, math or the language they are not enough to achieve adequate personal and professional development. If these skills are complemented by intrapersonal intelligence, the chances of reaching a level of personal satisfaction and being successful at work are greater.
Intrapersonal intelligence refers to self-understanding through access to one's emotional life. The recognition of the various feelings that define the way of being of oneself and the type of stimuli that can induce the manifestation of those emotions is a step to be able to regulate those feelings (based on the level of consciousness).
Examples of intrapersonal intelligence
Some examples of intrapersonal intelligence are:
- A person who recognizes when he begins to feel sad and is aware that when he is under that type of emotion he is not capable of making good decisions. So, she looks for alternatives that get her out of that state (such as talking to another person about how she feels or going for a walk) or wait until she feels better before make a decision important.
- A person who treats himself with kindness, who understands his own mistakes, and who has the capacity to forgive himself. This is called self-compassion, and it promotes the development of intrapersonal intelligence through awareness of certain circumstances that can limit the person.
- A person who is able to accurately describe and explain their own emotions and feelings developed intrapersonal intelligence. This is achieved, among other things, through the expansion of the vocabulary that allows giving a name or describing emotions and, ultimately, understanding them.
- A person who understands what they want and who can set realistic goals to commit to achieving them (based on their motivations, knowledge of their abilities and circumstances in which it is found), is a mode of intrapersonal intelligence that promotes emotional awareness.
Development of intrapersonal intelligence
Intelligence can be trained and improved over time and there is no one way to develop it. However, intrapersonal intelligence has not yet been studied enough to propose methods exact (and endorsed by the science) that allow it to be improved.
Next, three emotional competencies are developed that allow promoting intrapersonal intelligence:
- Self-knowledge. It is the ability to feel and recognize what is happening in your own body, which allows you to develop emotional awareness, self-worth and self-confidence.
- Self-regulation. It is the ability to regulate the manifestation of an emotion, in order to modify the mood or avoid making a mistake. This allows you to develop self-control, confidence, integrity and adaptability.
- The motivation. It is the ability to encourage others and oneself, which allows developing the commitment, the optimism, the initiative and the achievement of goals. Keep a attitude positive towards life is a constant exercise.
Other types of intelligence
In addition to intrapersonal intelligence, Gardner raised seven more types, in his Theory of multiple intelligences. With his work he aims to show that human intelligence varies according to each individual and there is no single intelligence that can be measured through a numerical score, as other previous theories suggest.
The types of intelligence raised by Gardner are:
- Linguistic-verbal intelligence. It is the ability to master the word, language and writing.
- Logical-mathematical intelligence. It is the ability to analyze problems, calculations and operations of the exact Sciences.
- Body kinesthetic intelligence. It is related to the domain of movement of the body and coordination of physical actions. People who develop this type of intelligence are usually dancers, competitive athletes, builders, sculptors or actors.
- Spatial intelligence. It is the ability to elaborate three-dimensional mental images from what our senses perceive.
- Musical intelligence. It is the ability to track the rhythm of the music and thinking through patterns and sounds.
- Interpersonal intelligence. It is the ability to understand when relating to other people (capturing emotions, motivations and desires of others).
- Naturalistic intelligence. It is the ability to recognize, classify and use elements of the environment for your benefit.