In a recent article in Psychology Today (click here for link), author David Krauss explains how he uses a sports analogy to help patients and their families understand Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.
It goes like this: in American major league baseball, a “five-tool player” is a player who excels not only at throwing, hitting for power, and hitting for average, but also in speed on the bases or field, and glove work. “Five-tool players” are extremely rare and most professional players excel in two or three, or even just one, of these skills. Players who are “two or three tool” know how to succeed using the skills they have and doing their best with skills they don’t. They are still important and valued members of their teams and still have great careers. In the same way, it is extremely rare for someone to be adept in all eight of the intelligences defined by MI theory, that is logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Most people have their strengths and weaknesses. Although logical-mathematical and linguistic intelligence are often most valued in school (and IQ tests), other intelligences should also be recognized and valued.
Analogies like the baseball one above are welcome when they can help people understand that diversity in intelligences can enrich and strengthen any team, baseball or otherwise.
Photo by Tyler Hilton on Unsplash