Intelligence Plus Character

Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education

Martin Luther King

The many faces of intelligence

Different aspects of humans make up the personality and presence of a single person.  One of these aspects is intelligence and there are many different kinds of intelligence. The types of intelligences are brought out by  Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences sets out several different ways it is formed.  These include:

• Spatial – Visualising the world in 3D
• Logical – Quantifying things, making a hypothesis
• Bodily – Co-ordinating your mind with your body
• Naturalist – Understanding nature and living things
• Musical – discerning sounds, pitch, tone and timbre
• Linguistic – speaking, finding the right words
• Intra-Personal – understanding self, feelings and thoughts
• Interpersonal – sensing other people, their emotions and motivations

Learning domains

According to Bloom’s taxonomy of learning domains, there are three parts of the brain.

Cognitive Domain

This part of the brain is concerned with analysis and interpretation by helping to bring information to situations.  Cognitive intelligence is a key component.

Affective Domain

This part of the brain is at the basis of the formulation of character.  This domain is about vision, people and meaning as well as feelings and emotions. Additionally, values and beliefs are formed in the affective domain.

Psychomotor Domain

This part of the brain is about behaviour.  This brain works by turning the cognitive and affective intelligence and character into behaviour.   It is about how we act and what we choose to do with the information we have at our fingertips.

Character is key

Intelligence, plus character is the total of how your brain works, what you feel and how you act.  For me the most important components of character are: :

• Your personality type
• Lived experiences and how you interpreted them
• Your world view, what you believe about the world
• How you view others and the scope and depth of your relationships
• What you say and do
• The values you hold dear and live by, and those you don’t
• What motivates you