Understanding of Intelligence
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Abstract
Intelligence is a wide and complex concept to explore, define and explain in express terms. While there are many definitions that have been put forward, most of the definitions of intelligence are aligned to certain elements of human intellectual abilities. To fully explore the meaning of intelligence, this paper seeks to explore the definition by taking practical consideration of the people I deem to be intelligent or not intelligent. Through the understanding of the divergence between the intelligent and non-intelligent people, this paper will propose the definition of intelligence.
While conventional thoughts consider traditional IQ as important, this paper proposes emotional intelligence as the most valuable part of intelligence. At the same time, the discussion will respond to the limitation of intelligence testing giving a single score rather than a multidimensional score. This way, the discussion will propose the best use of intelligence testing in the society, especially at work and in education. Despite the recognition of intelligence as important, this paper will compare it with creativeness and wisdom, which are equally important for human life.
Understanding of Intelligence
Question 1
According to Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo (2013), intelligence is the ability or set of abilities that enable people to adapt to the environment and behave in goal-oriented ways. However, the definition does not explore all the aspects of intelligence as seen in the people who are considered intelligent. Therefore, I will explore the significance of this definition by taking a keen consideration of a person I consider to be intelligent, and another I consider not intelligent. With respect in considered, I view my neighbor’s son not to be intelligent. With all due respect, he has failed to adapt to his environment in college, and his academic performance is low and near last of his class. Recently, he has been asking his parents to help him to start a music business, even when he cannot perform well in his music studies in college.
On the other hand, I consider Steve Jobs as the most intelligent person in recent history; he is also my favorite innovator in history. What makes Steve Jobs intelligent is his innovation of producing new technology, and new products like the brilliant iPhone. He had solutions for problems that were not even existent during the time of his invention. Therefore, he could figure out future problems of consumers, and start developing technological devices that with the solutions to the future problems.
Question 2
Personally, emotional intelligence is the part of intelligence that I value most. Emotional intelligence is the ability of a person to evaluate his or her own emotions and monitor those of others; in order to differentiate between the emotions and react to them appropriately through carefully thought actions (Goleman, 2009). I value emotional intelligence because it is what I consider to the most useful and active form of intelligence on a daily basis. Emotional intelligence is important due to its four main domains that control how a person relates to the environment and people. According to Goleman (2009), they are; self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. In this part of intelligence, the traditional IQ test does not reflect it. This is because emotional intelligence does not focus more on intellectual abilities like the traditional IQ does.
Question 3
In my own definition, Intelligence is the ability of a person to perceive the environment, understand it and apply the information as knowledge that informs the decisions and actions taken by a person. While this definition may not be comprehensive, I believe that intelligence is the ability to comprehend the environment and interact with the world in a manner that results from the understanding. This is because intelligence is portrayed by the way a person interprets the environment and acts from the information interpreted.
Question 4
Intelligence testing is the process of using psychological tests to place a measure of the level of intelligence a person portrays by assessing a person’s mental functions. I believe that intelligence testing should be used in the society to assist in the understanding of people’s abilities for specialized tasks. However, intelligence testing should be used in a manner that places several scores through a multidimensional test, rather than just giving a single score. This is because the main shortcoming for the current intelligence tests is the use of a single score. Through multidimensional tests, intelligence tests can give a score that is more reflective of the abilities of the people.
Intelligence testing can be used in the workplace to determine the ability of an employee or a company executive. The results of the intelligence test scores can be used to allocate duties and tasks that are deemed to be highly demanding of the intellectual abilities of the worker. However, these tests should only be used when necessary to allocate jobs that require smart decision making processes, and not for victimizing employees. While intelligence testing is appropriate for the workplace, they are not effective in education because they do not tend to increase the ability to learn. Educational institutions should focus in helping the learning process, rather than measure the ability to learn.
Question 5
Intelligence is different from creativeness and wisdom. Intelligence is the ability to adapt to the environment and enable people to behave in goal-oriented ways. On the other hand, creativeness is the ability to come up with ideas, thoughts or expressions that are originative as the process of bringing forth something new (Sternberg, 2003). Wisdom, on the other hand is the soundness of human decision and actions in terms of applying knowledge, experience and good judgments (Sternberg, 2003). While intelligence and creativity use the innate abilities of a person, wisdom applies the learnt knowledge and experience to guide actions or decisions. All in all, all the three elements of human intellectual abilities are needed for day to day life and interaction with the environment.
References
Goleman, D. (2009). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. London A&C Black
Pastorino, E. & Doyle-Portillo, S. (2013). What is psychology? Essentials.(2nd ed.). Belmont CA: Wadsworth.
Sternberg, R.J. (2003). Wisdom, Intelligence, and Creativity Synthesized. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press