Introduction
Humans’ ability to derive, analyze, and instrumentalize information to adapt to external circumstances has been of interest to psychology researchers for centuries. Various perspectives on information processing, including Vygotsky’s theory, Gardner’s multiple intelligences (MI) approach, and Sternberg’s triarchic model, dominate the modern view of intelligence. The three approaches feature unique strengths and weaknesses linked to their explanatory power, consideration given to individuality, and other factors.
Descriptions and Advantages/Disadvantages
Vygotsky’s Theory
Overall, Vygotsky’s theory positions intelligence as abilities developing through the child’s active interaction with the environment. The researcher theorizes that intelligence results from internalization or adopting knowledge from the outside world as part of one’s skill set (Feldman, 2018). In Vygotsky’s view, intelligence should be analyzed and assessed as a dynamic process, with close attention to tasks that a developing learner can perform independently and with assistance (Feldman, 2018).
Concerning the advantages, this perspective can explain intercultural differences in intelligence with reference to environment-related dissimilarities and effectively promotes the creation of productive circumstances for developing learners. Nevertheless, to some degree, it downplays learners’ active role in their development and fails to explain the phenomenon of giftedness, which could be considered as its disadvantages. The dynamic assessment idea might also blur the boundaries between the child’s own problem-solving capacity and the ability to cooperate.
Gardner’s Theory
Gardner’s MI approach explains intelligence as a combination of eight sets of abilities that can develop relatively independently. The theory argues that intelligence has an inner structure and consists of naturalist, intrapersonal/interpersonal, spatial/kinesthetic, language-related, logical, and sound perception capacities (Feldman, 2018). These intelligence modalities, as the perspective suggests, have unique developmental paths, and any type can prevail in an individual (Feldman, 2018).
The perspective’s advantages revolve around its departure from the stereotypes of cognitive abilities being limited to success in operating abstract concepts and demonstrating reasoning. By accepting a broader view of intelligence, the model has positive implications in terms of career advice and eliminates dogmatism and discrimination in assessing intellectual abilities. However, in terms of disadvantages, the author’s definition of intelligence might be too broad and all-encompassing to be explored using strict scientific methodologies. Moreover, not all of the listed areas are crucial to adaptation and survival, so their status as the components of intelligence and not just talents might be subject to criticism.
Sternberg’s Theory
In the triarchic theory, the intelligence concept deals with information processing abilities and how knowledge is stored and instrumentalized. In Sternberg’s view, intelligent behaviors become possible due to three cognitive aspects that each person manifests to a different extent (Feldman, 2018). The componential aspect pertains to general information processing/analysis capacities, whereas the experiential component is responsible for creativity in combining previous and new knowledge (Feldman, 2018).
The contextual aspect comprises any efforts to implement knowledge into practice. The theory’s advantages include its ability to explain interpersonal differences and distinguish between more abstract and practice-oriented cognitive abilities. Moreover, this perspective challenges the view that performing well on IQ tests is the only measure of cognitive abilities. For disadvantages, the theory might be overly complex in anatomizing intelligence. Additionally, the difference between contextual intelligence and trained skills might be unclear, calling this component’s reasonableness into question.
Conclusion
Finally, the three viewpoints possess certain advantages while also having weak points. Vygotsky’s perspective expands on the environment’s role in intelligence but does not effectively distinguish between external influences and the child’s own thinking. The MI theory incorporates diversity into the subject at the expense of scientific accuracy and the definitions’ exactness. Sternberg’s theory explains both theoretical and practical intelligence, but the latter’s status might be controversial.
Reference
Feldman, R. S. (2018). Child development (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.