Human Intelligences

Morris, C. (2004 -- 2008). Journal of Human Intelligences by Clifford Morris

Journal of Human Intelligences

The Journal of Human Intelligences (JOHI) is a non-refereed quarterly (Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall) electronic-only publication. JOHI publishes a wider range of writings associated with the overall nature of human intelligences (including Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences), plus book reviews, educational research, classical writings in the history of general intelligence, as well as scholarly reports from the broad areas of developmental education and cognitive psychology.

As the journal's publisher and editor, my goal is to attract viewpoints stemming from a diversity of theoretical and methodological perspectives, encompassing informal viewpoints, research and scholarship relevant to understanding the numerous theories about our many intelligences across all age groups, cultural perspectives and educational settings. I recognize that a number of outlets for general intelligence, or "g", exists within most countries. However, there does not appear to be a medium specializing in the dissemination of reports from the overall perspectives of human intelligences. JOHI aims to provide such a medium.

Spring 2008, Volume 5 Number 1 Final Issue

1. Jewish Genius by Charles Murray, April 2007 Issue of Commentary

"Since its first issue in 1945, COMMENTARY has published hundreds of articles about Jews and Judaism. As one would expect, they cover just about every important aspect of the topic. But there is a lacuna, and not one involving some obscure bit of Judaica. COMMENTARY has never published a systematic discussion of one of the most obvious topics of all: the extravagant overrepresentation of Jews, relative to their numbers, in the top ranks of the arts, sciences, law, medicine, finance, entrepreneurship, and the media." To read the rest of this commentary, go to http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm?id=10855&page=all. And to see an exchange of ideas, go to http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm?id=10916&page=all

2. The Inequality Taboo by Charles Murray. From the September 01, 2005 issue of Commentary (Volume 120, Number 2, pp. 13-22). Here are the opening two paragraphs:

"When the late Richard Herrnstein and I published The Bell Curve eleven years ago, the furor over its discussion of ethnic differences in IQ was so intense that most people who have not read the book still think it was about race. Since then, I have deliberately not published anything about group differences in IQ, mostly to give the real topic of The Bell Curve--the role of intelligence in reshaping America's class structure--a chance to surface.

The Lawrence Summers affair last January made me rethink my silence. The president of Harvard University offered a few mild, speculative, off-the-record remarks about innate differences between men and women in their aptitude for high-level science and mathematics, and was treated by Harvard's faculty as if he were a crank. The typical news story portrayed the idea of innate sex differences as a renegade position that reputable scholars rejected." To see the rest of the magazine version of this article, go to http://www.bible-researcher.com/murray1.html. However, to see the fully annotated version of Murray's essay which includes extensive supplementary material not present in the magazine version, the more interested reader is referred to http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.23075,filter.all/pub_detail.asp.

3. Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns: A Report of a Task Force established by the Board of Scientific Affairs of the American Psychological Association, Released August 7, 1995. Here is the Preface:

"In the fall of 1994, the publication of Hermstein and Murray's book The Bell Curve sparked a new round of debate about the meaning of intelligence test scores and the nature of intelligence. ... Although a great deal is now known, the issues remain complex and in many cases still unresolved. ... Reviewing the intelligence debate at its meeting of November 1994, the Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) of the American Psychological Association (APA) concluded that there was urgent need for an authoritative report on these issues - one that all sides could use as a basis for discussion. Acting by unanimous vote, BSA established a Task Force charged with preparing such a report. ... The Task Force met twice, in January and March of 1995. ... It is our hope that the result of all these efforts will prove to be a constructive contribution to the intelligence debate." To see the report, go to http://www.lrainc.com/swtaboo/taboos/apa_01.html

4. IQ since "The Bell Curve." by Christopher F. Chabris From the August, 1998 issue, 106(2), of Commentary, pp. 33-40. Here are the opening two paragraphs:

"This past January, Governor Zell Miller of Georgia asked his legislature for enough money to give a cassette or CD of classical music to every newborn child in the state. The governor cited scientific evidence to support this unusual budget request. "There's even a study," he declared in his State of the State address, "that showed that after college students listened to a Mozart piano sonata for ten minutes, their IQ scores increased by nine points." And he added: "Some argue that it didn't last, but no one doubts that listening to music, especially at a very early age, affects the spatial-temporal reasoning that underlies math, engineering, and chess."

The so-called "Mozart effect" is one of the most publicized recent examples of our ongoing preoccupation with intelligence, a subject that not only refuses to go away but continues to raise whirlwinds of controversy. The largest such controversy, of course, surrounds The Bell Curve (1994), by the late Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray. A mountain of essays and books purporting to refute that work and its conclusions grows and grows to this day. But now we also have the magnum opus of Arthur Jensen, a leading figure in IQ research and, like Herrnstein and Murray, a favorite target of academic liberals, as well as a posthumous volume by another leading IQ researcher, Hans Eysenck. So it is a good moment to look again at what we know, what we do not know, and what we think we know about this vexed subject." To see the full article, go to http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~cfc/Chabris1998a.html

5. Does IQ matter? by Christopher F. Chabris, et al. From the 1998 issue of Commentary, 106(5), pp. 13-23

"I [Christopher Chabris] am gratified by the range of responses that "IQ Since The Bell Curve" stimulated, and I thank everyone who wrote. I am especially pleased with the correspondence that avoids rehashing past debates and instead discusses methods and trends that may characterize the future of intelligence research. I will say more about these matters later on, but let me begin by addressing the mistakes I have been accused of making." To view comments made by others, go to http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~cfc/Chabris1998b.html

Winter 2007, Volume 4 Number 4

1. On October 25, 2007, James Dewey Watson retired as Chancellor of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. To cite him directly:

"This morning I have conveyed to the Trustees of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory my desire to retire immediately from my position as its Chancellor, as well as from my position on its Board, on which I have served for the past 43 years. Closer now to 80 than 79, the passing on of my remaining vestiges of leadership is more than overdue. The circumstances in which this transfer is occurring, however, are not those which I could ever have anticipated or desired." Here are a few links re his "retirement":

As he arrives in Britain, DNA pioneer breaks his silence on racism row

Black people 'less intelligent' scientist claims

Fury at DNA pioneer's theory: Africans are less intelligent than Westerners

I have been much blessed

James Watson

James Watson quits post after remarks on races

James Watson’s race row

James Watson retires as chancellor of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Leading article: An unworthy intervention

Nobelist's race comments spark outrage

To question genetic intelligence is not racism

The elementary DNA of Dr. Watson

Watson's Folly: ebate about sensitive scientific issues needs to be forthright but not crass

Watson suspended over comments on race

Watson apologizes; Suspended from Cold Spring Harbor

Watson's words disowned by own institute

2. The waning of IQ by David Brooks From the Friday, September 14, 2007 issue of The New York Times, p. A25. Here is part of what he wrote at that time:

"A nice phenomenon of the past few years is the diminishing influence of I.Q. For a time, I.Q. was the most reliable method we had to capture mental aptitude. People had the impression that we are born with these information-processing engines in our heads and that smart people have more horsepower than dumb people.

And in fact, there’s something to that. There is such a thing as general intelligence; people who are good at one mental skill tend to be good at others. This intelligence is partly hereditary. A meta-analysis by Bernie Devlin of the University of Pittsburgh found that genes account for about 48 percent of the differences in I.Q. scores. There’s even evidence that people with bigger brains tend to have higher intelligence." To read the rest of David's article, click on the title above link.

3. It’s Not How Smart You Are, but How You Are Smart From the September 14, 2007 issue of The New York Times. Here, readers respond to David Brooks’s (immediately above) column, “The Waning of I.Q”. Here is what one reader said:

"I do not often agree with you, particularly regarding politics, but this is an outstanding piece dedicated to the never ending quest to understand the human existence. Thank you for changing the taste of your column from sour, toxic and thoroughly polluted Republican war politics, to something that prods thought, introspection and a greater understanding of the dynamics of [human intelligence]. Form follows function, but without the form the function would simply be mundane expression. Form provides individuals with a starting point to distinguish themselves on a functional and equal playing field with others. It is form that distinguishes individual intellect from the mundaneness and redundancy of function. Perhaps it is from form that new and improved functions are developed and introduced to society at large that tends to support the Flynn effect’s findings re: general upward I.Q. curve. The next President should promise higher I.Q.’s for everyone via better education programs for all Americans. Thank you for giving a starving artist some hope for respect at some point in future." To read the other eight (8) responses, click on the above title.

4. Human Intelligence Determined By Volume And Location Of Gray Matter Tissue In Brain Science Daily (Jul. 20, 2004)

"General human intelligence appears to be based on the volume of gray matter tissue in certain regions of the brain, UC Irvine College of Medicine researchers have found in the most comprehensive structural brain-scan study of intelligence to date. The study also discovered that because these regions related to intelligence are located throughout the brain, a single “intelligence center,” such as the frontal lobe, is unlikely." To read the full article, click on the link.

5. A New Take on Human Intelligence

"What does slugger Barry Bonds have in common with renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking? Their brains work in much the same way. At least that's consistent with a fascinating new theory about the nature of intelligence."

6. Interactive Map on Human Intelligences et al

This interactive map form Indiana University represents a handy resource for those interested in the origins of thinking behind ... multiple intelligences. Links of the map traces the history of development of intelligence theory and testing.

7. Intelligence and IQ by Dr. C. George Boeree Shippensburg University

"Intelligence is a person's capacity to (1) acquire knowledge (i.e. learn and understand), (2) apply knowledge (solve problems), and (3) engage in abstract reasoning. It is the power of one's intellect, and as such is clearly a very important aspect of one's overall well-being. Psychologists have attempted to measure it for well over a century." Click on the link to read the rest of his commentary.

Fall 2007, Volume 4 Number 3

1. Wikipedia and Human Intelligence

"Intelligence is a property of mind that encompasses many related abilities, such as the capacities to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn. There are several ways to define intelligence. In some cases intelligence may include traits such as creativity, personality, character, knowledge, or wisdom. However other psychologists prefer not to include these traits in the definition of intelligence."

2. Human Intelligence Determined By Volume And Location Of Gray Matter Tissue In Brain

General human intelligence appears to be based on the volume of gray matter tissue in certain regions of the brain, UC Irvine College of Medicine researchers have found in the most comprehensive structural brain-scan study of intelligence to date.

3. Books On Human Intelligences and Intelligent Quotient (IQ)

The best single book mentioned here is Mackintosh, N. J. (1998) IQ and Human Intelligence because it includes a masterful review of the primary research literature and is very clear and accurate. Good for reading after Mackintosh (1998) is Sternberg (2000) Handbook of Intelligence, a collection of articles by many of the leading scholars of the field, which also includes a superb set of references to the primary literature.

4. The Limited Plasticity Of Human Intelligence by Arthur R. Jensen Originally published in The Eugenics Bulletin, Fall 1982.

As societies become increasingly technological, the demand for superior intelligence begins to exceed the supply, and the demand for sheer physical labor begins to decline Increased leisure, early retirement, and a lengthened life-span all raise the premium on intelligence for the social and moral well-being of society.

5. Human Intelligence: Going Beyond Intelligence Quotient (IQ) by Lourdes Salvador April 18, 2007.

The ability to excel at a variety of tasks, with a particular emphasis on academic success, is intelligence. A more detailed definition emphasizes that intelligence is the mental capacity to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn.

6. Human Intelligence: Theories and Developmental Origins From the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute

In March 2001, seventy-one teachers from twenty-three New Haven Public Schools became Fellows of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute to prepare new curricular materials for school courses.

7. Interviews with Robert Jeffreys Sternberg

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg give his personal definition of intelligence

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg talk about how he became interested in human intelligence

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg talk about what he learned from his professional mentors

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg talk about learning from his mistakes

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg talk about the evolution of his research career

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg talk about culture and intelligence testing

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg talk about defying the crowd

Click here to watch Dr. Sternberg talk about his contributions to the study of human intelligence:

Summer 2007, Volume 4 Number 2

1. Book Reviews: Over the past few years, I have reviewed various book. Click here to see them.

2. Some Authors re: Human Intelligences Here are a few individuals who have contributed greatly to the human intelligences movement.

Alfred BINET Around 1905, Binet developed a test in which Parisian school children were asked to complete tasks such as a) following commands, b) copying patterns, c) naming objects, d) putting things in order or arranging them properly. Binet created a standard based on his research data. For example, if 70% of 8-year-old children could pass his particular test, then he stated that success on the test represented an 8-year-old's level of intelligence. From his work, stemmed the phrase intelligence quotient, or IQ, the ratio of mental age (MA) to chronological age (CA), with the numeral 100 being considered an average IQ. That is, an 8 year old child who passed a 10 year-old test would have an IQ of 10 / 8 x 100, or 125. Binet's original efforts set into motion a passion for testing. In the enthusiasm, a widespread application of tests and scoring measures developed from relatively limited data. For example, tests based on Binet's efforts were used by the army to sort out the vast numbers of recruits for World War I. The test questions, however, had much more to do with general knowledge than with mental tasks such as matching, sequencing or thinking smarter.

Mike COLE The Illusion of Culture-free Intelligence Testing

René DIAZ-LEFEBVRE Scroll to "3. Applying MI ...

Karl Anders ERICSSON is the editor in chief of The 2006 Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance. He believes that expertise is more a function of a special type of practice than of innate talent.

Reuven FEUERSTEIN still works out of the Jerusalem International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential. His life-long work has been to elevate the performance of functionally illiterate people.

Howard Earl GARDNER developed a theory of multiple types of intelligences, first formally introduced in his 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. He proposes that we have distinct types of intelligence.

Linda GOTTFREDSON

Stephen J. GOULD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Richard HERRNSTEIN

Alexander Romanovich LURIA

Charles MURRAY

Clifford MORRIS: Intelligences for the New Millennium

Clifford MORRIS: Some writings

Robert STERNBERG

Lev VYGOTSKY believed that we have the ability to adjust our environment in a way more to our needs. He alleged that it was this ability which separated us and other organisms into the classes of superiority and inferiority. One of his most intriguing theories clarified his perspective on how cognition was first noticed in a child at points of social interaction and how these points of social engagement maintained an important role in the increased development of cognition.

Spring 2007, Volume 4 Number 1

1. Human Intelligence by Eyal Reingold, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada "The purpose of this resource is to help the students, as well as other interested visitors, to navigate through the enormous number of postings on the topic of human intelligence on the web. As can be seen through this guided tour, interest in intelligence represents an explosive mixture of science and politics. It is essential that you keep this in mind as pseudo-scientific presentations aimed at promoting a particular political agenda are common in this field (some more cleverly disguised than others). You should critically evaluate and contrast the different viewpoints. Some of the issues under debate are very sensitive, and some opinions may be very offensive and or even downright repugnant. To facilitate browsing, copies of online articles will be kept on the local server. If you have difficulty linking to the original page you will be able to retrieve these copies." To see the rest, go to http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/~reingold/courses/intelligence/

2. A New Take on Human Intelligence by Lee Dye "December 29, 2004 -- What does [baseball] slugger Barry Bonds have in common with renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking? Their brains work in much the same way. At least that's consistent with a fascinating new theory about the nature of intelligence. For many centuries humans have wondered about what it is inside their noggins that makes them so much smarter than other animals. Some of the brightest intellects have struggled, and failed, to define intelligence. Is it some abstract gift that simply makes us smart? Is there a mind, separate from the brain, that allows us to add two and two, and reflect upon the cosmos, and compose operas? Are we unique on the planet, or do other mammals also have intelligence, though less sharply tuned? Our lack of understanding of what it is that allows us to understand is underscored by the inane definitions of intelligence found in almost any reference book. My computer's built-in encyclopedia defines it as the "capacity to learn or to understand." The massive dictionary that sits beside my desk defines it as "mental ability." Gee, thanks. Historically, the study of intelligence belongs in the domain of psychologists, and more recently, neuroscientists. So it may be a little unsettling to learn that one of the freshest attempts to get a handle on intelligence comes from outside both those fields." To see the rest, go to http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/story?id=365543&page=1

3. Human Intelligences Data Base (under construction) by Clifford Morris. The writings and theories of Howard Gardner, Robert Sternberg and others have finally debunked the conventional belief housed within most of us, that is, the idea that our brains and minds consist of a sole central processing unit. Now we can view ourselves as holder of various intelligences located within and around us and perhaps, more importantly, that each of those intelligences might be improved with deliberate practice. Traditionally, most (so-called) intelligence quotient (IQ) tests have focused mainly on measuring mathematical-logical and verbal-linguistic mental method. Fortunately, science is now beginning to understand how this narrow and warped view of our cerebral capacities has limited everyone.

Traditionally, the psychological construct human intelligence has been represented by a single score based on how well we do on timed paper-and-pencil tests or / and by grades in public schooling. In the early 1900's, the French psychologist Alfred Binet tried to come up with some kind of measure that would predict the success or failure of children in the primary grades of schools of Paris. Around 1905, Binet developed a test in which he had Parisian school children complete tasks such as a) following commands, b) copying patterns, c) naming objects, d) putting things in order or arranging them properly. Binet created a standard based on his research data. For example, if seventy percent (70%) of 8-year-old children could pass his particular test, then he stated that success on the test represented an 8-year-old level of intelligence. From his work, stemmed the phrase intelligence quotient or IQ. Most simply stated for this note, IQ is calculated as the ratio of mental age (MA) to chronological age (CA), with the numeral 100 being considered the average IQ. For example, an 8 year old child who passes the 10 year-old child's test would have an IQ of 10 / 8 x 100, or 125. To sum up this paragraph, Binet's efforts became the forerunner of the standard IQ test that most mainstream psychologists use today. This test has been based, in the main, on the study of a "g" factor, supposedly genetic, unitary and consistent. If you adhere to this narrow interpretation of assessing cognitive capabilities, you also believe that we are born with a single intelligence that cannot be changed but can be easily measurable by mainstream psychological tools.

I believe that the central theme stemming from the immediate above paragraph is incorrect. That is, instead of seeking significant correlations between standardized tests, we should be looking at how we develop skills that are relevant within dominant cultures. When we learn to play musical instruments, the piano, for example, we are learning several skills. Will the training that we acquire in learning to play piano enhance our logical-mathematics skills, or vise versa? I don't think so! All other areas that we may excel at or have natural ability in are seldom taken into consideration. We are individually unique. We all have different physical features -- we are not all blue eyed, brown-haired, five-foot tall humans. We each possess different personalities -- some of us are comedians while others are quiet, reserved and serious. We all have our own set of talents, gifts, interests and abilities. Not everyone excels in mathematics and language. Then why should we compare how smart we are or how successful we will be based mainly on a test that measures only two aspects of who we are? To read the beginning stages of a human intelligences data base, go to http://corpweb.igs.net/~cmorris/dissertations.php

Winter 2006, Volume 3 Number 4

1. A Star is Made by Stephen J. Dubner & Steven D. Levitt "Ericsson and his colleagues have thus taken to studying expert performers in a wide range of pursuits, including soccer, golf, surgery, piano playing, Scrabble, writing, chess, software design, stock picking and darts. They gather all the data they can, not just performance statistics and biographical details but also the results of their own laboratory experiments with high achievers. Their work, compiled in the Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance, a 900-page academic book ... makes a rather startling assertion: the trait we commonly call talent is highly overrated. Or, put another way, expert performers -- whether in memory or surgery, ballet or computer programming -- are nearly always made, not born. And yes, practice does make perfect. These may be the sort of clichés that parents are fond of whispering to their children. But these particular clichés just happen to be true." To see the rest, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/magazine/07wwln_freak.html?ex=1304654400&en=2cf57fe91bdd490f&ei=5090&partner=

2. Deliberate Practice, Motivation and Hard Work: How to Make Expert Minds by Clifford Morris A review of The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance by K. Anders Ericsson, Neil Charness, Paul J. Feltovich and Robert R. Hoffman (Eds.) "This is the first handbook where the world's foremost 'experts on expertise' review our scientific knowledge on expertise and expert performance and how experts may differ from non-experts in terms of their development, training, reasoning, knowledge, social support, and innate talent. Methods are described for the study of experts' knowledge and their performance of representative tasks from their domain of expertise. The development of expertise is also studied by retrospective interviews and the daily lives of experts are studied with diaries. In 15 major domains of expertise, the leading researchers summarize our knowledge on the structure and acquisition of expert skill and knowledge and discuss future prospects. General issues that cut across most domains are reviewed in chapters on various aspects of expertise such as general and practical intelligence, differences in brain activity, self-regulated learning, deliberate practice, aging, knowledge management, and creativity." (Source: Inside front cover). To see an image of the front cover et al, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/br_tchoeaep.htm

3. The Expert Mind by Philip E. Ross "The preponderance of psychological evidence indicates that experts are made, not born. What is more, the demonstrated ability to turn a child quickly into an expert--in chess, music and a host of other subjects--sets a clear challenge before the schools. Can educators find ways to encourage students to engage in the kind of effortful study that will improve their reading and math skills? Roland G. Fryer, Jr., an economist at Harvard University, has experimented with offering monetary rewards to motivate students in underperforming schools in New York City and Dallas. In one ongoing program in New York, for example, teachers test the students every three weeks and award small amounts--on the order of $10 or $20--to those who score well. The early results have been promising. Instead of perpetually pondering the question, "Why can't Johnny read?" perhaps educators should ask, "Why should there be anything in the world he can't learn to do?" To see the text, go to http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=1&articleID=00010347-101C-14C1-8F9E83414B7F4945

Fall 2006, Volume 3, Number 3

1. The Mismeaure of Man Revised and Expanded Edition by Stephen Jay Gould In 1981, Stephen Jay Gould wrote The Mismeasure of Man, written to argue against serious social and political suggestions earlier scribed by Arthur R. Jensen in his 1969 article How much can we boost IQ and scholastic achievement? In 1996, Gould produced a revised version of the same book as a response to Richard Herrnstein & Charles Murray's 1994 book The bell curve: Intelligence and class structure in American life. To see the rest, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/book-review-the-mismeasure-of-man.htm

2. Remembering the Father of Neuropsychology by Clifford Morris A book review of The Autobiography of Alexander Luria: A Dialogue with The Making of Mind by Michael Cole, Levitin, Karl, & Alexander Luria (Eds.) The Autobiography of Alexander Luria A Dialogue with The Making of Mind is dedicated to Alexander Romanovich Luria, a prominent Russian scientists of the 20th century. For some forty years, Luria conducted research with great success on the functions of the brain such as analyzed the changes in function as a result of local brain lesions, attention, learning and forgetting and perception. As his academic life spanned a sizeable section of the last 100 years, this revised autobiography gives the reader a glimpse into the development of neurology and psychology in Russia. This new version will be of interest to an ever expanding number of Luria followers. To see the rest, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/review_the_making_of_mind.htm

3. Brains, Minds and Intelligences by Clifford Morris A review of The Cambridge Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning by Keith Holyoak and Robert Morrison (Eds.) In The Cambridge Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning, co-editors Keith Holyoak and Robert Morrison have done a first-rate job of providing the reader with seven informative, well researched and thought provoking themes: The Nature of Human Concepts, Reasoning, Judgment and Decision Making, Problem Solving and Complex Learning, Cognitive and Neural Constraints on Human Thought, Ontology, Phylogeny, Language and Culture, and Thinking in Practice. The Handbook is well integrated for an edited volume. Each theme includes between three to six chapters with every chapter following a comparable organization: an introduction of the topic, a review of the research literature and a Conclusions and Future Directions section. All chapters have something unique to say and yet relates back to the main theme of the Handbook -- comprehending the higher cognitive processes involved when thinking and reasoning. To see the full review, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/br_tchotar.htm

Summer 2006, Volume 3, Number 2

1. Being Smarter than Others by Clifford Morris A book review of Being Smart About Gifted Children: A Guidebook for Parents and Educators by Dona J. Matthews & Joanne F. Foster Being Smart About Gifted Children: A Guidebook for Parents and Educators provides the reader with an outstanding overview of the current state of gifted education from multiple contexts and theoretical perspectives. Authors Drs. Matthew and Foster, both experienced gifted educators, do a remarkable job creating the best possible learning fit for gifted children. To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/being_smarter_than_others.html

2. Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development by Clifford Morris I first published this article in a 1999 issue of Phi Delta Kappa News, University of Ottawa Chapter 0195. To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/zpd.html. And to see an image of Vygotsky, go to http://www.marxists.org/subject/psychology/index.htm

3. MI Smart! by Jane Carlson-Pickering "For over two thousand years civilizations have been discussing the existence and importance of mental powers -- capacities reflecting intelligence or the deployment of the mind. As the science of psychology was launched an array of human abilities were declared to exist. This led to a rise in the desire to learn more about the human brain and human potential. Scientists have argued for centuries over whether or not the human brain functions as one holistic unit or as a system of intellectual capacities. In the early 70’s, Dr. Howard Gardner believed that there was persuasive evidence for the existence of several relatively autonomous human intellectual competencies which he later referred to as “human intelligences.” Thus he began to study human intellectual potential drawing not only on psychological research, but also on the biological sciences and on data related to the development and use of knowledge in different cultures. In forming his belief on the theory of multiple intelligences he reviewed evidence from a large, unrelated group of sources: studies he conducted of gifted individuals, prodigies, brain damaged patients, idiot savants, normal children and normal adults. His intent was to expand the scope of cognitive and developmental psychology; to examine the educational implications his theory might have, and finally, to inspire educationally oriented anthropologists to develop a model of how these competencies might me developed in a variety of cultural settings." To see her site, go to http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/curriculum/MISmart/MImapDef.HTM

Spring, 2006, Volume 3, Number 1

1. Doing a Doctorate in Educational Ethnography Edited by Geoffrey Walford This (2002) book Doing a Doctorate in Educational Ethnography provides the reader with a first-rate introduction to the qualitative research school of educational ethnography from multiple contexts and theoretical perspectives. In all, eleven (11) ethnographic researchers contributed. I found the 214-pages of this book to be a well-arranged series of stories of post-graduate students who undertook a qualitative research study to complete their doctoral dissertations. To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/doing_a_doctorate_in_educational_ethnography.html

2. The multiple intelligences of Howard Gardner Gardner suggests that our intelligences are organized vertically, as a number of almost different domain specific cerebral faculties, rather than horizontally, as a set of general, or 'g' abilities. This viewpoint was (and continues to be) in direct contrast to many of the language and logic theorists who believed that there is only one kind of intelligence, that we either have a lot of it or not that much, and that there is virtually very little that we can ever do about that. To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/heg99.html

3. Intelligence by William Huitt "E. G. Boring, a well-known Harvard psychologist in the 1920's defined intelligence as whatever intelligence tests measure. Wechsler, one of the most influential researchers in the area of intelligence defined it as the global capacity of a person to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his/her environment. Notice that there is a conative aspect to this definition. Many modern psychology textbooks would accept a working definition of intelligence as the general ability to perform cognitive tasks. Others might favor a more behaviorally-oriented definition such as the capacity to learn from experience or the capacity to adapt to one's environment. Sternberg has combined these two viewpoints into the following: Intelligence is the cognitive ability of an individual to learn from experience, to reason well, to remember important information, and to cope with the demands of daily living." To see the rest of William's site, go to http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/intell.html

Winter, 2005, Volume 2, Number 4

1. Howard Gardner, Thomas Hatch and Bruce Torff: A third perspective: The Symbol Systems Approach to Intelligence Over the years, I have spent numerous hours with parents of students registered under my classroom charge. During such interactions, I have often been asked by these mothers and fathers to assist them as they attempt to interpret their offspring's intellectual makeup. At times, many of them tend to wonder if the intellectual behaviors of their own boys and girls stemmed solely from a heredity-genetic set of factors, or if their youngsters are smart children due to their environmental-cultural environment. This type of question has been often asked with no clear definitive answer ... that is, until now. To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/nature-nurture-et-al.htm

2. Different Windows into the Same Room Professionally Speaking, 54-55. A review of the following five book: Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century by Howard Gardner, Becoming a Multiple Intelligences School by Thomas R. Hoerr, Multiple Intelligences & Student Achievement: Success Stories from Six Schools by Linda and Bruce Campbell, Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, 2nd Edition by Thomas Armstrong and ADD/ADHD Alternatives in the classroom by Thomas Armstrong. To see the text, go to http://www.oct.ca/publications/professionally_speaking/september_2000/default.htm

3. Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences and Education Howard Gardner's work around multiple intelligences (MI) has had a profound impact on thinking and practice in education. Here, we explore the MI theory, why it has found a ready audience amongst educationalists and some of the issues around its conceptualization and realization. To read the rest, go to http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

Fall 2005, Volume 2, Number 3

1. Career Development and Multiple Intelligences by Clifford Morris This is a copy of a (1999) presentation that Clifford Morris gave at a National Consultation on Career Development (NATCON) Toronto Conference. An important aspect of career development is our ongoing need to know our strengths. A new dynamic model for identifying and profiling our intellectual strengths, the theme of this commentary, constitutes a major step in attempting to assess such competencies. Our numerous intelligences can only be partially measured via the mainstream view of intelligence as a single general factor, normally named 'g'. As we tackle the new century, perhaps the time is now ripe to retrain ourselves into thinking that our intelligences do not stem solely from a language and logic frame of mind, a fossilized practice still assumed by many mainstream psychologists. To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/ocetf.html

2. Adding a Dimension to Career Counseling: Introducing MI theory and MI-enhanced activities to a career counseling course opened everyone's eyes to new possibilities by Jean Mantzaris "In searching for new ideas and a more focused approach, I joined the Multiple Intelligences (MI) project. While traditional concepts of human intelligence measure linguistic and logical-mathematical abilities, multiple intelligences theory suggests that the range of intelligences be broadened to include spatial-visual, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. All humans possess these intelligences in varying degrees and apply them in various combinations, given their proclivities, activities, and environment. This concept seemed a promising premise for guiding students through their career choice process. I therefore agreed to learn about MI theory and carry out a practitioner inquiry project in which I applied MI theory to my work with adult learners involved in career development. I decided to focus on how students' awareness of their own intelligences and participation in activities informed by MI theory affect their career-decision making process." To see the text, go to http://www.ncsall.net/?id=371

3. Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development by William Huitt "As a biologist, Piaget [1896-1980] was interested in how an organism adapts to its environment (Piaget described as intelligence.) Behavior (adaptation to the environment) is controlled through mental organizations called schemes that the individual uses to represent the world and designate action. This adaptation is driven by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment (equilibration). Piaget hypothesized that infants are born with schemes operating at birth that he called "reflexes." In other animals, these reflexes control behavior throughout life. However, in human beings as the infant uses these reflexes to adapt to the environment, these reflexes are quickly replaced with constructed schemes. Piaget described two processes used by the individual in its attempt to adapt: assimilation and accommodation. Both of these processes are used throughout life as the person increasingly adapts to the environment in a more complex manner." To see the rest, go to http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html

Summer 2005, Volume 2, Number 2

1. The Personal Intelligences: Promoting Social and Emotional Learning by Launa Ellison "This book review comments on Launa Ellison's excellent (2001) book The Personal Intelligences: Promoting Social and Emotional Learning ... or as I prefer to call Howard Gardner's two social intelligences, the intuitive / introspective / intrapersonal intelligence and the social / interpersonal intelligence. I comment as one who spent 32 years as a classroom teacher and elementary school principal. The book represents a novel insight into the practical implications of Gardner's two personal intelligences and how these two (2) social graces underpin so much of today's classroom learning. Moreover, the book provides contemporary educators with a unique opportunity to create optimal learning environments for all types of students. Writing as one who has been following the writing of Gardner since 1985, I feel that this book is also a must read for anyone seeking meaningful insight into their own personal life." To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/Launa_Ellison.html

2. The Use of Multiple Intelligences to Enhance Team Productivity by Anna L. Green, Aretha Y. Hill, Earnest Friday and Shawnta S. Friday "Purpose - To provide practitioners and researchers with a framework for using individuals' multiple intelligences (MI) to enhance team productivity. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is a general review paper that examines how the theory of MI as espoused by Gardner may be used to enhance the productivity of teams. Based on its use in organizational training, it is suggested that MI theory can and should be applied in the context of organizational teams. This descriptive paper is divided into the following sections: literature reviews of team development, team building, MI, and the use of MI in organizational training; and the development of a framework for using MI to enhance team productivity. Findings - Provides information about how individual team members' varying degrees of the eight MI espoused by Gardner may be used to enhance their contributions to the team. Suggests that the enhanced contributions from team members will lead to enhanced team productivity, and ultimately, enhanced organizational productivity. Research limitations/implications - Empirical research is needed to test the MI and team productivity framework presented. Additionally, from a conceptual and empirical perspective, the relationship between team productivity and other contemporary dimensions of intelligence, such as cultural, emotional, and practical intelligences, need to be investigated. Practical implications - A very useful framework for managers to use as a tool to enhance the productivity of their teams by encouraging members to use their complementary intelligences to successfully accomplish team goals. Originality/value - No other paper offers managers a practical framework to encourage team members to use more than just their written and verbal intelligences to complete an assigned task.

Spring 2005, Volume 2, Number 1

1. The Limited Plasticity Of Human Intelligence by Arthur Jensen This article was initially published in The Eugenics Bulletin, in the Fall of 1982. "As societies become increasingly technological, the demand for superior intelligence begins to exceed the supply and the demand for sheer physical labor begins to decline. Increased leisure, early retirement and a lengthened life-span all raise the premium on intelligence for the social and moral well-being of society. With the eradication of malnutrition and infectious childhood diseases, and as universal public education and the amenities of our technological civilization become more widespread, the improvement of human intelligence, if it is to come about at all, will depend increasingly upon eugenic means." To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/limited-plasticity-of-human-intelligence-a-r-jensen.html

2. Mainstream Science on Intelligence A public statement first published in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, December 13, 1994 was signed by 52 internationally known scholars. "The statement was active on the information highway early in 1995, following several rather heated and negative responses to Herrnstein and Murray's book The Bell Curve. Since the publication of The Bell Curve, many commentators have offered opinions about human intelligence that misstate current scientific evidence. Some conclusions dismissed in the media as discredited are actually firmly supported. This statement outlines conclusions regarded as mainstream among researchers on intelligence, in particular, on the nature, origins, and practical consequences of individual and group differences in intelligence. Its aim is to promote more reasoned discussion of the vexing phenomenon that the research has revealed in recent decades. The following conclusions are fully described in the major textbooks, professional journals and encyclopedias in intelligence." To see the text, go to http://www.lrainc.com/swtaboo/taboos/wsj_main.html

Winter 2004, Volume 1, Number 4

1. New Methods for the Diagnosis of the Intellectual Level of Subnormals by Alfred Binet This (1905) article was initially published in L'Année Psychologique "Before explaining these methods let us recall exactly the conditions of the problem which we are attempting to solve. Our purpose is to be able to measure the intellectual capacity of a child who is brought to us in order to know whether he is normal or retarded. We should therefore, study his condition at the time and that only. We have nothing to do either with his past history or with his future; consequently we shall neglect his etiology, and we shall make no attempt to distinguish between acquired and congenital idiocy; for a stronger reason we shall set aside all consideration of pathological anatomy which might explain his intellectual deficiency. So much for his past. As to that which concerns his future, we shall exercise the same abstinence; we do not attempt to establish or prepare a prognosis and we leave unanswered the question of whether this retardation is curable, or even improvable. We shall limit ourselves to ascertaining the truth in regard to his present mental state." To see the text, go to http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Binet/binet1.htm

2. Race, Intelligence and the Brain: The errors and Omissions of The Revised Edition of S. J. Gould's The Mismeasure of Man by Philippe Rushton The following book review by Philippe Rushton was originally published in Personality and Individual Differences, October 3, 1996. "The first edition of The Mismeasure of Man appeared in 1981 and was quickly praised in the popular press as a definitive refutation of 100 years of scientific work on race, brain-size and intelligence. It sold 125,000 copies, was translated into 10 languages, and became required reading for undergraduate and even graduate classes in anthropology, psychology, and sociology. The second edition is not truly revised, but rather only expanded, as the author claims the book needed no updating as any new research would only be plagued with the same philosophical errors revealed in the first edition. Thus it continues a political polemic, whose author engages in character assassination of long deceased scientists whose work he misrepresents despite published refutations, while studiously withholding from his readers fifteen years of new research that contradicts every major scientific argument he puts forth. To see the text, go to http://www.eugenics.net/papers/rushton.html

Fall 2004, Volume 1, Number 3

1. Francis Galton's Classification of Men According to their Natural Gifts Excerpts from F. Galton Hereditary Genius (Macmillan, 2nd ed, 1892) Chapter 3. "I have no patience with the hypothesis occasionally expressed, and often implied, especially in tales written to teach children to be good, that babies are born pretty much alike, and that the sole agencies in creating differences between boy and boy, and man and man, are steady application and moral effort. It is in the most unqualified manner that I object to pretensions of natural equality. The experiences of the nursery, the school, the University, and of professional careers, are a chain of proofs to the contrary. I acknowledge freely the great power of education and social influences in developing the active powers of the mind, just as I acknowledge the effect of use in developing the muscles of a blacksmith's arm, and no further. Let the blacksmith labor as he will, he will find there are certain feats beyond his power that are well within the strength of a man of Herculean make, even although the latter may have led a sedentary life. Some years ago, the Highlanders held a grand gathering in Holland Park, where they challenged all England to compete with them in their games of strength. The challenge was accepted, and the well-trained men of the hills were beaten in the foot-race by a youth who was stated to be a pure Cockney, the clerk of a London banker." To see the rest, go to http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/~reingold/courses/intelligence/cache/galton.html

2. J. McK. Cattell's V.-Mental Tests and Measurement Francis Galton (1865) Hereditary Talent and Character Originally published in Mind, 15, 373-381. "Psychology cannot attain the certainty and exactness of the physical sciences, unless it rests on a foundation of experiment and measurement. A step in this direction could be made by applying a series of mental tests and measurements to a large number of individuals. The results would be of considerable scientific value in discovering the constancy of mental processes, their interdependence, and their variation under different circumstances. Individuals, besides, would find their tests interesting, and, perhaps, useful in regard to training, mode of life or indication of disease. The scientific and practical value of such tests would be much increased should a uniform system be adopted, so that determinations made at different times and places could be compared and combined. With a view to obtaining agreement among those interested, I venture to suggest the following series of tests and measurements, together with methods of making them. The first series of ten tests is made in the Psychological Laboratory, of the University of Pennsylvania on all who present themselves, and the complete series on students of Experimental Psychology. The results will be published when sufficient data have been collected." To see the text, go to http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Cattell/mental.htm

3. Francis Galton (1865) Hereditary Talent and Character by Francis Galton Originally published in Macmillan's Magazine, 12, 157-166, 318-327. "A remarkable misapprehension appears to be current as to the fact of the transmission of talent by inheritance. It is commonly asserted that the children of eminent men are stupid; that, where great power of intellect seems to have been inherited, it has descended through the mother's side; and that one son commonly runs away with the talent of a whole family. My own inquiries have led me to a diametrically opposite conclusion. I find that talent is transmitted by inheritance in a very remarkable degree; that the mother has by no means the monopoly of its transmission; and that whole families of persons of talent are more common than those in which one member only is possessed of it. I justify my conclusions by the statistics I now proceed to adduce, which I believe are amply sufficient to command conviction. They are only a part of much material I have collected, for a future volume on this subject; all of which points in the same direction. I should be very grateful to any of my readers for information that may help me in my further inquiries." To see the text, go to http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Galton/talent.htm

Summer 2004, Volume 1, Number 2

1. New and Emerging Theories of Intelligence You can't pick up a magazine today without seeing some type of an article regarding intelligence or intelligences. The study of human intelligence has proved to be a continuously evolving, dynamic field, with the breadth of the field expanding rapidly over the past 25 -- 30 years. Many theorists argue that our view of human intelligence is far too narrow, leading the way to an expanded view of what intelligence is and what constitutes an intelligence. To see the site, go to http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/index.shtml

2. The Uses of Intelligence Tests by Lewis M. Terman This commentary was initially published, in 1916, as Chapter 1 in The measurement of intelligence "Numerous studies of the age-grade progress of school children have afforded convincing evidence of the magnitude and seriousness of the retardation problem. Statistics collected in hundreds of cities in the United States show that between a third and a half of the school children fail to progress through the grades at the expected rate; that from 10 to 15 per cent are retarded two years or more; and that from 5 to 8 per cent are retarded at least three years. More than 10 per cent of the $400,000,000 annually expended in the United States for school instruction is devoted to re-teaching children what they have already been taught but have failed to learn." To see the text, go to http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Terman/terman1.htm

3. Coloring Outside the Lines: Applying Multiple Intelligences and Creativity in Learning by Rene Diaz-Lefebvre This book begins with the poignant story of Javier, a student with the capacity to learn, but does not perform well on tests. Using examples from different disciplines, Diaz-Lefebvre leads the reader step-by-step on how to use the Multiple Intelligences and Learning for Understanding model to teach for retention and understanding. The book answers the instructor's perennial concern of motivating students to review assigned readings. To see the book and video review, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/coloring-outside-the-lines.htm

Spring 2004, Volume 1, Number 1

1. Multiple intelligences: Profiling the Dominant Intelligences of Grade Eight Students by Clifford Morris and Raymond LeBlanc "This published article outlines how verbal protocols were used to compare the self-perceived intelligences of students to teacher nominations. In the PhD pilot study, teachers nominated students considered dominant in one of Howard Gardner’s seven theorized intelligences. The students then verbalized aloud while ranking themselves using scenarios depicting each intelligence. Concurrent and retrospective verbal protocols were taped, transcribed verbatim to text, coded, and analyzed. Results indicated a strong agreement between teacher nomination and student identification of Gardner’s intelligences. More detailed studies should be completed before determining the validity and reliability of profiling such intelligences." To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/mcgill.html

2. Pictures of Our Minds by Clifford Morris A review of Howard Gardner's 1999 book Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. In 1983, Howard Gardner wrote Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, a book that he believed that he was writing predominantly to enlighten mainstream psychologists, not classroom educators. In Frames, Gardner proposed a novel notion: that the psychological construct intelligence be formally measured in more ways than simply through dry statistical analytical lenses of widely accepted logical / linguistic IQ-type formalized tests, tests standardized for most schooling systems. Gardner questioned the classical belief that humans could have only one mode of representation about life. Instead, he suggested that a more pluralistic viewpoint for measuring mental functioning ought be addressed -- a variety of different intelligent ways of thinking. To see the text, go to http://www.igs.net/~cmorris/1999_2nd_book.html