Psychology - Nature of an Individual's Intelligence

Question: Current neuroscientific and cognitive research has demonstrated important links between emotional development, emotional intelligence and learning. What are the implications (if any) of a lack of understanding regarding children's emotional development with regards to overall school 'success'?

The nature of an individual's intelligence is a product which is genetic and affected by the environment which surrounds one's development, especially within the early formative years. The educational system needs to revaluate and restructure their perception on intelligence. By revaluating and restructuring the educational system, it will enable future generations to become well rounded individuals. This reassessment is due as the current system exploits a child's strengths and focuses on outdated learning theories of intelligence and methods of education.

There are various forms of intelligence; however intelligence is depicted as "A general aptitude and capacity for understanding and learning" (Krause, Bochner & Duchensne 2010). Intelligence can be demonstrated in a variety of forms and meaning depending on one's genetics, historical and cultural influences (Nagel, 2011). Early researchers have conceptualised the measurement of intelligence through use of verbal and non-verbal reasoning tasks (Krause, Bochner & Duchensne 2010). This broad term has been a continuous debated topic, for instance is an individual born with their 'general mental capacity' or is it something that they develop overtime? It was once said that, "We may inherit blueprints, but all else follows from the interactions of the individual's genetic code with her or his environment" (French, 2003). A child, whom receives numerous amounts of mental stimulus along with her or his basic survival needs being met, as stated by Maslow's hierarchy, will inherently allow the child the parameters to be open in order to learning.

A child may have the genetics or 'nature' to be considered 'intelligent', though without the supportive environment or 'nurture', they may not reach their full potential. "The issue is not one of nature vs. nurture, but one of how nature and nurture work together to shape our development as individuals" (French, 2003). The educational system needs to focus on the nurture side of intelligence, by exploring the idea of multiple intelligences. As stated by Gardner, "Intelligence comprises a set of separate intelligences, each of which is specialised for acquiring knowledge and solving problems in different areas of activity" (Krause, Bochner & Duchensne, 2010). The educational system needs to utilise each of these different areas of cognitive activity.

Within the classroom it may be considered difficult to try to cater to all educational needs, although differentiation