KINESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE: CHARACTERISTICS AND EXAMPLES - ECONOMÍA - 2025

The kinesthetic intelligence is the ability to use the body to express feelings and ideas, and the ability to produce or transform things with my hands. It is the type of intelligence that sportsmen and dancers alike have, as well as artists, mechanics and surgeons.

This concept starts from the theory of multiple intelligences. It was proposed in 1983 by Harvard University psychologist and professor Howard Gardner. This author maintains that man's cognitive competence is best described by the term "intelligences". With this concept it encompasses the set of skills, talents or mental capacities.

Kinesthetic or kinesthetic bodily intelligence belongs to one of the 8 types of intelligence proposed by Gardner. It involves skills in body control, as well as in handling and manipulating objects. This also includes the ability to achieve goals related to physical actions, in addition to training and refining responses to physical stimuli.

Sometimes our body movements or postures tend to be automatic, escaping our awareness. By improving kinesthetic bodily intelligence, the mind is more aware of body movements. Therefore, they are controlled more safely and precisely.

In this way, we work so that the mind regulates our body and at the same time, the body is trained to respond to what the mind demands.

The theory of multiple intelligences

In 1983, Gardner published his book "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences." This is the result of several investigations at the Boston University Aphasia Research Center with people who had suffered strokes and aphasia.

Children from Harvard's Project Zero, a laboratory specialized in analyzing children's cognitive development and associated educational implications, were also studied. The central question of her research was: is intelligence a single thing or several independent intellectual activities?

Gardner defined intelligence as "the ability to solve problems or to produce products that are of importance in a cultural context or in a given community."

From this perspective, the human mind is best understood as a series of relatively independent faculties that possess loose and unpredictable relationships with one another. Thus, the concept of mind is criticized as a machine with a single purpose, operating constantly and with a single power, independent of content and context.

Intelligence is not, then, a unique capacity of the mind. Rather, it is a spectrum of different modalities, each with its area of ​​expertise. Therefore, intelligence is much more than a high IQ. This, in the absence of productivity, cannot be considered intelligence.

Broader definition of intelligence

Gardner claimed that intelligence could not be a single psychometrically described entity with an IQ score. Intelligence should be defined more broadly.

To do this, he established several criteria to define intelligence. These criteria were drawn from the biological sciences, logical analysis, developmental psychology, experimental psychology, and psychometrics.

This author affirms that all human beings know the world through 8 types of intelligence: linguistics, logical-mathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thought, use of the body or body-kinetics, understanding of others or interpersonal, understanding of ourselves themselves or intrapersonal, and naturalistic.

Thus, the subjects differ in the intensity of such intelligences. In addition to the way they go to them to act, solve problems and progress.

Characteristics of kinesthetic intelligence (examples)

We can distinguish kinesthetic intelligence by the following characteristics:

- Skills in controlling the movement of the body (strength, flexibility, speed, coordination). For example, having strength and coordination to build small furniture.

- Comfort and connection with your own body.

- Security and intuition in their movements. For example, be confident when handling a tool, such as a hammer or wrench.

- Skills in manipulating objects. For example, using your hands to create things or to make repairs.

- Ability to achieve goals regarding physical actions.

- Ability to perfect responses to physical stimuli. It is about changing the responses depending on the physical stimuli that are captured.

Profile of people with kinesthetic intelligence

There are certain people who have a greater predisposition to kinesthetic intelligence. They are characterized by high dexterity and coordination, as well as greater strength, flexibility and speed.

People with this type of intelligence learn best by "doing" rather than by listening, watching, or reading. They prefer to find out for themselves how things work, manipulating them with their hands.

That is, they better grasp concepts when they are able to physically manipulate objects. For example, those mathematical concepts that are based on three-dimensionally represented objects.

These individuals like to be active, and be outdoors. They enjoy doing sports activities and artistic expressions such as theater or dance. They stand out for their abilities to manipulate objects, construction and manual work.

They tend to choose professional profiles such as artists, dancers, athletes, physiotherapists, mechanics, craftsmen, surgeons, actors, etc.

How to develop kinesthetic intelligence?

It is possible to develop kinesthetic intelligence through very diverse ways and far removed from the traditional school environment.

People who have higher levels of this type of intelligence prefer to learn by acting, taking a more physical and bodily contact with the areas of knowledge.

- Science: through experiments, fixing toys or broken devices, and having contact with animals, substances and different objects.

- Mathematics: kinesthetic intelligence is developed in this area by creating geometric objects such as pyramids, cubes, etc. As well as working with everyday problems involving mathematics through games and using manipulatives.

- History and geography: developing maps, models and reliefs on historical episodes or places.

- Language and communication: realization of plays, debates, concerts, stories and stories.

- Languages: through songs, performances and representations in different languages.

Recommendations for schools

It is very important that visits to concerts, zoos, museums, historical places are made… So that the student can see, touch and feel things directly, involving their body.

To develop this intelligence, it is recommended that schools organize more excursions and getaways in the open air related to the subject of study. Like games, theatrical performances, dances… Even learning to play musical instruments.

This method of active learning, developed through experience, is being used as an educational method in alternative schools. To do this, work is done with small groups of children and the child is directly involved in the matter.

Active subject

The student is not a passive subject who only hears or reads information, but experiences it through his body and feels it. It seems that this learning method is more beneficial than traditional ones, since it adapts to the individual characteristics of each child.

As a consequence, frustrations are prevented and the motivation of each student is increased since their development rhythm is respected.

In this way, gross motor activities (larger movements with the whole body) and fine motor activities (precise movements such as those made to draw or write) are integrated into the day to day.

Since the little one must move between different groups of children, collect their own materials, talk about their work with another person, go outside to find something they need for their project, etc. Thus, students improve the handling of their movements while learning.

References

1. Avila, AM (1999). Multiple intelligences: An approach to Howard Gardner's theory. Pedagogical Horizons, 1 (1).
2. Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence. (sf). Retrieved on February 27, 2017, from International Montessori:
3. Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence. (May 6, 2014). Retrieved from Udemy Blog: blog.udemy.com.
4. Bodily / Kinesthetic Intelligence. (sf). Retrieved on February 27, 2017, from My Personality: mypersonality.info.
5. Davis, K., Christodoulou, J., Seider, S., & Gardner, H. (2011). The theory of multiple intelligences. The Cambridge handbook of intelligence, 485-503.
6. Gardner, H. (1998). Multiple intelligences: theory in practice. Barcelona: Paidós.
7. Gardner, H. (2014). Structures of the mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. Mexico DF: Economic Culture Fund.