What are the most important mental abilities for success in school, in the workplace, and in creative endeavor? This course will present three quite different perspectives based on psychological research: (1) research on IQ, general intelligence and discrete mental abilities; (2) Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, and (3) Daniel Goleman’s theory of emotional intelligence. Here are some of the questions we will consider:
- What do IQ tests measure – a general mental ability or a set of separate skills?
- How important is IQ for success in school and in the workplace?
- To what extent can IQ be increased?
- To what extent is IQ determined by genes and by various environmental factors?
- What differences are there in mental abilities by sex, social class, and ethnicity, and what are the possible reasons for the differences?
- Besides IQ, what other mental abilities are there, and what could we do to nurture them in educational settings?
- What is meant by emotional intelligence, and what is its importance to success in the workplace and in relationships?
- How might we try to increase emotional intelligence in elementary and secondary school students?
The class format will include short lectures to present the key concepts and research findings supporting each approach, along with extensive discussion of issues and implications raised by each perspective. Weekly preparation time will be 1-1.5 hours.