We explain what interpersonal intelligence is, what its characteristics are and how to develop it. Also, other types of intelligence.
What is interpersonal intelligence?
Interpersonal intelligence It is the ability to understand others, their moods, feelings, intentions and desires.It involves distinguishing social signals and responding to them effectively, establishing positive relationships and solving problems in the social environment.
Psychologist Howard Gardner (1943) proposed the theory of multiple intelligences, a model of the structure and functioning of the mind. In it, distinguishes different types of analytical capacity human being represented by eight intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, corporal-kinesthetic, naturalistic, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Although each of these intelligences is autonomous, are all linked and work as a system.
Interpersonal intelligence It is especially related to intrapersonal intelligence since understanding oneself favors interactions with others. Furthermore, personal identity is built in the relationship of the subject with his or her environment.
This type of intelligence manifests itself intensely in people who occupy leadership positions, in politics, in the role of teachers and therapists, or even in religious figures.
See also: Interpersonal communication
Key points
- Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to grasp and understand the intentions, motivations and desires of others, and interact effectively with them.
- People with high interpersonal intelligence tend to be empathetic, communicate clearly, and are easy to resolve conflicts. They enjoy working as a team and are influential.
- Professions that are related to interpersonal intelligence are those that require skills to understand or interact with other people, such as teachers, therapists, politicians, public relations, and entrepreneurs.
- To develop interpersonal intelligence, it is recommended to practice active listening, interact with groups recreationally, observe one's own emotions and daily interactions, and perform role simulation dynamics.
Characteristics of people with interpersonal intelligence
Interpersonal intelligence consists of a certain ease of understanding and understanding the inner world of others which involves the capacity for empathy and a wide variety of skills.
The main skills of people with high interpersonal intelligence are:
- Understand the emotions of others through active listening.
- Express ideas clearly.
- Establish personal limits, expressing one's own desires and needs.
- Being able to convince or motivate people to act in a certain way.
- Perceive and understand social dynamics.
- Resolve conflicts and act as mediators to manage discussions.
- Work as a team and cooperate on joint projects to achieve common objectives.
Neurological studies indicate that this type of intelligence resides in the frontal lobes of the brain (essential for planning and executing behaviors) and in the temporal lobe (involved in understanding emotions and intentions).
Examples of interpersonal intelligence
Interpersonal intelligence allows you to establish positive relationships with other people in your personal and professional environment For example, it is common among people who tend to organize events or who manage to create positive work environments, children who integrate easily into school groups, or salespeople who know how to listen to their customers' needs.
With respect to vocational areas, there are professions that require certain development of social skills, because they involve understanding or inspiring others. Some of them are: entrepreneurs, business leaders, politicians, therapists, educators, social workers and public relations.
Some notable personalities in whom interpersonal intelligence can be recognized are Teresa of Calcutta, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. All of them managed to inspire and motivate many people and generated a positive impact worldwide.
Activities to develop interpersonal intelligence
Some activities that can be put into practice to develop this type of intelligence are:
- Practice active listening. Have a conscious attitude and pay attention to what others say, without interrupting and showing interest.
- Exercise empathy. Try to understand the other's perspective, raise awareness and connect with their emotions.
- Reflect. Identifying and understanding one's own emotions, interactions and reactions provides information about oneself and others.
- Participate in group activities. Participate in projects, sports groups or artistic activities to practice collaboration and communication.
- Simulate social situations. Perform exercises role-playing It helps develop empathy and allows you to experiment in a safe environment.
- Play as a team. Participate in board games or group dynamics that require joint resolution strategies.
Other types of intelligence
The other types of intelligence that are part of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences are:
- Linguistic intelligence . It is the ability to acquire and use oral or written language effectively.
- musical intelligence It is the ability to perceive, appreciate and express rhythmic patterns and musical forms.
- Logical-mathematical intelligence. It is the ability to use numbers to solve problems and think logically.
- Kinesthetic-body intelligence. It is the ability to handle tools related to body movement and touch.
- Spatial intelligence . It is the ability to perceive and understand spaces, such as the perception of the size of objects and proportions.
- intrapersonal intelligence . It is the ability to know oneself and understand one's own emotions and motivations.
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References
- Castelló, A. and Meritxell, C. (2011). Interpersonal intelligence: key concepts. Interuniversity Electronic Journal of Teacher Training14(3), 23-35. https://revistas.um.es
- Gardner, H. (1994). Structures of the mind. The theory of multiple intelligences. Economic Culture Fund.
- González Rodríguez, MJ (2014). Interpersonal intelligence: Building bridges to others. Education and Future(31) 219-244.https://cesdonbosco.com
