Kinesthetic body intelligence: what is it and how is it expressed?

A concept that is part of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences.

From the precise work of a surgeon saving lives to the graceful and sinuous movement of a dancer, to the mastery of the subtle gestures that give verisimilitude to the actions of an actor, the exercise of any of these professions requires a high degree of capacity.

Most people might think that we are talking about physical ability, but the truth is that there is much more: coordination, processing and expression of information and control of one's own body and what it produces. In fact, what all these individuals manifest is nothing more than a form of intelligence, which Gardner already valued in his theory of multiple intelligences: bodily or kinesthetic intelligence..

Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences

Kinesthetic or kinesthetic bodily intelligence is one of the eight basic types of intelligence proposed by Howard Gardner in his Theory of Multiple Intelligences. proposed by Howard Gardner in his Theory of Multiple Intelligences.. In order to facilitate the understanding of this concept, it is convenient first to assess what this theory entails.

The Theory of Multiple Intelligences is based on the idea conceived by Howard Gardner and various collaborators at Harvard University that the type of knowledge valued in the educational and academic sphere does not usually provide sufficient information regarding intellectual capacity or intelligence, understood as the capacity or set of capacities that allow the analysis and solution of problems as well as the correct adaptation to the environment.

The author, visualizing that precisely the majority of intelligence tests, the very concept of IQ and the conceptions of this as a single capacity were focused on verbal and logical (the same type of information that is mostly valued at the academic level), came to the conclusion that although until now they were not considered as such, there are other capacities beyond verbal and logical that are essential for adaptation and "intelligent" behavior in the environment.

Gardner elaborated a theory in which he proposed that success, performance and even intellectual and adaptive capacity depended not on the logical-verbal capacity but on a set of abilities common to all human beings, to a greater or lesser degree, among which the above were only one of them. He also relied on the knowledge of cases of genius and extraordinary abilities. between subjects with poor verbal reasoning skills. In conclusion: Gardner proposed that there are different types of intelligence.

The Theory of Multiple Intelligences proposes, derived from Gardner's own research, a total of eight intelligences (although the theory is not closed to the possibility of there being more). These are logical-mathematical intelligence, linguistic intelligence, spatial intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, naturalistic intelligence and finally the intelligence that gives rise to this article: bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

Bodily intelligence: what is it?

Bodily intelligence is the set of cognitive skills that allow the cognitive abilities that allow the coordination of the mind with the rest of the body. allowing a fluid and precise control of it. Thanks to it we are able to manage our strength, balance, speed, coordination or precision, being a type of intelligence that allows automation and learning skills. Obviously, it is also linked to both fine and gross motor skills.

The use of this type of intelligence is very varied and allows the correct adaptation to the environment and the achievement of goals and objectives. We mainly use this type of intelligence when handling instruments and tools, whether they are simple, complex or highly accurate. the capacity of emotional expression through the movement of the body..

This last aspect also has important implications in another sense, derived from the fact that the psyche has a great influence on the body and the body on the psyche. Thus, knowing how to manage the body will also imply an improvement in the management of the mind at the level of self-knowledge and self-regulation.

These considerations about bodily intelligence are the reason why it is considered that this type of intelligence is particularly developed in professions that require especially developed in professions that require great precision or physical capacity, such as acting, dance, music and dance.such as acting, dance, painting, craftsmanship or surgery.

An underappreciated mental capacity

Bodily intelligence is a highly valuable ability, being in fact fundamental for human development and even evolution (the handling of instruments and tools has been basic to allow us to hunt and survive in prehistoric times, and as we have evolved it has been increasingly necessary to manage our social interactions and the progress of technology).

However, despite its great importance, it is a very little valued intelligence: just look at the little time and little consideration given to physical education at the educational level, or the little social value given to most professions that require it (except for highly successful professionals, most people who enter the worlds of dance and acting are seen as part of a world apart and even ignored, and professionals such as artisans are nowadays rare and socially little taken into account). The exception would be in cases such as those related to medicine.

Perhaps it would be necessary to establish a change of mentality and begin to value that our body and the way we handle it are just as important as conventional knowledge. are just as important as conventional knowledge, because at the end of the day, in our day-to-day lives we are not only limited to knowing but also to doing.

Bibliographical references:

• Gardner, H. (2003). La inteligencia reformulada: Las inteligencias múltiples en el siglo XXI. Editorial Paidós.