Practical intelligence: what does it consist of?

Thanks to intelligence models such as the one proposed by the psychologist and researcher Howard Gardner (Multiple Intelligences Model), today we know that Intelligence goes far beyond performing well in studies, or being very good at mathematics. In fact, we also know, thanks to authors like this one – and many others – that there is not just one type of intelligence, but rather many of them (a minimum of 9!). Today we will talk to you about one of them: practical intelligence.

The psychologist and researcher Robert J. Sternberg was the first author to talk about practical intelligence, through his triarchic theory of intelligence (1985). In his model, Sternberg also included two other types of intelligence: analytical and creative, which we will also learn about later. But what is practical intelligence? Does it have to do with our ability to adapt? How are these concepts related?

Sternberg’s triarchic model

The American Psychologist Sternberg offers a model that integrates intelligence and thinking in a social context and defends the existence of the three types of intelligence mentioned: analytical intelligence (which we use in the academic field, for example), creative intelligence (which allows us to solve new problems in different contexts) and practical intelligence (which we use in our lives to adapt to the demands of the environment).

Each of these three types of intelligence is part of three subtheories that complement each other: componential, experiential and contextual. So, the componential subtheory would correspond to analytical intelligence (related to the ability to capture and modify information), experiential intelligence is related to creative intelligence (related to the integration of information obtained from outside into our psyche) and contextual intelligence is related to practical intelligence.

In the latter case, we talk about the ability to know how to identify and take advantage of life’s opportunities to adapt to it. And this is precisely what practical intelligence, which we will describe below, has to do with.

Practical intelligence: what does it consist of?

But what exactly is practical intelligence? Through his model, Sternberg defined practical (or contextual) intelligence as that related to behavior and how we adapt to the real world. According to him, adaptation is the phenomenon that occurs when we are able to adjust to the demands of the environment, to what surrounds us. Thus, practical intelligence is that which allows us to adapt to the environment, the environment, the context and life.

Thanks to it we can apply our knowledge to the different environments and contexts of daily life in order to achieve a desired result. And this type of intelligence goes beyond mere adaptation to the environment, and even extends to good performance in social relationships.

In more everyday terms, Practical intelligence would be that which allows us to know what to say, to whom., in what way and when, in order to achieve maximum effect.

Action oriented

Practical intelligence is action-oriented. We put it into practice when facing complex (but also simple) day-to-day problems. They are problems of our daily lives, problems very far from theory that require us to put our acquired knowledge and learning into practice, innovate, test, take risks…

And the solution is found, precisely, in this implementation of the resources and learning that we have acquired over the years.

Practical, creative and analytical intelligence

It is for all the reasons mentioned that it is an innovative intelligence, as well as creative, because it inherently leads us to try things to obtain different (and desired) results. In this sense, We can relate practical intelligence with the other two types of intelligence described by Sternberg: the analytical (“What details should I pay attention to about the problem?”) and the creative (“What can I try, like something new, to reach the solution?”).

How is practical intelligence acquired?

This type of intelligence can be learned and trained over the years, although we can naturally acquire it progressively through the multitude of experiences that we have to live. In this sense, Its development is greatly influenced by the environment in which we develop when we are small and also when we grow.

On the other hand, the people around us, who often act as models, also greatly influence the development of our practical intelligence. Because? Because people tend to imitate, to look for models, and if, for example, we see that someone performs successfully in a task, we will tend to imitate them in the future.

Application of practical intelligence and examples

As we have seen, the application of this type of intelligence involves two elements: knowledge and action. It involves applying intelligence to the environments of daily life and its requirements or demands.

We find multiple examples of practical intelligence in everyday life: For example, when we think about how to get out of a crowded train carwhen we choose the shortest route to work if we do not have enough time, when we seek help if we feel bad on the street, etc.

The examples are several, and their degrees of complexity may also vary. However, they are all connected by a common element: the effectiveness of practical intelligence to emerge successfully from these types of situations, problems or experiences.

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