Multiple Intelligences

[The Main Man]

Has anyone here thought of using the Theory of Multiple Intelligences to model their characters' personalities?

In short, the 8 Intelligences are theoretical areas of intelligence as opposed to uniform intelligence; IOW, people are theoretically intelligent in different areas than others, making intelligence measurement far more complex.

Keep in mind that the following descriptions are brief summaries, hence the link for greater detail.

1. Bodily-Kinesthetic = Physical learning; learning by doing things.

2. Interpersonal = Extroversion; Learning by social interaction with others.

3. Verbal-Linguistic = Good with words and grammar; Learns by reading.

4. Logical-Mathematical = Good with numbers and analysis; Learns from formulae and analyzing a problem.

5. Naturalistic = Attuned to nature; Learns from one's surroundings.

6. Intrapersonal = Introversion; Learns by going with one's feelings and knowledge rather than others'.

7. Visual-Spatial = What it says; Learns from images and by example.

8. Musical = Also what it says; Learns from patterns, rhythms, tones, etc.

One day, I got to thinking that these make for interesting personality definitions or at least good personality cores.

What about anyone else?

[Peregrine]

I think that calling them "intelligences" is a bit disingenuous, myself, but that's a wild tangent to your post.

As to their use in gaming, I could see some Psychological Complications (training myself for Hero 6th) reflecting those, or maybe Physical ones reflecting limits on learning styles. The latter possibility, though, goes into a level of simulationist granularity that tends to detract from my fun; YMMV, de gustibus non est disputandum, etc.

[Curufea]

Calling them intelligences is exactly the right word - it means "ability to learn".

While everyone does learn different subjects at different rates, I do think that level of detail for a character in a roleplaying game may not be very useful. At least not in a face to face game. It could work with the kinds of deep character development that tend to occur in systemless or system-lite PBeM games.

[The Main Man]

I picture using them rather overtly for personality.

For example, if one thought of their character as a primarily Bodily-Kinesthetic character, they might just dive into situations (as Miss Frizzle would say, "Get messy, make mistakes.").

If that same character were primarily Logical-Mathematical instead, they may like to plan things out and consider the situation at hand more.

Or maybe if they were primarily Verbal-Linguistic they might like to do at least a little research into a matter, if they haven't already read into it before.

I see plenty of possibilities for implementation.

I might also argue that a character could be more overt about such behavior the higher their INT score.

[Vondy]

1. Bodily-Kinesthetic = Physical learning; learning by doing things.

2. Interpersonal = Extroversion; Learning by social interaction with others.

3. Verbal-Linguistic = Good with words and grammar; Learns by reading.

4. Logical-Mathematical = Good with numbers and analysis; Learns from formulae and analyzing a problem.

5. Naturalistic = Attuned to nature; Learns from one's surroundings.

6. Intrapersonal = Introversion; Learns by going with one's feelings and knowledge rather than others'.

7. Visual-Spatial = What it says; Learns from images and by example.

8. Musical = Also what it says; Learns from patterns, rhythms, tones, etc.


With slight variations on names, and one or two raw physical stats, this could make a good short list for an entirely new games' basic characteristics.

[The Main Man]

Heh, I see what you mean, now that you mention it.

I'd like to add that there are actually three more, less well-defined types to boot: Moral, Spiritual, and Existential.

[Curufea]

Moral is mostly covered in interpersonal, naturalistic and intrapersonal though. It's more like the application of things learned in those areas.
Spiritual would be good though - it would cover magic use.
I don't know how you can have existential intelligence? Would it be a game device for "hints from the GM"?

[The Main Man]

Existential intelligence, according to the Wikipedia article, is a person's ability to comprehend philosophy and the like.

[Curufea]

But comprehension of something is different from ability to learn.

It's very easily learnt that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line - It's more difficult to comprehend why that is the case (and prove it).

[The Main Man]

But comprehension of something is different from ability to learn.

It's very easily learnt that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line - It's more difficult to comprehend why that is the case (and prove it).

That's probably one of the reasons that it (along with Moral and Spiritual) is not listed withe main eight intelligences.IIRC, they also do not have any particular brain correspondence.

[Curufea]

It may be useful for game purposes - but it's the level of abstraction that makes me wonder if it will cause more problems than solutions.