Before, the concept of intelligence was very limited since it only included the ability to solve problems of a logical nature, but suddenly it acquired a new dimension more wide thanks to the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, which foresees the ability to solve problems of all kinds, from linguistic to those of an emotional nature or interpersonal.
This is how the idea of intuitive intelligence was born, which is based on the "emotional brain", the oldest part of the brain, responsible for managing stimuli from the environment. In this Psychology-Online article, we are going to explain what is intuitive intelligence and how to develop it.
Index
- What is intuitive intelligence
- Fundamentals of intuitive intelligence
- How to develop intuitive intelligence
- Examples of intuitive intelligence
What is intuitive intelligence.
When we are faced with situations that we must resolve immediately, a series of related images are activated with the act in question that recall emotional memories, painful or pleasant, that influence the decision to drink.
Freud had already heard about it, so much so that when we make small decisions, it is always advantageous to be able to analyze the pros and cons. However, in vital matters, such as choosing a partner or a career, the decision must come from the unconscious, a hidden place within us. For Freud they were those deep sensations of good or bad, of pleasure or visceral rejection, that sometimes we do not listen to give credit to reason.
The idea of intuitive intelligence came from the Canadian sociologist Malcolm Gladwell, based on the concept of "thin-slicing": that is, we are capable of make sense of situations, also on the basis of ephemeral experiences and above all in a very short period of time, in the blink of an eye. Intuitive intelligence would be nothing more than allowing what we already know and have accumulated to emerge on a conscious level. over the years keeping it in the unconscious to solve a problem and make decisions with greater speed.
According to Jean Piaget, on the other hand, intuitive intelligence is part of a specific stage of child development, a particular phase that goes from 4 to 7 years - these are the years of intuitive thinking, during which the child acquires a large amount of information (also thanks to interaction with other children in kindergarten), but has not yet stored the ability to metalize the action as a cause of consequences, or as a means of achieving a goal. finish.
Foundations of intuitive intelligence.
Intuitive intelligence is a widely used faculty of the intellect whose study has contributed to demystify the unreal figure of man as a rational decision maker. Analytical thinking works in sequence and is slow and exhausting, while the intuitive system works in parallel, often in the background. It is an implicit operation and difficult to control, but it works very well in everyday life.
Intuitive and analytical intelligence work simultaneously: every decision, however rational, has intuitive bases. The intuitive system works through a mental representation of the Case to estimate the probabilities of an event occurring.
According to neuroscience, intuition is based on the collection and analysis of sensory information. Some scientists call the intuition 'adaptive unconscious': the most gifted individuals would be those who know how to detect and adapt better to the smallest environmental changes. Emotion would be the subtle connection between the environment and the individual, hence its key role. Intuition contributes to happiness by creating a path to dreams and the deep needs of the individual that lead the way to the most satisfying choices.
How to develop intuitive intelligence.
Intuitive intelligence can improve our decision-making ability to quickly solve problems. This goes against what we have always thought, and that is that to make good decisions it is necessary to reflect carefully, not to rush and analyze the pros and cons of the situation. But sometimes the excess of information can confuse us or even lead us to inertia, because our brain is no longer capable of handling all that data "it is blocked", and thus it avoids deciding.
The American Sharti Gawain is an expert in self-help and self-esteem development and has written a manual on the value of intuition. Drawing on the thought points and suggestions outlined in the book, here are some exercises that develop and hone intuitive intelligence:
- For a week, ask yourself what direction in life you want to take, writing down thoughts, sensations and suggestions of the moment, to awaken the inner guide.
- Sometimes the intuition is just an unexpressed wish, perhaps from one of the non-dominant voices of the identity. Define and describe the different personalities that reside in us to discover everything they have to say.
- Try to listen to your intuition throughout the day, choosing a time free of conflict and commitment. Make sure that only the attitude described in the first exercise guides you in the activities.
- To stay in touch with yourself it is necessary to exercise your intuition several times a week, creating spaces of tranquility.
Examples of intuitive intelligence.
Imagine waking up in the morning, like every day. You have already planned your day, you know that you are going to go to work, at lunch time you are going to eat at the usual place and then you will go back to your work. your gaze falls on the gym bag, the image you receive is that of picking up the bag. Immediately the rational mind tells you that it is not necessary to take it, since today at lunch time you will not have time, postpone to the next day, knowing that you will have a longer break, as of custom.
Go to work, in the middle of the morning your boss tells you that today the break will be longer. You could have gone to the gym.
Here is a small example of how, sometimes, the dialogue between the intuitive and rational mind works within us. Intuition, for some not entirely clear reason, had set a vision, that of taking the gym bag, as if it foresaw the possibility that that same day it would be possible to go.
The rational mind arises immediately, carrying out its predefined project, based on the available (conscious) data. The intuitive mind uses other data, unconscious, unconscious or perhaps superconscious.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is intuitive intelligence and how to develop it, we recommend that you enter our category of cognitive psychology.
Bibliography
- Bertoli, S. (2020). Vibroenergetic Psychology. Lecce: Youcanprint.
