Relationship Between University Students' Multiple Intelligences and Academic Performance

Abstract

Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory asserts that individuals have distinct intelligences in at least eight areas: Naturalistic, Linguistics, Logical-Mathematics, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Visual-Spatial, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal. In teaching-learning situations, the MI of students has to be considered because these are related to their academic performance. The aim of the study, therefore, was to determine the relationships between MI and academic performance.

An inventory was used for data collection on MI; for academic performance, final grades were obtained. Results through correlational analysis indicate that for First-Year and Second-Year students, there were no significant relationships between MI and academic performance.

For Third-Year students, there was a significant positive relationship between Logical-Mathematical intelligence and academic performance, but a significant negative relationship between Musical intelligence and academic performance. For Fourth-Year students, there was a significant negative relationship between Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence and academic performance.