Successful Intelligence: How Practical and Creative Intelligence Determine Success in Life

Robert J. Sternberg, one of the nation's foremost authorities on intelligence, wrote this enlightening book on what he calls, "successful intelligence." Successful intelligence is the kind of intelligence used to achieve important goals or make a difference. According to him, people who succeed, whether by their own standards or by other peopole's, are those who have managed to acquire, develop, and apply a full range of intellectual skills, rather than relying on inert intelligence (memorization of stagnant facts) that schools so value and the majority of students are tested on. People who have successful intelligence know their strengths; they know their weaknesses. They capitalize on their strengths; they compensate for or correct their weaknesses. Written in 1997 and highly relevant today, the book revolves around the history, purpose, and accuracy of what is actually evaluated on IQ tests, it also addresses many of the issues pertaining to the use of standardized testing, and the real reason SATs became a part of the college filtering experience. Sternberg drives home his belief that of the multiplicity of intelligences that exist (of which there are many) successful intelligence is by far the most effective and useful to students because it accurately correlates with the skills that are required to succeed in the real world. Successful Intelligence consists primarily of three components: Analytical Intelligence (which involves judging and evaluating ideas), Creative Intelligence (which involves inventiveness and imagination in problem solving), and Practical Intelligence (which involves using, utilizing, and applying strategies, ideas, and facts). He elaborates on the importance of using these three intelligences in tandem to get a complete picture of intelligence. This book has been incredibly valuable to me as a college professor because it has forced me to re-evaluate certain aspects of my teaching such as spending more time discussing the content of my curriculum for analytical purposes, instead of merely having my students engage in the common and futile exercise of rote memorization. It also confirmed some things that I suspected, and can now have reasearch to prove, such as the faultiness of multiple choice tests, and the true educational value of essays. If you are a teacher, or interested in becoming one, you will benefit from this marvelous educational tool in the short and longterm. Buy it today.

This book should be a obligatory reading anytime before one is 21 years old. You can find proof in everyday life that the work of Sternberg is not only true and informative, but also very useful. I find it helpful that the author places himself in his work (only a couple of times its just a little bit too much). It's a excellent read for those trying to find and understand the key to succes in life. Your grades in school have nothing to do with it, by the way. As a teacher, a parent and a communicator, I appreciate this book very much. Also read The Millionare Mind, by Thomas Stanley, as adittional and very well sustained proof that the theories of Sternberg are accurate. It's a highly recommended reading accesible for anyone.

Intelligence is not a mere abstraction. It refers to the scientific findings you can use to do better in school, life otr work--overall. It refers to the simple truths that lift a civilization above ignorance and opression, to profoundly empowering findings, part of which Sternberg's research at Yale UNiversity has uncovered over over twenty years of arduous research and experimental trial. Part of his tresearch has found that intelligence is not perfectly measurable. We don't know why tests differ in content. Black psychologists test for street "intellect", that tend to favor black testers, whio surprisingly outdo thier white counterparts in phyisical strenght and talent, or "street" intellect. On the Stanford batteries used by the right wing, whites are the smartest people in history, outdoing everyone from Katamandu to Arabia. WHen exhaustive scientific trials are used, a more inclusive index shows that some testers score higher, if variables like creativty, or practical ability are factored in with math, calculus, or hisotircal analyisis. WHy tests vary in predicitng who beocmes a noble prize winner, or world conqueror, as opposed to an accountant or secertary-is due to the number of factors included, and the rotattion of axes. Lasat of all the political sensibilties of nations. Sternberg's findings can be applied for academic, work, and testing ends. HIs book, is antiseptic to the right wing literature that also is active in psychology. Read together, you can make up your mind, which to support, and cite.

I am an aspiring psychologist with a primary research interest in intelligence. I must say that this book is quite accurate in surveying the history of intelligence and where it is headed. Whether critics like it or not, Sternberg is on the forefront of improving the injustice in intelligence measures, and I admire him for that and believe that this book is good for the popular culture who are looking for a simple easy reading approach to learning about the future view of intelligence. This book didn't hold much substance for me as most of it was a review, but I am not taking that into consideration with what I thought of the quality of the book. Good work Sternberg.

Much more informed and lucid than "other success" books on the market. Sternberg balances his own experiences with concise research into the field of human achievement. Much of what he says comes across as familiar, i.e. the "academically average " grad student who amazes her professors with an abundance of job offers (apparently, the author implies, due to her "practical intelligence" skills). Nevertheless, in an age where analytical IQ is deemed more important than creative and practical skills, Sternberg's book serves as an inspiring reminder