Your Intelligence Isn’t Set in Stone

Whether by design or evolution, our genes aim to survive by being passed on to future generations. This intelligence traces our ancestors across millions of years. My book, Tenacity in Children (2021), co-authored with Dr. Robert Brooks, explores the “essential triad of human development”: resilience, self-discipline, and tenacity.

Through our research, we identified seven instincts that are essential for development. These instincts are innate and influence learning and behavior from birth. Unlike fixed animal instincts, human instincts are adaptable, allowing us to adjust and succeed. Children are not blank slates; they have inherent wiring that interacts with their environment. Understanding this creates conditions in which they can thrive.

One instinct we emphasize is Simultaneous Intelligence, which refers to the ability to see how different elements connect to solve problems (Luria, 1973). Unlike traditional measures of intelligence that focus on memorized knowledge, Simultaneous Intelligence centers on reasoning and integration. It’s not linked to culture or social class, making it a universal skill.

Redefining Intelligence

Schools often define intelligence based on reading and math scores. Intelligence tests typically evaluate vocabulary and comprehension, which depend on experience. As a result, students from disadvantaged backgrounds possess intelligence, leading to their overrepresentation in special education.

Simultaneous Intelligence, however, involves recognizing patterns, thinking flexibly, and reasoning. It necessitates the integration of information from various sources. To illustrate, consider the following examples:

Number Patterns

A simple sequence: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 → Predictable pattern, easy to solve.

A complex sequence: 1, 3, 6, 10, 15 → Requires recognizing that gaps increase by 1. Next number? 21!

Animal Identification

Given 10 facts about an animal, choosing three randomly may lead to the wrong guess. A complete understanding requires considering all information simultaneously.

The Evolution of Intelligence

Simultaneous intelligence likely evolved as a survival advantage. Early humans faced unpredictable environments that required them to be flexible in their problem-solving. Evolution favored individuals who could adapt their intelligence to cause and effect and work collaboratively. These skills weren’t just nice to have—they were essential for tracking prey, predicting the weather, or forging alliances (Geary, 2005).

Cognitive evolution didn't stop at basic survival. Once humans began to form communities and develop tools, this integrative Intelligence helped expand communication, innovation, and cultural transmission (Mithen, 1996). It shaped not only how we live but also how we think. Our brains became wired to remember, and intelligence to foresee.

Significantly, these traits were not limited to a select few. Unlike narrow measures of intelligence, simultaneous intelligence emerged as a widely distributed evolutionary advantage. It enabled humans to flourish in various environments, developing complex societies and innovations, from intelligence to modern science.

Intelligence Essential Reads

Expanding Our Understanding of Life and Intelligence

The Rise of Homo Idioticus: Are We Getting More Stupid?

Nurturing Simultaneous Intelligence

Developing Simultaneous Intelligence isn’t achieved through a single method; instead, it can be modeled and taught. Promoting critical thinking and problem-solving fosters improved academic and life decisions. Effective strategies include:

• Asking open-ended questions that require reasoning.

• Allowing hands-on learning, letting children experiment and refine ideas.

• Encouraging pattern recognition, helping them see connections between concepts.

Scientist and educator Robert DeHaan emphasized that active learning fosters the intelligence necessary in a rapidly changing world (DeHaan, 2009). When children actively engage with problems instead of passively absorbing information, they develop intelligence that benefits them throughout their lives.

As Tenacity in Children explores, these developmental instincts help children thrive in classrooms and life when supported. By fostering Simultaneous Intelligence, we’re not simply raising smart kids but nurturing adaptive, resilient, thoughtful problem solvers who are prepared for the real world.