If IQ rules, it is only because we let it. And when we let it rule, we choose a bad master.

We got ourselves into the test mess; we can get ourselves out of it.
-Robert J. Sternberg

Starting from his own bad experience with traditional IQ measurements, Robert J. Sternberg- a prominent figure in the research of human intelligence, developed an alternative intelligence model, comprising three elements of thinking processes kept in balance by metacognition.

Sternbergs definition of human intelligence is mental activity directed toward purposive adaptation to, selection and shaping of, real-world environments relevant to ones life

His triarchic theory includes three facets or subtheories: Analytical (componential) Creative (experiential) Practical (contextual)

1.Analytical (componential) Facet (or Subtheory)

-is influential in being able to take apart problems and being able to see solutions not often seen.

Sternberg gave the example of a student, Alice, who had excellent test scores and grades, and teachers viewed her as extremely smart. Alice was later seen having trouble in graduate school because she was not adept at creating ideas of her own (Sternberg, 1997).

 Metacomponents
-control, monitor and evaluate cognitive processing.

Performance Components
execute strategies assembled by the Metacomponents. They are the basic operations involved in any cognitive act.

Knowledge acquisition components

-are the processes used in gaining and storing new knowledge

2. Creative (experiential) Facet (or Subtheory)

-deals mainly with how well a task is performed with regard to how familiar it is.

 Novelty -situation that you have never experienced before automation

-has been performed multiple times and can now be done with little or no extra thought.

Sternberg also associated another one of his students, Barbara, to the synthetic giftedness. Barbara did not perform as well as Alice on the tests taken to get into school, but was recommended to Yale University based on her exceptional creative and intuitive skills. Barbara was later very valuable in creating new ideas for research (Sternberg, 1997).

3. Practical (contextual) Facet (or Subtheory)

-deals with the mental activity involved in attaining fit to context . This type of intelligence is often referred to as "street smarts."

Adaptation
-occurs when one makes a change within oneself in order to better adjust to ones surroundings

Shaping
-occurs when one changes their environment to better suit ones needs

selection
-replace the previous, unsatisfying undertaken when a completely new alternate environment is found environment to meet the individuals goals

An example of this type of giftedness is "Celia". Celia did not have outstanding analytical or synthetic abilities, but she was highly successful in figuring out what she needed to do in order to succeed in an academic environment. She knew what kind of research was valued, how to get articles into journals, how to impress people at job interviews, and the like (Sternberg, 1997, p.44). Celias contextual intelligence allowed her to use these skills to her best advantage.

Analytical thinking which focuses on planning, monitoring, reflection, and transfer. Creative thinking which focuses on developing, applying new ideas, and creating solutions. Practical thinking which focuses on selecting and shaping real-world environments and experiences.

 The Analyzer fares well in academic environments, but isn't likely to make a creative contribution to the field. The Creator generates ideas easily, but is unable to analyze these ideas or to put them into practice. The Practitioner is persuasive and maybe entertaining, but lacks substance in thinking

 The Analytical Creator is able to analyze created ideas, but doesn't easily communicate these ideas to others The Analytical Practitioner succeeds in conventional terms because high IQ is translated into practical work, but he is unlikely to make a lasting contribution.

The Creative Practitioner has the ability to come up with new ideas and can persuade other people of the value of these ideas, regardless whether those ideas are worth it or not. The Consummate Balancer is able to apply all of the three intelligences as needed, and is therefore in the best position to make a valuable contribution to society.