Howard Gardner is probably best known for his theory that human intelligence has at least 8 dimensions, each dimension requiring acknowledgement and development. His work is generally considered part of the 'constructivist' school of psychology, which seeks to correct various failings in the standard American philosophy of mind: behaviorism. For the behaviorist, scientist can only discuss measurable and repeatable phenomena. 'Anecdotal' stories are explicitly disqualified, with particular emphasis on 'privileged insight' of our own 'self'. This leads to a favorite constructivist joke about behaviorists, which Gardener quotes early in the book: "So the two behaviorists had just finished making love, and the first one turns to the other, and says, 'It was good for you, was it good for me?'"
Constructivism seeks to remove the straightjacket behaviorism imposes on scientific dialog. It holds that learners impose meaning on the world, and so "construct" their own understanding based on their unique experiences. I mention this to put 'Changing Minds' in context. Constructivism is far from 'accepted' among academics or the general population. Despite Gardner's claims to the contrary, most academics would argue his theories are non-scientific, anecdotal gobbly-gook. He fails to obey the behaviorist dogma about relying on probability and measurable phenomena, and should not be allowed any voice in 'scientific academia'. Without this backdrop of academic controversy, the book's message will seem oddly out of balance. Gardner's themes don't really emerge naturally for the reader. This occurs because his arguments are designed to address an academic milieu the general reader will not know.
Gardener sidesteps the academic debates by addressing the needs of educators rather than psychologists. According to Gardner, the school is an environment for 'changing minds'. This is going to sound a bit odd to most, since most would argue school is for 'imparting truths' upon the 'blank slates' of student minds. It isn't a matter of 'changing minds', but putting something there in the first place. Though strange to see this material presented as 'business literature', the emphasis on education over 'theory' provides Gardner an escape from academic nihilism.
Changing the minds of students involves engaging the ideas occupying student attention and reshaping them to more closely approximate some goal. For Gardner, 4 classes of 'ideas' can be distinguished:
A. Concepts: the elementary units of logic. The notion 'dog' is a concept.
B. Stories: the narrative flow of conceptual units producing emotional response. For example, the feeling 'I understand' is an emotional response to a good story.
C. Theories: Stories, when generalized, become theories
D. Skills: Phenomena the 'self' or 'mind' can generate via an activating sequence of bodily motions.
The process of 'molding' involves 'representational redescription' of their attention. Gardner comes back to this theme over and over, again. Change can only take place when the representational models take new forms. This requires the 'change agent' (teacher) to engage the student in a process of tearing up the existing model and reconstructing it in a new form. This produces new theories about how the world works. These efforts are aided by 'resonance', an emotional experience reinforcing the 'new model'. They are inhibited by 'resistance', or attachments to the old models. Additionally, the teacher must be prepared for either abrupt or gradual change. Gardner unfortunately ignores the mental mechanics of 'changing minds', but he is quite willing to acknowledge it takes its own pace. The slow is just as effective as the fast.
Gardener argues there are 7 factors (levers). Each must be considered when the 'change agent' (teacher) designs the process of tearing up the old model and reconstructing something different.
1. Reason-the act of logical inspection
2. Research-the act of study
3. Resonance-the experience of 'understanding'
4. Representational redescriptions: with out the images. Nothing happens
5. Resources and rewards
6. Real world event
7. Resistance-persistent images which the audience is attached to
Additionally, the change agent must consider the social setting.
A. Is his presentation 'face to face' or indirect?
B. Is the presentation directed at a homogeneous audience, or one with significant disagreements?
C. Someone else, or the change agent themselves?
With this in mind, Gardner generalizes the realm of 'politics' as one where 'the change audience' is approached 'directly', the audience is diverse and the focus 'external' to the agent. On the other hand, a doctor's approach is direct; the audience has one frame of mind and is 'external' to the agent. In contrast, a scientist changes minds indirectly via his publications.
Finally, Gardner suggests being aware of the audience's initial state of mind. In some cases this is a matter of expectations, but other times the 'initial state' is a function of recent events. For example, at the start of the ideal class, the 'students' are all alert, well fed and eager to understand the teacher's logical presentation. The reality is that many students will be dealing with fear, distrust, dislikes, pain, language differences and disinterest.
After making some rather futile attempts to illustrate these ideas with 'the lives of famous people', Gardner offers a token plan: Before launching into a change program, answer the following questions:
1. What is the redescriptional goal: Do you want to 'redescribe' a concept? a story? a skill?
2. Who is your audience? Are they diverse?
3. What is your relationship with the audience?
4. What impact will the 'change plan' have on audience?
5. Which of the 7 factors (levers) is most important?
6. Is the change ethical? Is the world better off after the change has been made?
This above plan relies heavily on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a program widely derided by academics. In particular, the standard NLP question 'is the change ethical' represents something of a logical land mine for this somewhat academic presentation. Entire books are devoted to this topic.
Overall, 'Changing Minds' suffers an inability to focus on a straightforward message. Despite this, the suggestions are more than worthy of your attention. The book is well worth the effort required to tease out some meaning.
