Gardner's Model

        Howard Gardner's model of creative individuals takes into account many different factors in the individual's life. He begins with a look at a triad of relationships that the creator encounters.¹ In the table below, I have applied these relations to Vygotsky's life.

Gardner's Triad of Relationships
The relation between the child and adult creator Vygotsky was very intelligent and precocious as a child.⁴ He read extensively and had good relationships with his parents. His love of reading and education continued into adulthood and served him well as a professor, researchers, and writer.

The relation between the creator and others Vygotsky had good relationships with his wife and children as well as with his students and colleagues.⁴ Although being looked up to by so many people may make some indivduals egotistical or self-absorbed, there is no sign that this happened to Vygotsky.

The relation between the creator and his/her work. Vygotsky was a very diligent and persistent worker. He had many ideas and theories and wanted to share them all with the world. He presented his work by lecturing on it, writing it, and presenting it. He was very confident in, and proud of his ideas and they were, for the most part, well received by others.

        While Vygotsky would perhaps be best known for his insight into the intrapersonal intelligence, he excelled at other of Gardner's intelligences as well. He was a gifted writer and speaker, making him strong in the verbal intelligence; and he was a great leader for many people, showing his strength in the interpersonal intelligence. Some of his work and his ability to analyze and organize information so skillfully would indicate a strength in the logical/mathematical intelligence as well.
        Vygotsky also had the internal motivation to work hard for what he wanted and be persistent. This certainly was necessary in the face of the discrimination he encountered because he was Jewish. Overall, he appears to be a very well-rounded, gifted individual who was able to use his strengths to formulate and present some of the most interesting and groundbreaking work ever seen in psychology.

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The relation between the child and adult creator	Vygotsky was very intelligent and precocious as a child.⁴ He read extensively and had good relationships with his parents. His love of reading and education continued into adulthood and served him well as a professor, researchers, and writer.
The relation between the creator and others	Vygotsky had good relationships with his wife and children as well as with his students and colleagues.⁴ Although being looked up to by so many people may make some indivduals egotistical or self-absorbed, there is no sign that this happened to Vygotsky.
The relation between the creator and his/her work.	Vygotsky was a very diligent and persistent worker. He had many ideas and theories and wanted to share them all with the world. He presented his work by lecturing on it, writing it, and presenting it. He was very confident in, and proud of his ideas and they were, for the most part, well received by others.