lines

Relatively independent streams or capacities that proceed through levels of development. Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences is one example of developmental lines. There is evidence for over a dozen developmental lines, including cognitive, moral, self-identity, psychosexual, aesthetic, kinesthetic, linguistic, musical, mathematical, etc. These lines can generally be classified according to one of three types: cognitive lines (as studied by Jean Piaget, Robert Kegan, Kurt Fischer, etc.); self-related lines (e.g., morals, self-identity, needs, etc.); and capacities or talents (musical capacity, kinesthetic capacity, introspective capacity, etc.). Cognitive development is necessary but not sufficient for development in the self-related lines and appears to be necessary for most of the capacities, although capacities tend to develop relatively independently.