Jiva Education Articles - Multiple Natures and A Theory of Human Behavior

Multiple Natures
(A Theory of Human Behavior)
by Steven Rudolph
June 20, 2008

Multiple Natures (MN) is a theory developed by Steven Rudolph that identifies nine traits which incline people toward particular types of work. Rudolph defines these traits as “natures” or “tendencies”, all of which are found in each individual to differing degrees. These include:

Protective Nature
The tendency to protect oneself, others, bodies, ideas, or practices from harm, damage, injury, or loss.
Educative Nature
The tendency to acquire knowledge, skills, or experience to teach, instruct, guide, or inform others.
Administrative Nature
The tendency to focus on details, organize and get work accomplished, and delegate responsibility.
Creative Nature
The tendency to generate original ideas or works that have value.
Healing Nature
The tendency to guide or help others to recover from physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual imbalance or pain.
Entertaining Nature
The tendency to amuse others or attract, focus, and maintain people’s attention on oneself or one’s work.
Providing Nature
The tendency to invest one’s time or interests to help, assist, or care for others.
Entrepreneurial Nature
The tendency to take on projects or create opportunities of a commercial or humanitarian nature, using a high degree of independence, where the reward may be monetary or involve self-satisfaction.
Adventurous Nature
The tendency to seek out unusual challenges or place oneself far outside the space of what an average person would consider normal or safe.

(These nine natures can be remembered easily with the Acronym PEACH-E-PEA).

The Link with Multiple Intelligences
Rudolph explains that the Multiple Natures theory, when combined with Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory, provides a comprehensive model and tool for understanding people’s nature, as well as for identifying professions ideal for their particular makeup.

In his Multiple Intelligences theory, Gardner states that there are eight basic intelligences (rather than one underlying intelligence). These include:

Bodily Intelligence
The ability to be aware of the functioning of one’s body and others' bodies, as well as to demonstrate strong physical coordination. This intelligence has two key aspects: 1) Gross, dealing with large motor movement in the body, and 2) Fine, dealing with the use of the hands.
Interpersonal Intelligence
The ability to understand, communicate with, interact with, and influence others.
Linguistic Intelligence
The ability to understand, acquire, and use language effectively.
Logical Intelligence
The ability to think analytically, in an orderly or practical manner, and/or perform mathematical-related tasks.
Visual Intelligence
The ability to view things accurately or create mental images, process them, and translate them from imagination to reality. This intelligence has two key aspects: 1) Graphic, dealing with mental images, and 2) Spatial, dealing with 3-dimensional thinking and navigating through physical space.
Musical Intelligence
The ability to accurately perceive and/or produce acts of sound, rhythm, tone, and melody.
Intrapersonal Intelligence
The ability to be deeply in tune with or control oneself physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually.
Naturalistic Intelligence
The ability to tune into nature (e.g., plants, animals or wildlife), or natural life sciences (biological, chemical, physical, etc.).

Combining MN and MI
Rudolph demonstrates how combining MNs and MIs accounts for an individual’s propensity to be better suited for certain types of professions. For example, if a person has strong linguistic and naturalistic intelligences, and has a strong protective nature, she would be well-suited for job of a journalist who writes articles on environmental protection. Or, for example, if a person has strong interpersonal and visual intelligences, and a strong entrepreneurial nature, she would likely find satisfaction as an art dealer.

Applications for MN
The MN theory has profound effects on parenting, teaching, career guidance and self-discovery. It is also valuable to individuals who are not happy in their current professions as well as to employers who want to hire the right people for the right job.

The Jiva Career Test
The Jiva Career Test has been created to help you identify your dominant Multiple Natures and Multiple Intelligences. After, it provides you with suggestions for careers that match your unique profile. You can get started now with the Jiva Career Test.

For more about this topic, contact us about Steve’s forthcoming book, 'The 10 Laws of Learning'.

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