Naturalistic intelligence

How Naturalistic Intelligence Helps Us Understand Nature

Naturalistic intelligence is one of the eight multiple intelligences identified by Howard Gardner in his famous theoretical model and refers to the ability to recognize, classify, and understand elements of the natural environment. Those with a high level of this intelligence can perceive subtle differences among plants, animals, weather phenomena, rocks, and other natural elements.

But it’s not just a predisposition for being a “botany expert” or “field scientist”: it is a cognitive mode through which humans, since ancient times, have interacted with the surrounding world to hunt, cultivate, navigate, and survive. Naturalistic intelligence also underlies many modern professions, from biology to veterinary medicine, ecology, and sustainable agriculture.

In an era marked by climate crisis and biodiversity loss, this form of intelligence gains new and urgent relevance, as it encourages us to renew our relationship with nature, not just to observe it but to consciously protect it. Understanding naturalistic intelligence, therefore, does not only mean knowing a theoretical category, but also activating an ecologically oriented way of thinking, able to perceive the interdependencies between living beings and the environment.

Main Characteristics of Naturalistic Intelligence

Naturalistic intelligence manifests through a set of cognitive and perceptual skills that allow an individual to interpret the natural world with sensitivity and accuracy. These traits, usually noticeable from childhood, can be cultivated and strengthened through environmental education and direct contact with nature. Its main characteristics include:

• Detailed observation skills: people with naturalistic intelligence notice details others may miss, such as differences between similar plant species, unusual animal behavior, or changes in air quality. This attention to detail is crucial for detecting environmental changes or potential dangers.
• Classification abilities: one of the strongest skills is the ability to organize and categorize natural objects. For example, distinguishing among insect families or identifying minerals based on composition. This ability underlies many scientific disciplines, from zoology to botany.
• Sense of connectionConnection: the human need that precedes all technology Conn... More with nature: those with this intelligence show natural empathyEmpathy is a fundamental skill that allows us to connect wit... More toward living beings and ecological systems. They are drawn to natural landscapes, enjoy exploring the outdoors, and often feel a responsibility toward environmental protection.
• Ecological and systemic sensitivity: a naturalistically intelligent person can perceive relationships among different natural elements, understanding how altering one factor (such as excessive pesticide use) can have chain effects on entire ecosystems.

Everyday Activities Reflecting Naturalistic Intelligence

Naturalistic intelligence is not limited to scientific or academic settings: it is present in daily life, influencing behaviors, choices, and hobbies. Some activities that reveal its presence include:

• Gardening and plant care: people with this intelligence are often skilled at growing plants, recognizing their needs, and identifying diseases or unfavorable conditions. Managing an urban garden, for example, requires knowledge of seasonal cycles, pests, and soil properties.
• Hiking and natural navigation: Being able to navigate a forest, read animal tracks, or identify rock types on a mountain trail are clear signs of naturalistic intelligence. Using the senses to interact with the environment is central in these experiences.
• Nature photography and birdwatching: observing and photographing wildlife or birds requires patience, keen observation, and specific knowledge. Even the ability to blend into the landscape to avoid disturbing animals indicates this intelligence.
• Attention to food and seasonality: choosing local, seasonal products, knowing the origin of ingredients, or understanding cultivation methods shows a natural connection to biological cycles and the environment.
• Pet care and animal behavior observation: interest in animals, understanding their needs, and observing habits reveals well-developed naturalistic traits.

In many cases, these activities are experienced not as duties but as genuine pleasures, nurturing personal well-being and supporting a more sustainable life.

How Naturalistic Intelligence Develops and Can Be Trained

Contrary to popular belief, naturalistic intelligence is not a talent reserved for a few: it can be cultivated and developed through concrete experiences and appropriate stimuli, even in adulthood. Developing naturalistic intelligence also means recognizing the educational value of nature as a “teacher of complexity,” capable of teaching balance, adaptation, and interdependence. Ways to train it include:

• Sensory exploration of the environment: walking in a forest, listening to natural sounds, touching tree bark, or smelling aromatic leaves stimulates the senses and awareness of the natural context. Even brief daily walks can refine naturalistic perception.
• Environmental education and citizen science: participating in workshops, wildlife monitoring activities, or citizen science projects enhances classification and observational skills. Many organizations provide simple tools to contribute to local data collection.
• Reading and nature documentaries: reading popular science books, field guides, or watching documentaries about flora and fauna stimulates curiosity and enriches naturalistic vocabulary. Combining images, storytelling, and sounds promotes deep learningIl termine apprendimento - con i sinonimi imparare, assimila... More.
• Local biodiversity care: cultivating native plants, creating gardens for pollinating insects, or protecting endangered species are concrete activities that foster ecological responsibility and deepen understanding of ecological connections.
• Play and observation in children: for younger children, activities like nature scavenger hunts, creating herbariums, or observing ants are powerful tools for early development of this intelligence.

Why Naturalistic Intelligence Is Increasingly Relevant in Contemporary Society

In an era marked by global environmental crises, climate change, extreme urbanization, and biodiversity loss, naturalistic intelligence is not only an individual aptitude but also a key social skill for sustainability. Its relevance is evident in several areas:

• Ecological education and environmental awareness: promoting this intelligence in schools and families encourages more respectful behavior toward the planet, forming citizens attentive to natural resources and capable of systemic thinking.
• Green professions and ecological transition: many future careers – from agronomy to environmental engineering, forest management, and eco-friendly design – require a strong naturalistic component to address environmental and climate challenges.
• Psychophysical well-being and nature therapy: numerous studies confirm that contact with nature reduces stressWhat is stress? From a clinical perspective, stress is a phy... More, improves mood, and stimulates cognitive functions such as memoryMemory is a fundamental cognitive function that consists in ... More and attention. Naturalistic intelligence is, therefore, also a resource for mental healthWhat is meant by mental health? According to the World Healt... More.
• Urban reconnection with nature: designing greener cities, public spaces integrating natural elements, urban gardens, and ecological corridors requires skills drawing on this form of intelligence.
• Activism and social change: many prominent figures in environmental movements display strong naturalistic intelligence, used to influence public policy and mobilize collective awareness.

The Connection Between Naturalistic Intelligence, Culture, and Spirituality

Naturalistic intelligence is not only a cognitive faculty or a set of practical skills: it can also assume cultural, symbolic, and even spiritual dimensions. In many traditional cultures, the relationship with nature is imbued with deep meaning, far beyond simple scientific observation. Indigenous populations, for example, pass down sophisticated ecological knowledge based on direct experience and a worldview in which humans are an integral part of nature, not separate from it.

Even in modern contexts, many people experience nature as a form of existential connection with something greater. Walking quietly in a forest, admiring birds in flight, or contemplating a mountain landscape can inspire wonder, gratitudeGratitude, a positive emotion linked to the recognition and ... More, and a sense of belonging. It is no coincidence that many spiritual paths – from Zen Buddhism to Christian ecospirituality – promote practices involving listening to nature as meditationThere are many ways to define meditation, but perhaps the si... More and inner awakening.

A Bridge Between Science, Ethics, and Worldview

Finally, the growing attention to practices of “eco-awareness” and “earth education” shows that naturalistic intelligence can become a bridge between science, ethics, and worldview. It invites us to ask not only how nature works but also what place we want to occupy in it and what responsibility we are willing to take to protect it.