Which is more valuable, book smarts or street smarts?

Models of Intelligence and Cognitive Processing

Intelligence is a social construct. That means society determines what is considered intelligent and what is not. For example, in an American high school, it may mean scoring high on a standardized intelligence test while in the Australian Outback, intelligence may be knowing how to use local plants for medicinal purposes.

Psychologists continue to debate what defines intelligence. For example, street smart means you can assess your environment, the players in that environment, and possess shrewd resourcefulness to protect or further your interests. On the other hand, book smarts mean you achieve in a traditional academic environment. Culture determines which is more valuable.

Street smarts and book smarts are just two views of intelligence. Other perspectives include creativity and emotional intelligence. It is useful to examine the type of intelligence valued in your context or culture.

For this Discussion, focus on book smarts and street smarts. Think about which one you think is most valuable and why.