What Defines Giftedness and Talent

Models Defining Giftedness And Talent

A number of theoretical models construct a conceptual understanding of gifted and talented. Discussion of some prominent models offers insight into the varied perspectives of “what is gifted and talented.” Historically, more traditional conceptions of giftedness were based on heredity and IQ. For example, Galton’s book, Hereditary Genius (1869), applied Darwin’s theories to intelligence and purported that wealthy families and individuals were more intelligent, as evidenced by their place in the social order. Binet and Simon’s work (1905) along with Terman’s (1925) focused on using a measure of intelligence as the indicators of high intelligence and giftedness. Modern thinking has moved beyond single factor influences on development of giftedness and talent to broader, more comprehensive conceptions (e.g. Gardner, 1993; Sternberg, 1997), that take into account factors related to both nature and nurture.

Tannenbaum (1983; 1986; 2003) believes that the factors that comprise giftedness are “superior general intellect, strong special aptitudes, supportive non-intellective traits, a challenging and supportive environment, and chance” (as cited in Davis, Rimm, & Siegle, 2011, p. 21). Tannenbaum (2003) defines giftedness and talent by asking who are the gifted, what is it they do, and how do they do it. He groups gifted persons into eight production/performance categories: producers of thoughts creatively (e.g., a novelist), producers of thoughts proficiently (e.g., a computer programmer), producers of tangibles creatively (e.g., an architect), producers of tangibles proficiently (e.g., an art forger), performers of staged artistry creatively (e.g., an actor who interprets other’s work), performers of staged artistry proficiently (e.g., a musician who reproduces other’s work), performers of human services creatively (e.g., innovative teachers), and performers of human services proficiently (e.g., successful teachers) (as cited in Davis, Rimm, & Siegle, 2011, p. 22). Tannenbaum’s construct illustrates the view that giftedness can be seen in producers of thoughts, producers of tangibles, performers of art, or performers of human services. In his thinking, students may show promise, but giftedness and talent as high-level production, performance, and creativity is primarily evident in adults (Tannenbaum, 2003).