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What Makes Giftedness?
 Reexamining a Definition
 by Joseph S. Renzulli




 T         hroughout recorded history and
          undoubtedly even before records
 were kept, people have always been in-
 terested in men and women who display
 superior ability. As early as 2200 B.C . the
 Chinese had developed an elaborate sys-
 tem of competitive examinations to select
 outstanding persons for government posi-
 tions, t and down through the ages almost
every culture has been fascinated by its
most able citizens . Although the areas of
performance in which one _ might be
recognized as a gifted person are deter-
mined by the needs and values of the
prevailing culture, scholars and layper-
sons alike have debated (and continue to
debate) the age-old question : What makes
giftedness?
    The purpose of this article is therefore
threefold. First, I shall analyze some past
and current definitions of giftedness . Sec-
ond, I shall review studies that deal with
characteristics of gifted individuals . Final-                                                    - "Sue," 1970,
ly, I shall present a new definition of                                                           by Ramon B. Price. Bronze.
giftedness that is operational, i.e., useful
to school personnel, and defensible in
terms of research findings .

The Definition Continuum                          ways . . First, a definition can - limit the
                                                  number of performance areas that are
    Numerous conceptions and countless            considered in determining eligibility for
definitions of giftedness have been put           special programs . A conservative defini-
forth over the years. One way of analyzing        tion, for example, might limit eligibility to
existing definitions is to view them along a      academic performance only and exclude
continuum ranging from "conservative"             other areas such as music, art, drama,
to "liberal," i.e ., according to the degree      leadership, public speaking, social service,
of restrictiveness used in determining who        and creative writing. Second, a definition
is eligible for special programs and ser-         may specify the degree or level of ex-
vices.                                            cellence one must attain to be considered
    Restrictiveness can be expressed in two       gifted .
                                                     At the conservative end of the con-
                                                  tinuum is Lewis Terman's definition of
    JOSEPH S. RENZULL! (University of
 Virginia Chapters is associate director of the   giftedness, "the top 1 076 level in general
Bureau of Educational Research, University of     intellectual ability, .as measured by the
Connecticut, Storrs. © 1978 by Joseph S. Ren-     Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale or a
zulli.                                            comparable instrument ." 2


          PHI DELTA KAPPAN
.1lr. Ren=ulli offers a nFU, research-hosed definition of the gifted and talented .
 !t i% an operational definition intended to help the practitioner .




    In this definition restrictiveness is pres-    ,o put less emphasis on precise estimates       very useful purpose of calling attention to
ent in terms of both the type of perfor-           of performance and potential and more          a wider variety of abilities that should be
mance specified (i .e ., how well one scores       emphasis on the opinions of qualified          included in a definition of giftedness, but
on an intelligence test) and the level of          human judges in making decisions about         at the same time it has presented some ma-
performance one must attain to be con-             admission to special programs . The issue      jor problems . The first lies in its failure to
sidered gifted (top 1 17o) . At the other end      boils down to a simple and yet very impor-     includenonintellective(motivational) fac-
                                                                                                                             are
of the continuum may be found more lib-            tant question : How much of a trade-off        tors . That these factors       `import'ani is
eral definitions, such as the following one        are we willing to make on the objec-           borne out by an overwhelming body of re-
by Paul Witty:                                    tive/subjective continuum in order to           search, which I shall consider later.
                                                  allow recognition of a broader spectrum              A second and equally important prob-
      There are children whose outstand .         of human abilities? If some degree of sub-      lem relates to the nonparallel nature of the -
   ing potentialities in art, in writing, or in   jectivity cannot be tolerated, then our         six categories included in the definition .
   social leadership can be recognized            definition of giftedness and the resulting      Two of the six categories (specific aca-
   largely by their performance . Hence, we       programs will logically be limited to           demic_aptitude and visual and performing
   have recommended that the definition           abilities that can only be measured by ob-      arts aptitude) call attention to fields of
   of giftedness be expanded and that we                                                          human, endeavor or general performance
   consider any child gifted whosc perfor-        jective tests.
   mance, in a potentially valuable line of                                                       areas in which talents and abilities are
   human activity, is consistently re-            The USOE Definition                             manifested . The remaining four categories .,
   markablc . 3                                                                                   are more nearly processes that may be
                                                      In recent years the following definition    brought to bear on performance -areas .
    Although_ liberal definitions have the        set forth by the U .S . Office of Education     For example, a person may bring the pro-
obvious advantage of expanding the con-
ception                                           (USOE) has grown in popularity, and             cess of creativity to bear on a specific ap-
         . of ,giftedness, they alsoopen up-     numerous states and school districts            titude (e .g ., chemistry) or a visual art
two 'cansof worms'.' by introducing the           throughout the nation have adopted it for       (e .g ., photography). Or the processes of
values issue, (What, are the potentially          their programs :                                leadership and general intelligence might
valuablelines of human activity?) and, the                                                        be applied to a performance area such as
age-old problem of subjectivity in                       Gifted and talented children are         choreography or the management of a
measurement .                                        those . . . who by virtue of outstanding     high school yearbook . In fact, it can be
    In recent years the values issue has             abilities are capable of high perform-       said that processes such as creativity and
been largely resolved . There are very few           ance . These . . . children . . . require    leadership do not exist apart from a ;per-
educators who cling to a straight IQ or            differentiated educational programs          formance area to which they can be ap-
                                                     and/or services beyond those normally        plied .
purely academic definition of giftedness .           provided by the regular school program
Multiple talent and multiple criteria                                                             A third problem with the definition is
                                                     in order to realize their (potential) con-
are almost the bywords of the present-day            tribution to self and society.               that it tends to be misinterpreted_ and .
gifted student movement, and most edu-                                                            misused by practitioners. It is not uncom-
cators would have little difficulty in ac-              Children capable of high perform-         mon to find educators developing entire
cepting a definition that includes almost            ance include those who have demon-           identification systems based on the six
every area of human activity that mani-              strated any of the following abilities or    USOE categories and in the process treat-
fests itself in a socially useful form .             aptitudes, singly or in combination : I)     ing them as if they were mutually exclu-
    The problem of subjectivity in meas-             general intellectual ability, 2) specific    sive . What is equally distressing is that
urement is not as easily resolved . As the           academic aptitude, )) creative or pro-       many peoplr - `talk a good game about
                                                     ductive thinking, 4) leadership ability,
definition of giftedness is extended                 5) visual and performing arts aptitude,      the six categories but continue to use a
beyond those abilities clearly reflected in          6) psychomotor ability.'                     relatively high intelligence or aptitude
tests of intelligence, achievement, and                                                           score as a minimum requirement for en-
academic aptitude, it becomes necessary              The USOE definition has served the           trance into a special program. Although
both of these problems result from misap-
 plication rather than from the definition
 itself . the definition is not entirely without                                     States Define Giftedness
 fault, because it fails to give the kind of
 guidance necessary for practitioners to                    Twenty-six states now define children who are exceptional. by virtue of
 avoid such pitfalls .                                   giftedness either in statutes or in state department of education regulations.'
                                                         Pennsylvania, Idaho, Florida, and North Carolina require the same formal IEP
 The Three-Ring Conception                               (individualized education program) for the gifted as is mandated for the handi-
       Research on creative/productive peo-              capped in the federal Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P .L. 94-142) .
  ple has consistently shown that although                  This information comes from Christine Lewis, the Montgomery County In-
  no single criterion should be used to iden-            termediate Unit IEP facilitator for the gifted in Norristown . Pennsylvania .
  tify giftedness persons who have achieved
  recognition because ofYtheir unique 1c=
¢t:omphstiMents a id ereauve contnbuttohs                 'F . A. Karnes and E. C. Collins. State Definitions of Gifted and Talented :A Report and Analysis
                                                      Journal of the Education of the Gifted, February, 1979 . pp . 44-62 .
  possess a relative ly,-well defined set of ;`
          sa
    rcc interlocking cIus tcrs of tracts These'
                              b
 dusters consist of above-average though
 ~to`f ncccs~arOy'~'3uperaotA getietal ability; -     show so little criterion validity as to be a                The pervasiveness of this general find-
 task -commitment, and creativity ::-(see° + questionable basis on which to make                              ing is demonstrated by D. P. Hoyt, who
  Figure   I-).)t ts iniportant .topoint .outthat     consequential decisions about students'                reviewed 46 studies dealing with the rela-
 no . single cluster makes giftedness :              futures. What the academic tests do                    tionship between traditional indications
  Rather, it is the interaction among the              predict are the results a person will ob-
                                                                                                              of academic success and post-college per-
 three clusters that research has shown to             tain on other tests of the same kinds                  formance in the fields of business, teach-
 be the necessary ingredient for crea-
                                                       Wallach goes on to point out that ing, engineering, medicine, scientific re-
 tive/productive accomplishment . This in-
                                                   academic test scores at the upper search, and other areas such as the
 teraction is represented by the shaded por-
                                                   ranges - precisely the score levels that ministry, journalism, government, and
 tion of Figure l . It is also important to are
                                                        most often used for selecting persons miscellaneous professions .9 From this ex-
 point out that each cluster is an equal
                                                   for entrance into special programs - do tensive review, Hoyt concluded that tradi-
 partner in contributing to giftedness .
                                                   not necessarily reflect the potential for tional 'indications of academic success
 This point is important. One of the major
                                                   creative/productive accomplishment . He have no more than a very modest correla-
 errors that continues to be made in iden-
                                                   suggests that test scores be used to screen tion with various indicators of success in
 tification procedures is overemphasis on
                                                   out persons who score in the lower ranges the adult world. He observes, There is
 superior abilities at the expense of the
                                                   and that beyond this point decisions be good reason to believe that academic
 other two clusters of traits .
                                                   based on other indicators of potential for achievement (knowledge) and other types
                                                   superior performance.                                      of educational growth and development
 Figure 1 . The Ingredients                           Numerous research studies support are relatively independent of each other.
 Of Giftedness                                     Wallach's finding that there is little;rela-                   These studies raise some basic ques-
                                                   tionship :between test scores and school tions about the use of tests in making
                                                   grades on the one hand and real world ac- selection decisions. The studies clearly in-
                                                   complishments on the other. 6 -3n fact, a dicate that vast .numbersandproportions .
                                                   study dealing with the prediction of of our most productive persons are not
                                                   various dimensions of achievement among those who scored at the ninety-fifth or
           Above-                                  college students, made by J. L. Holland above percentile on standardized tests,
          Average                     Task
                                   Commitment      and A. W. Astin, found that                               nor, were they necessarily straight-A,



           W
           Abillt
                                                                                                             students who discoveredearly how to play
                                                      . . . getting good grades in college has               theesson-learning game! In other words,
                                                      little connection with more remote and                 more creative/productive persons come
                         IN       qi                  more socially relevant kinds of achieve-                from below the ninety-fifth percentile
                                                      ment ; indeed, in some colleges, the                   than above it, and if such cut-off scores
                       Creativity                     higher the student's grades, the less like-            are needed to determine entrance into
                                                      ly it is that he is a person with creative
                                                      potential. So it seems desirable to ex-                special programs, we may be guilty of ac-
                                                      tend our criteria of talented perform-                 tually discriminating against persons who
                                                      ance.                          -                       have the greatest potential_ for high levels
                                                                                                             of accomplishment.
                                                      A study by the American College
 Above-Average General Ability                     Testing Program titled Varieties of Ac- Task Commitment
                                                   complishment After College: Perspectives
      Although the influence of intelligence, on the Meaning of Academic Talent                                  A second cluster of traits that are con-
 as traditionally measured, quite obviously concluded :                                                      sistently found in creative/productive per-
 varies with areas of achievement, many                                                                      sons constitutes a refined or focused form
 researchers have found that creative ac-                 The adult accomplishments were                     of motivation known as task commit-
 complishment is not necessarily a function           found to be uncorrelated with academic                  ment . Whereas motivation is usually de-
 of measured intelligence . In a review of            talent, including test scores, high school              fined in terms of a general energizing
 several research studies dealing with the            grades, and college grades . However,                  process that triggers responses in organ-
 relationship between academic aptitude               the adult accomplishments were related                  isms, task commitment represents energy
 tests and professional achievement, M. A .           to comparable high school nonacademic                   brought to bear on a particular problem
                                                      (extracurricular) accomplishments. This
 Wallach has concluded that :                         suggests    that there are many kinds of               (task) or specific performance area .
                                                      talents related to later success which                      The argument for including this non-
         Above intermediate score levels,             might be identified and nurtured by                     intellective cluster of traits in a definition
      academic skills assessments are found to        educational institutions .a                             of giftedness is nothing short of over-
whelming . From popular maxims and
 autobiographical accounts to hard-core                                             Kohlberg's Level Six
 research findings, one of the key ingre-                                            by Jessica Maxwell
 dients that has characterized the work of
 gifted persons is the ability to involve
oneself totally in a problem or area for an                Oh cursed be it that bade me see
extended period of time .                                  oh inefficient clarity
    The legacy of both Sir Francis Gallon                  oh clarion clarinet's reedy wheeze
and Lewis Terman clearly indicates that                    which, while on pitch,
task commitment is an important part of                    is still unclear
the making of a gifted person . Although                   is still some distant other's tune
Galton was a strong proponent of the                       rising still
hereditary basis for what he called                        so faint I can't quite catch the beat
natural ability, he nevertheless sub-                    can't march in time my tapping feet feel but the rhythms of the moon
scribed strongly to the belief that hard                   which rises even in the midst
work was part and parcel of giftedness :                   oh sweet oblivion
                                                           thou kissed but fools and left me crutches clutched and falling
        By natural ability I mean those                    to this half-heard song
    qualities of intellect and disposition                 this ill-reared imp
    which urge and .qualify a man to per-                  who pecks from ferns
    form acts that lead to r:putation. 1 do                now here, now where
    not mean capacity without zeal, nor zeal               what frolicking fiendish flutist thou
   without capacity, nor even a combina-                   won't let me hear
   tion of both of them . without an ade-                  won't let me be
   quate power of doing a great deal of                    who keeps me but a helpless mute
   very laborious work . But I mean a
   nature which, when left to itself, will,                who hears yet can't return a phrase
   urged by an inherent stimulus, climb the                what cryptic crippling arias raise
   path that leads to eminence and has                     this ambered ant
   strength to reach the summit - on                       this muscle frozen in mid-reach
   which, if hindered o. thwarted, it will                each to each
   fret and strive until the hindrance is                 it calls, it calls
   overcome, and it is again free to follow               that tortuous truth that won't be good
   its laboring instinct . 10                             or understood
                                                          it falls.
    Terman's monumental studies un-
                                                          Would that I could rest,
doubtedly represent the most widely
                                                          nay fall asleep
recognized and frequently quoted re-
                                                          that it would fall on canceled ears
search on the characteristics of gifted per-
                                                          or veiled eyes, inert to weep
sons . Terman's studies, however, have
                                                          the silent cold .and running wine
unintentionally left a mixed legacy,
                                                          an opiate
because most persons have dwelt (and
                                                          a tonic weed
continue to dwell) on early Terman
                                                          in anesthetic healing art
rather than on the conclusions he reached
                                                          pretends, complete, the pauper's peace.
after several decades of intensive research .
Therefore it is important to consider the
following conclusion, reached after 30                  JESSICA MAXWELL is one of 69 gifted children whose careers are being
years of follow-up studies on his initial           followed by Mary Meeker, president of the SOI Institute in El Segundo, Calif.
population :                                        A former Mademoiselle editor, Ms. Maxwell is now a Los Angeles Times
                                                    columnist .
   . . . (Al detailed analysis was made of
   the 150 most successful and 150 least
   successful men among the gifted sub-           Although Terman never suggested that           their enthusiasm, determination, and in-
  jects in an attempt to identify come of         task commitment should replace intelli-        dustry 13 (emphasis added) .
   the nonintellectual factors that affect        gence in our conception of giftedness, he          Extensive reviews of research carried
  life success . . . . Since the less suc-        did state that intellect and achievement      out by J. C. Nicholls 14 and H . G. McCur-
  cessful subjects do not differ to any ex-       are far from perfectly correlated .           dy found patterns of characteristics that
  tent in intelligence as measured by tests,          Several more recent studies support the    were consistently similar to the findings
  it u clear that notable achievement calls                                                      reported by Roe and MacKinnon . Al-
   for more than a high order of intelli-         findings of Galton and Terman and have
  gence .                                         shown that creative/productive persons         though the researchers cited thus far used
       The results lof the follow-upl in-         are far more task oriented and involved in     different procedures and dealt with a
  dicated [hat =personality factors are ax--'     their work than are. people in the general     variety of populations, there is a striking
  Irerhely,-`important . determ tters . of       population, Perhaps the best known of          similarity in their major conclusions .
  achievement . . : . The . four, Irarts, on -'   these studies is the work of A.. Roe and D.    First, academic ability (as traditionally
  which Ithe.,.most and least :successful .: .    W. MacKinnon. Roe conducted an inten-          measured by tests or grade-point averages)
  groups) differed most widely were_ per--=       sive study of the characteristics of 64 emi-   showed limited relationships to crea-
  srstence rn the accomplishment of ends.         nent scientists and found that all of her      tive/productive accomplishment . Second,
  integration . toward kbafi. self-con .
                                                  subjects had a high level of commitment        nonintellectual factors, and especially
  idence and jreerium Born_   rnfrnor rely
  feeltnx~. In the totalpiefuii the greatest''    to their work . 12 MacKinnon pointed out       those that relate to task commitment, con-
  contrast between the two groups was in          traits that were important in creative ac-     sistently played an important part in the
  all-round ,emotional and,iocial -adjust-        complishments: It is clear that creative      cluster of . traits that characterize highly
  meet -and .in -.drive to -achieve .' 1 (Em-     architects more often stress their inven-      productive people . Although this second
  phisis `Added)                                  tiveness, independence, and individuality .    cluster of traits ~s not as easily and objcc-
Figure 2. A Graphic Definition of Giftedness                                           GENERAL PERFORMANCE AREAS
                                                                                          Mathematics  Visual Arts  Physical Sciences .
                                                                                          Philosophy  Social Sciences  Law  Religion .
                                                                                          Language Arts  Music  Life Sciences  Movement
                                                                                          Arts
                                                                                          SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE AREAS
           Above-                   Task
          Average                                                                        Cartooning  Astronomy  Public Opinion Polling.
           A                     Commitment                                              Jewelry Design  Map Making  Choreography
                                                                                          Biography  Film Making  Statistics  Local
                                                                                         History  Electronics  Musical Composition
                                                                                         Landscape Architecture  Chemistry
               W-AN
                 1               q7
                                                                                         Demography  Microphotography  City Planning
                                                                                         Pollution Control  Poetry  Fashion Design 
                                                                                         Weaving  Play Writing  Advertising  Costume
                    Creativity                                                           Design  Meteorology  Puppetry  Marketing
                                                                                         Game Design_  Journalism  Electronic Musk
                                                                                         Child Care  Consumer Protection  Cooking
                                                                                         Ornithology  Furniture Design  Navigation
                                                                                         Genealogy  Sculpture  Wildlife Management  Set
                                                                                         Design  Agricultural Research  Animal Learning
                                                                                         Film Criticism  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.


tively identifiable as are general cognitive     divergent thinking and creative perform-        general abilities, task commitment, and
abilities, they are nevertheless a major         ance criteria, l' the research evidence for     creativity . Any definition or set of iden-
component of giftedness and should               the predictive validity of such tests has       tification procedures that does not give
therefore be reflected in our definition .       been limited. Unfortunately, very few           equal attention to all three clusters is
                                                 tests have been validated against real-life     simply ignoring the results of the best
Creativity                                       criteria of creative accomplishment, and        available research dealing with this topic.
                                                 in cases where such studies have been con-          Related to this generalization is the
     The third cluster of traits that char-      ducted the creativity test :. ;ve done poor-    need to make a distinction between tradi-
 acterize gifted persons consists of factors     ly. le Thus, although divergent; thinking is    tional indicators of academic proficiency
 that have usually been lumped together          indeed a characteristic of highly creative      and creative productivity . A sad but true
 under the general heading of creativity .     persons, caution should be exercised in         fact is that_ special programs have favored
As one reviews the literature in this area, it   the use and interpretation of tests de-,;       proficient lesson learners and test takers at
 becomes readily apparent that the words         signed to measure this capacity .               the expense of persons who may score
 gifted, genius, and eminent cre-               Given the inherent limitations of           somewhat lower on tests but who more
ators or highly creative persons are          creativity tests, a number of writers have      than compensate for such scores by hav-
used synonymously . In many of the re-           focused attention on alternative methods        ing high levels of task commitment and
search projects discussed above, the per-        for assessing creativity. Among others,         creativity . Research has shown that mem-
sons ultimately selected for intensive study     Nicholls suggests that an analysis of           bers of this group ultimately make the
were in fact recognized because of their         creative products is preferable to the trait-   most creative/productive contributions to
creative accomplishments. In MacKin-             based approach in making predictions            their respective fields of endeavor.
non's study, for example, panels of quali-       about creative potential, 19 and Wallach            A second generalization is that an
fied judges (professors of architecture and      proposes that student self-reports about        operational definition should be appli-
editors of major American architectural          creative accomplishment are sufficiently        cable to all socially useful performance
journals) were asked first to nominate and       accurate to provide a usable source of          areas. The one thing that the three clusters
later to rate an initial pool of nominees,       data .2°                                        discussed above have in common is that
using the following dimensions of creativi-          Although few persons would argue            each can be brought to bear on a multi-
ty : 1) originality of thinking and freshness    against the importance of including             tude of specific performance areas. As
of approaches to architectural problems,         creativity in a definition of giftedness, the   was indicated earlier, the interaction or
2) constructive ingenuity, 3) ability to set     conclusions and recommendations dis-            overlap among the clusters makes gifted-
aside established conventions and pro-           cussed above raise the haunting issue of        ness, but giftedness does not exist in a
cedures when appropriate, and 4) a flair         subjectivity in measurement . In view of        vacuum . Our definition must, therefore,
for devising effective and original ful-         what the research suggests about the ques-      reflect yet another interaction ; but in this
fillments of the major demands of archi-         tionable value of more objective measures       case it is the interaction between the
tecture: namely, technology (firmness),          of divergent thinking, perhaps the time         overlap of the clusters and any perform-
visual form (delight), planning (commodi-        has come for persons in all areas of            ance area to which the overlap might be
ty), and human awareness and social pur-         endeavor to develop more careful pro-           applied. This interaction is represented by
pose . to                                        cedures for evaluating the products of          the large arrow in Figure 2.
     When discussing creativity, it is impor-    candidates for special programs .                   A third and final generalization is con-
tant to consider the problems researchers                                                        cerned with the types of information that
have encountered in establishing relation-       Discussion and Generalizations                  should be used to identify superior per-
ships between scores on creativity tests                                                         formance in specific areas . Although it is
and other more substantial accomplish-               The studies reviewed above lend sup-        a relatively easy task to include specific
ments. A major issue that has been raised        port to a small number of basic general-        performance areas in a definition,
by several investigators deals with whether      izations that can be used to develop an         developing identification procedures that
or not tests of divergent thinking actually      operational definition of giftedness. The       will enable us to recognize specific areas
measure true creativity . Although             first is that giftedness consists of an in-     of superior performance is more difficult .
some validation studies have reported            teraction among three clusters of traits -      Test developers have thus far devoted
limited relationships between measures of        above-average but not necessarily superior      most of their energy to producing
measures of general ability, and this em-         can be used to design defensible iden-                      8. L. A. Munday and J . C. Davis. fariehes of .4,
                                                                                                              complishment After College: Peripectis -nn th
phasis is undoubtedly why these tests are         tification systems. And finally, the defini-                Meaning of Academic Talent, Research Report No, 6
rested upon so heavily in identification .        tion provides direction for programming                     (Iowa City, la . : Amcriean College Testing Program
However,      an  operational  definition         practices that will capitalize upon the                     1974). p. 2.
should give direction to needed research          characteristics that bring gifted youngsters                9. D. P. Hoyt . The Relationship Between Colley
                                                  to our attention as learners with ,pecial                   Grades and Adult Achievement : A Review of th
and development, especially as these ac-                                                                      Literature . Research Report NO . 7 (Iowa City, to
tivities relate to instruments and pro-           needs.                                                      American College Testing Program, I%5).
cedures for student selection. -A defensible                                                                  10 . Francis Galion . as quoted in R, S . .Albcr
definition can thus become a model that                                                                       Toward a Behavioral Definition of Genius .
                                                                                                              American Psychologist, vol. 30, 1975, p. tat,
will generate vast amount: of appropriate
                                                   I . P. H. DuBois . .4 History of Psychological Testing      11 . L. M. Terman, Genetic Studies of Genius: Tl
research in the years ahead.                      (Boston : Allyn  Bacon. 19'70)-                            Gifted Group at .Mid-Life (Stanford . Calif, : Sianfur
                                                  2. L. `( . Terman et al ., Genetic Studies of Genius:       University Press. 1959). p. 148 .
A Definition of Giftedness                        Mental and Physical Traits of a Thousand Gifted             12 . A. Roe, The Making of a Scientist (New Yori
                                                  Children tStanfurd, Calif. : Stanford University Press,     Dodd, Mead . 1952) .                -
                                                   19261, p. 43 .                                              13 . D. W. MacKinnon . Personality and the Re.ilit .
   Although no single sta(ement can ef-
                                                  3 . P .A . Writ,, W'liu Are the CiiIlrd? in N. B.         lion of Creative Potential, American P,Ychahigo
fectively integrate the many ramifications        Hew% . ed ., pJu,vnri of the Gifted, fifty-seventh         VOL 20 . 1965, p. 365.
of the research studies described above,          Ycarbuok of the National Society fur the Study of            14 . 7 . C. Nicholls, Creativity m the Per,on Wh
the following definition of giftedness at-        Education, Part 11 (Chicago : University of (Chicago        Will Never Produce Anything Original and Uvctu
                                                  Press. 195x). p. 62 .                                       The Concept of Creativity as a Normally Dwnbui,
tempts to summarize the major conclu-
                                                  3 . S. P. Marland, Education of the Gifted and              Trait, American Psychologist, vol. 27, 1972, pt
stuns and generalizations resulting from
                                                   Talented. Report to the Congress of the United States      717-27 .
this review of research :                         by the U.S . Cuntmissioner of Education and                  15 . H. G. McCurdy. The Childhood Pattern ,
                                                  Background Paper, Submitted to the U .S . Office of         Genius . Horizon, vol. 2, 1960, pp 33-38.
       Giftedness corsis :s of an interaction     Education (Washington. D.C . : U.S . Government             16 . D. W. MacKinnon. The Creativity vi .A
   among three basic clusters of human            Printing Office, 1972). (Definition edited for clarity.)    chitects . in C. W. Taylor, ed ., Widening Horizons
   traits - these clusters being above-           5 . hl . A. Wallach, Tests Tell Us Little About            Creativity (New York : John Wiley and Sun,, 1964), ;
                                                  Talent, American Scientist . vol . 64, 1976, p. 57 .       360.
   average general abilities, high levels of
                                                  6- M. B. Parloff et al ., Personality Characteristics      17 . E. P. Torrance . Prediction of Adult Crcaw
   task commitment, and high levels of            Which Differentiate Creative Male Adolescents and           Achievement Among High School Seniors, Gift,
   crcativi(y . (lifted and talented children     Adults. Journal of Personality, vol. 36, 1%8, pp .         Child Quarterly, vol. 13 . 1969, pp . 223-29: F
   are those possessing or capable of             528-52 ; M . T. Mednick, Research Creativity in            J. Shapiro. Creative Research Scientist,. Pi
   developing this composite set of traits        Psychology Graduate Students. Journal of Con-              chuloRw AJticana . 1968, Supplement No . 4; fit . Dell .
   and applying them to any potentially           iultinq Psychology, sot. 27, 1963 . pp . 265, 266; M. A.    and E. L. Gaier, Identification of Creativity : The 1 :
   valuable area of human performance.            Wallach and C. W. Wing, Jr . . The Talented Students:       dividua1, Psychological Bulletin, vol. 73 . 1970, p;
   Children who manifest or arc capable of        .4 Validation of the Creativity Intelligence Distinction    55-73; and J. P. Guilford, Some New Looks at it
   developing an interaction among the            (New York : Holi, Rinehart and Winston. 1969); J. M.        Nature of Creative Processes . in M. Frederick.ic
                                                  Richards . Jr . et al ., Prediction of Student Ac-         and H. Gilliksen, eds., Contributions to Matheniauc
   three clusters require a wide variety of
                                                  complishmeni in College, Journal of Educational            Psychology (New York : Halt, Rinehartand Winsio:
   educational opportunities and services         P,s-chology, vol. 58, 1967, pp . 343-55 ; L. R . Harmon .   1964).
   that are not ordinarily provided through       The Development of a Criterion of Scientific Com-
                                                                     .                                        I8 . S. B. Crockenburg . Creativity Te,ts: A Boon
   regular instructional programs .               fie(cncc . in C. W raylur and F. Barron . eds ., Scion.    Boondoggle for Education? Rrvuw of Education .
                                                  Wit Creutnvtv : Ir, RIIwcnition and Development             Research, vol. 42, 1972 . pp . 2'   .-s5 .
   A graphic representation of this defini-       (New York : John W %ley and lions, (96)1, pp . 44-52; B.
                                                                                                              19 . Nicholls, op . cit ., p. 721 .
tion is presented in Figure 2. The dclint-        S. Bloom, Report tin Creativity Research by the Ex-
                                                                                                              20 . Wallach, up . cit.
                                                  aminer's Office of the University of Chicago, in
tion is an operational one because it meets       Taylor and Barron . op . cit. ; and L. Hudson, Degree
three important criteria . First, it is derived   Class and Attainment in Scientific Research, British
from the best available research studies          Journal of Psychology, vol . 51, 1960, pp . 67-73 .
dealing with characteristics of gifted and             J . L. Holland and A. W. Astin, The Prediction
                                                  of the Academic, Artistic, Scientific . and Social
talented individuals . Second, it provides        Achievement of Undergraduates of Superior
guidance for !he selection and/or develop-        Scholastic Aptitude, Journal of Educational
ment of instruments and procedures that           Psychology, vol . 53 . 1962, pp . 132, 133.




                                                                                        Morovia, NY 17118
                         Printed November 1979, CHRONICLE GUIDANCE Publications, Inc. .
                                                     United States of America
Renzulli Giftedness

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Renzulli Giftedness

  • 1. What Makes Giftedness? Reexamining a Definition by Joseph S. Renzulli T hroughout recorded history and undoubtedly even before records were kept, people have always been in- terested in men and women who display superior ability. As early as 2200 B.C . the Chinese had developed an elaborate sys- tem of competitive examinations to select outstanding persons for government posi- tions, t and down through the ages almost every culture has been fascinated by its most able citizens . Although the areas of performance in which one _ might be recognized as a gifted person are deter- mined by the needs and values of the prevailing culture, scholars and layper- sons alike have debated (and continue to debate) the age-old question : What makes giftedness? The purpose of this article is therefore threefold. First, I shall analyze some past and current definitions of giftedness . Sec- ond, I shall review studies that deal with characteristics of gifted individuals . Final- - "Sue," 1970, ly, I shall present a new definition of by Ramon B. Price. Bronze. giftedness that is operational, i.e., useful to school personnel, and defensible in terms of research findings . The Definition Continuum ways . . First, a definition can - limit the number of performance areas that are Numerous conceptions and countless considered in determining eligibility for definitions of giftedness have been put special programs . A conservative defini- forth over the years. One way of analyzing tion, for example, might limit eligibility to existing definitions is to view them along a academic performance only and exclude continuum ranging from "conservative" other areas such as music, art, drama, to "liberal," i.e ., according to the degree leadership, public speaking, social service, of restrictiveness used in determining who and creative writing. Second, a definition is eligible for special programs and ser- may specify the degree or level of ex- vices. cellence one must attain to be considered Restrictiveness can be expressed in two gifted . At the conservative end of the con- tinuum is Lewis Terman's definition of JOSEPH S. RENZULL! (University of Virginia Chapters is associate director of the giftedness, "the top 1 076 level in general Bureau of Educational Research, University of intellectual ability, .as measured by the Connecticut, Storrs. © 1978 by Joseph S. Ren- Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale or a zulli. comparable instrument ." 2 PHI DELTA KAPPAN
  • 2. .1lr. Ren=ulli offers a nFU, research-hosed definition of the gifted and talented . !t i% an operational definition intended to help the practitioner . In this definition restrictiveness is pres- ,o put less emphasis on precise estimates very useful purpose of calling attention to ent in terms of both the type of perfor- of performance and potential and more a wider variety of abilities that should be mance specified (i .e ., how well one scores emphasis on the opinions of qualified included in a definition of giftedness, but on an intelligence test) and the level of human judges in making decisions about at the same time it has presented some ma- performance one must attain to be con- admission to special programs . The issue jor problems . The first lies in its failure to sidered gifted (top 1 17o) . At the other end boils down to a simple and yet very impor- includenonintellective(motivational) fac- are of the continuum may be found more lib- tant question : How much of a trade-off tors . That these factors `import'ani is eral definitions, such as the following one are we willing to make on the objec- borne out by an overwhelming body of re- by Paul Witty: tive/subjective continuum in order to search, which I shall consider later. allow recognition of a broader spectrum A second and equally important prob- There are children whose outstand . of human abilities? If some degree of sub- lem relates to the nonparallel nature of the - ing potentialities in art, in writing, or in jectivity cannot be tolerated, then our six categories included in the definition . social leadership can be recognized definition of giftedness and the resulting Two of the six categories (specific aca- largely by their performance . Hence, we programs will logically be limited to demic_aptitude and visual and performing have recommended that the definition abilities that can only be measured by ob- arts aptitude) call attention to fields of of giftedness be expanded and that we human, endeavor or general performance consider any child gifted whosc perfor- jective tests. mance, in a potentially valuable line of areas in which talents and abilities are human activity, is consistently re- The USOE Definition manifested . The remaining four categories ., markablc . 3 are more nearly processes that may be In recent years the following definition brought to bear on performance -areas . Although_ liberal definitions have the set forth by the U .S . Office of Education For example, a person may bring the pro- obvious advantage of expanding the con- ception (USOE) has grown in popularity, and cess of creativity to bear on a specific ap- . of ,giftedness, they alsoopen up- numerous states and school districts titude (e .g ., chemistry) or a visual art two 'cansof worms'.' by introducing the throughout the nation have adopted it for (e .g ., photography). Or the processes of values issue, (What, are the potentially their programs : leadership and general intelligence might valuablelines of human activity?) and, the be applied to a performance area such as age-old problem of subjectivity in Gifted and talented children are choreography or the management of a measurement . those . . . who by virtue of outstanding high school yearbook . In fact, it can be In recent years the values issue has abilities are capable of high perform- said that processes such as creativity and been largely resolved . There are very few ance . These . . . children . . . require leadership do not exist apart from a ;per- educators who cling to a straight IQ or differentiated educational programs formance area to which they can be ap- and/or services beyond those normally plied . purely academic definition of giftedness . provided by the regular school program Multiple talent and multiple criteria A third problem with the definition is in order to realize their (potential) con- are almost the bywords of the present-day tribution to self and society. that it tends to be misinterpreted_ and . gifted student movement, and most edu- misused by practitioners. It is not uncom- cators would have little difficulty in ac- Children capable of high perform- mon to find educators developing entire cepting a definition that includes almost ance include those who have demon- identification systems based on the six every area of human activity that mani- strated any of the following abilities or USOE categories and in the process treat- fests itself in a socially useful form . aptitudes, singly or in combination : I) ing them as if they were mutually exclu- The problem of subjectivity in meas- general intellectual ability, 2) specific sive . What is equally distressing is that urement is not as easily resolved . As the academic aptitude, )) creative or pro- many peoplr - `talk a good game about ductive thinking, 4) leadership ability, definition of giftedness is extended 5) visual and performing arts aptitude, the six categories but continue to use a beyond those abilities clearly reflected in 6) psychomotor ability.' relatively high intelligence or aptitude tests of intelligence, achievement, and score as a minimum requirement for en- academic aptitude, it becomes necessary The USOE definition has served the trance into a special program. Although
  • 3. both of these problems result from misap- plication rather than from the definition itself . the definition is not entirely without States Define Giftedness fault, because it fails to give the kind of guidance necessary for practitioners to Twenty-six states now define children who are exceptional. by virtue of avoid such pitfalls . giftedness either in statutes or in state department of education regulations.' Pennsylvania, Idaho, Florida, and North Carolina require the same formal IEP The Three-Ring Conception (individualized education program) for the gifted as is mandated for the handi- Research on creative/productive peo- capped in the federal Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P .L. 94-142) . ple has consistently shown that although This information comes from Christine Lewis, the Montgomery County In- no single criterion should be used to iden- termediate Unit IEP facilitator for the gifted in Norristown . Pennsylvania . tify giftedness persons who have achieved recognition because ofYtheir unique 1c= ¢t:omphstiMents a id ereauve contnbuttohs 'F . A. Karnes and E. C. Collins. State Definitions of Gifted and Talented :A Report and Analysis Journal of the Education of the Gifted, February, 1979 . pp . 44-62 . possess a relative ly,-well defined set of ;` sa rcc interlocking cIus tcrs of tracts These' b dusters consist of above-average though ~to`f ncccs~arOy'~'3uperaotA getietal ability; - show so little criterion validity as to be a The pervasiveness of this general find- task -commitment, and creativity ::-(see° + questionable basis on which to make ing is demonstrated by D. P. Hoyt, who Figure I-).)t ts iniportant .topoint .outthat consequential decisions about students' reviewed 46 studies dealing with the rela- no . single cluster makes giftedness : futures. What the academic tests do tionship between traditional indications Rather, it is the interaction among the predict are the results a person will ob- of academic success and post-college per- three clusters that research has shown to tain on other tests of the same kinds formance in the fields of business, teach- be the necessary ingredient for crea- Wallach goes on to point out that ing, engineering, medicine, scientific re- tive/productive accomplishment . This in- academic test scores at the upper search, and other areas such as the teraction is represented by the shaded por- ranges - precisely the score levels that ministry, journalism, government, and tion of Figure l . It is also important to are most often used for selecting persons miscellaneous professions .9 From this ex- point out that each cluster is an equal for entrance into special programs - do tensive review, Hoyt concluded that tradi- partner in contributing to giftedness . not necessarily reflect the potential for tional 'indications of academic success This point is important. One of the major creative/productive accomplishment . He have no more than a very modest correla- errors that continues to be made in iden- suggests that test scores be used to screen tion with various indicators of success in tification procedures is overemphasis on out persons who score in the lower ranges the adult world. He observes, There is superior abilities at the expense of the and that beyond this point decisions be good reason to believe that academic other two clusters of traits . based on other indicators of potential for achievement (knowledge) and other types superior performance. of educational growth and development Figure 1 . The Ingredients Numerous research studies support are relatively independent of each other. Of Giftedness Wallach's finding that there is little;rela- These studies raise some basic ques- tionship :between test scores and school tions about the use of tests in making grades on the one hand and real world ac- selection decisions. The studies clearly in- complishments on the other. 6 -3n fact, a dicate that vast .numbersandproportions . study dealing with the prediction of of our most productive persons are not various dimensions of achievement among those who scored at the ninety-fifth or Above- college students, made by J. L. Holland above percentile on standardized tests, Average Task Commitment and A. W. Astin, found that nor, were they necessarily straight-A, W Abillt students who discoveredearly how to play . . . getting good grades in college has theesson-learning game! In other words, little connection with more remote and more creative/productive persons come IN qi more socially relevant kinds of achieve- from below the ninety-fifth percentile ment ; indeed, in some colleges, the than above it, and if such cut-off scores Creativity higher the student's grades, the less like- are needed to determine entrance into ly it is that he is a person with creative potential. So it seems desirable to ex- special programs, we may be guilty of ac- tend our criteria of talented perform- tually discriminating against persons who ance. - have the greatest potential_ for high levels of accomplishment. A study by the American College Above-Average General Ability Testing Program titled Varieties of Ac- Task Commitment complishment After College: Perspectives Although the influence of intelligence, on the Meaning of Academic Talent A second cluster of traits that are con- as traditionally measured, quite obviously concluded : sistently found in creative/productive per- varies with areas of achievement, many sons constitutes a refined or focused form researchers have found that creative ac- The adult accomplishments were of motivation known as task commit- complishment is not necessarily a function found to be uncorrelated with academic ment . Whereas motivation is usually de- of measured intelligence . In a review of talent, including test scores, high school fined in terms of a general energizing several research studies dealing with the grades, and college grades . However, process that triggers responses in organ- relationship between academic aptitude the adult accomplishments were related isms, task commitment represents energy tests and professional achievement, M. A . to comparable high school nonacademic brought to bear on a particular problem (extracurricular) accomplishments. This Wallach has concluded that : suggests that there are many kinds of (task) or specific performance area . talents related to later success which The argument for including this non- Above intermediate score levels, might be identified and nurtured by intellective cluster of traits in a definition academic skills assessments are found to educational institutions .a of giftedness is nothing short of over-
  • 4. whelming . From popular maxims and autobiographical accounts to hard-core Kohlberg's Level Six research findings, one of the key ingre- by Jessica Maxwell dients that has characterized the work of gifted persons is the ability to involve oneself totally in a problem or area for an Oh cursed be it that bade me see extended period of time . oh inefficient clarity The legacy of both Sir Francis Gallon oh clarion clarinet's reedy wheeze and Lewis Terman clearly indicates that which, while on pitch, task commitment is an important part of is still unclear the making of a gifted person . Although is still some distant other's tune Galton was a strong proponent of the rising still hereditary basis for what he called so faint I can't quite catch the beat natural ability, he nevertheless sub- can't march in time my tapping feet feel but the rhythms of the moon scribed strongly to the belief that hard which rises even in the midst work was part and parcel of giftedness : oh sweet oblivion thou kissed but fools and left me crutches clutched and falling By natural ability I mean those to this half-heard song qualities of intellect and disposition this ill-reared imp which urge and .qualify a man to per- who pecks from ferns form acts that lead to r:putation. 1 do now here, now where not mean capacity without zeal, nor zeal what frolicking fiendish flutist thou without capacity, nor even a combina- won't let me hear tion of both of them . without an ade- won't let me be quate power of doing a great deal of who keeps me but a helpless mute very laborious work . But I mean a nature which, when left to itself, will, who hears yet can't return a phrase urged by an inherent stimulus, climb the what cryptic crippling arias raise path that leads to eminence and has this ambered ant strength to reach the summit - on this muscle frozen in mid-reach which, if hindered o. thwarted, it will each to each fret and strive until the hindrance is it calls, it calls overcome, and it is again free to follow that tortuous truth that won't be good its laboring instinct . 10 or understood it falls. Terman's monumental studies un- Would that I could rest, doubtedly represent the most widely nay fall asleep recognized and frequently quoted re- that it would fall on canceled ears search on the characteristics of gifted per- or veiled eyes, inert to weep sons . Terman's studies, however, have the silent cold .and running wine unintentionally left a mixed legacy, an opiate because most persons have dwelt (and a tonic weed continue to dwell) on early Terman in anesthetic healing art rather than on the conclusions he reached pretends, complete, the pauper's peace. after several decades of intensive research . Therefore it is important to consider the following conclusion, reached after 30 JESSICA MAXWELL is one of 69 gifted children whose careers are being years of follow-up studies on his initial followed by Mary Meeker, president of the SOI Institute in El Segundo, Calif. population : A former Mademoiselle editor, Ms. Maxwell is now a Los Angeles Times columnist . . . . (Al detailed analysis was made of the 150 most successful and 150 least successful men among the gifted sub- Although Terman never suggested that their enthusiasm, determination, and in- jects in an attempt to identify come of task commitment should replace intelli- dustry 13 (emphasis added) . the nonintellectual factors that affect gence in our conception of giftedness, he Extensive reviews of research carried life success . . . . Since the less suc- did state that intellect and achievement out by J. C. Nicholls 14 and H . G. McCur- cessful subjects do not differ to any ex- are far from perfectly correlated . dy found patterns of characteristics that tent in intelligence as measured by tests, Several more recent studies support the were consistently similar to the findings it u clear that notable achievement calls reported by Roe and MacKinnon . Al- for more than a high order of intelli- findings of Galton and Terman and have gence . shown that creative/productive persons though the researchers cited thus far used The results lof the follow-upl in- are far more task oriented and involved in different procedures and dealt with a dicated [hat =personality factors are ax--' their work than are. people in the general variety of populations, there is a striking Irerhely,-`important . determ tters . of population, Perhaps the best known of similarity in their major conclusions . achievement . . : . The . four, Irarts, on -' these studies is the work of A.. Roe and D. First, academic ability (as traditionally which Ithe.,.most and least :successful .: . W. MacKinnon. Roe conducted an inten- measured by tests or grade-point averages) groups) differed most widely were_ per--= sive study of the characteristics of 64 emi- showed limited relationships to crea- srstence rn the accomplishment of ends. nent scientists and found that all of her tive/productive accomplishment . Second, integration . toward kbafi. self-con . subjects had a high level of commitment nonintellectual factors, and especially idence and jreerium Born_ rnfrnor rely feeltnx~. In the totalpiefuii the greatest'' to their work . 12 MacKinnon pointed out those that relate to task commitment, con- contrast between the two groups was in traits that were important in creative ac- sistently played an important part in the all-round ,emotional and,iocial -adjust- complishments: It is clear that creative cluster of . traits that characterize highly meet -and .in -.drive to -achieve .' 1 (Em- architects more often stress their inven- productive people . Although this second phisis `Added) tiveness, independence, and individuality . cluster of traits ~s not as easily and objcc-
  • 5. Figure 2. A Graphic Definition of Giftedness GENERAL PERFORMANCE AREAS Mathematics Visual Arts Physical Sciences . Philosophy Social Sciences Law Religion . Language Arts Music Life Sciences Movement Arts SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE AREAS Above- Task Average Cartooning Astronomy Public Opinion Polling. A Commitment Jewelry Design Map Making Choreography Biography Film Making Statistics Local History Electronics Musical Composition Landscape Architecture Chemistry W-AN 1 q7 Demography Microphotography City Planning Pollution Control Poetry Fashion Design Weaving Play Writing Advertising Costume Creativity Design Meteorology Puppetry Marketing Game Design_ Journalism Electronic Musk Child Care Consumer Protection Cooking Ornithology Furniture Design Navigation Genealogy Sculpture Wildlife Management Set Design Agricultural Research Animal Learning Film Criticism Etc. Etc. Etc. tively identifiable as are general cognitive divergent thinking and creative perform- general abilities, task commitment, and abilities, they are nevertheless a major ance criteria, l' the research evidence for creativity . Any definition or set of iden- component of giftedness and should the predictive validity of such tests has tification procedures that does not give therefore be reflected in our definition . been limited. Unfortunately, very few equal attention to all three clusters is tests have been validated against real-life simply ignoring the results of the best Creativity criteria of creative accomplishment, and available research dealing with this topic. in cases where such studies have been con- Related to this generalization is the The third cluster of traits that char- ducted the creativity test :. ;ve done poor- need to make a distinction between tradi- acterize gifted persons consists of factors ly. le Thus, although divergent; thinking is tional indicators of academic proficiency that have usually been lumped together indeed a characteristic of highly creative and creative productivity . A sad but true under the general heading of creativity . persons, caution should be exercised in fact is that_ special programs have favored As one reviews the literature in this area, it the use and interpretation of tests de-,; proficient lesson learners and test takers at becomes readily apparent that the words signed to measure this capacity . the expense of persons who may score gifted, genius, and eminent cre- Given the inherent limitations of somewhat lower on tests but who more ators or highly creative persons are creativity tests, a number of writers have than compensate for such scores by hav- used synonymously . In many of the re- focused attention on alternative methods ing high levels of task commitment and search projects discussed above, the per- for assessing creativity. Among others, creativity . Research has shown that mem- sons ultimately selected for intensive study Nicholls suggests that an analysis of bers of this group ultimately make the were in fact recognized because of their creative products is preferable to the trait- most creative/productive contributions to creative accomplishments. In MacKin- based approach in making predictions their respective fields of endeavor. non's study, for example, panels of quali- about creative potential, 19 and Wallach A second generalization is that an fied judges (professors of architecture and proposes that student self-reports about operational definition should be appli- editors of major American architectural creative accomplishment are sufficiently cable to all socially useful performance journals) were asked first to nominate and accurate to provide a usable source of areas. The one thing that the three clusters later to rate an initial pool of nominees, data .2° discussed above have in common is that using the following dimensions of creativi- Although few persons would argue each can be brought to bear on a multi- ty : 1) originality of thinking and freshness against the importance of including tude of specific performance areas. As of approaches to architectural problems, creativity in a definition of giftedness, the was indicated earlier, the interaction or 2) constructive ingenuity, 3) ability to set conclusions and recommendations dis- overlap among the clusters makes gifted- aside established conventions and pro- cussed above raise the haunting issue of ness, but giftedness does not exist in a cedures when appropriate, and 4) a flair subjectivity in measurement . In view of vacuum . Our definition must, therefore, for devising effective and original ful- what the research suggests about the ques- reflect yet another interaction ; but in this fillments of the major demands of archi- tionable value of more objective measures case it is the interaction between the tecture: namely, technology (firmness), of divergent thinking, perhaps the time overlap of the clusters and any perform- visual form (delight), planning (commodi- has come for persons in all areas of ance area to which the overlap might be ty), and human awareness and social pur- endeavor to develop more careful pro- applied. This interaction is represented by pose . to cedures for evaluating the products of the large arrow in Figure 2. When discussing creativity, it is impor- candidates for special programs . A third and final generalization is con- tant to consider the problems researchers cerned with the types of information that have encountered in establishing relation- Discussion and Generalizations should be used to identify superior per- ships between scores on creativity tests formance in specific areas . Although it is and other more substantial accomplish- The studies reviewed above lend sup- a relatively easy task to include specific ments. A major issue that has been raised port to a small number of basic general- performance areas in a definition, by several investigators deals with whether izations that can be used to develop an developing identification procedures that or not tests of divergent thinking actually operational definition of giftedness. The will enable us to recognize specific areas measure true creativity . Although first is that giftedness consists of an in- of superior performance is more difficult . some validation studies have reported teraction among three clusters of traits - Test developers have thus far devoted limited relationships between measures of above-average but not necessarily superior most of their energy to producing
  • 6. measures of general ability, and this em- can be used to design defensible iden- 8. L. A. Munday and J . C. Davis. fariehes of .4, complishment After College: Peripectis -nn th phasis is undoubtedly why these tests are tification systems. And finally, the defini- Meaning of Academic Talent, Research Report No, 6 rested upon so heavily in identification . tion provides direction for programming (Iowa City, la . : Amcriean College Testing Program However, an operational definition practices that will capitalize upon the 1974). p. 2. should give direction to needed research characteristics that bring gifted youngsters 9. D. P. Hoyt . The Relationship Between Colley to our attention as learners with ,pecial Grades and Adult Achievement : A Review of th and development, especially as these ac- Literature . Research Report NO . 7 (Iowa City, to tivities relate to instruments and pro- needs. American College Testing Program, I%5). cedures for student selection. -A defensible 10 . Francis Galion . as quoted in R, S . .Albcr definition can thus become a model that Toward a Behavioral Definition of Genius . American Psychologist, vol. 30, 1975, p. tat, will generate vast amount: of appropriate I . P. H. DuBois . .4 History of Psychological Testing 11 . L. M. Terman, Genetic Studies of Genius: Tl research in the years ahead. (Boston : Allyn Bacon. 19'70)- Gifted Group at .Mid-Life (Stanford . Calif, : Sianfur 2. L. `( . Terman et al ., Genetic Studies of Genius: University Press. 1959). p. 148 . A Definition of Giftedness Mental and Physical Traits of a Thousand Gifted 12 . A. Roe, The Making of a Scientist (New Yori Children tStanfurd, Calif. : Stanford University Press, Dodd, Mead . 1952) . - 19261, p. 43 . 13 . D. W. MacKinnon . Personality and the Re.ilit . Although no single sta(ement can ef- 3 . P .A . Writ,, W'liu Are the CiiIlrd? in N. B. lion of Creative Potential, American P,Ychahigo fectively integrate the many ramifications Hew% . ed ., pJu,vnri of the Gifted, fifty-seventh VOL 20 . 1965, p. 365. of the research studies described above, Ycarbuok of the National Society fur the Study of 14 . 7 . C. Nicholls, Creativity m the Per,on Wh the following definition of giftedness at- Education, Part 11 (Chicago : University of (Chicago Will Never Produce Anything Original and Uvctu Press. 195x). p. 62 . The Concept of Creativity as a Normally Dwnbui, tempts to summarize the major conclu- 3 . S. P. Marland, Education of the Gifted and Trait, American Psychologist, vol. 27, 1972, pt stuns and generalizations resulting from Talented. Report to the Congress of the United States 717-27 . this review of research : by the U.S . Cuntmissioner of Education and 15 . H. G. McCurdy. The Childhood Pattern , Background Paper, Submitted to the U .S . Office of Genius . Horizon, vol. 2, 1960, pp 33-38. Giftedness corsis :s of an interaction Education (Washington. D.C . : U.S . Government 16 . D. W. MacKinnon. The Creativity vi .A among three basic clusters of human Printing Office, 1972). (Definition edited for clarity.) chitects . in C. W. Taylor, ed ., Widening Horizons traits - these clusters being above- 5 . hl . A. Wallach, Tests Tell Us Little About Creativity (New York : John Wiley and Sun,, 1964), ; Talent, American Scientist . vol . 64, 1976, p. 57 . 360. average general abilities, high levels of 6- M. B. Parloff et al ., Personality Characteristics 17 . E. P. Torrance . Prediction of Adult Crcaw task commitment, and high levels of Which Differentiate Creative Male Adolescents and Achievement Among High School Seniors, Gift, crcativi(y . (lifted and talented children Adults. Journal of Personality, vol. 36, 1%8, pp . Child Quarterly, vol. 13 . 1969, pp . 223-29: F are those possessing or capable of 528-52 ; M . T. Mednick, Research Creativity in J. Shapiro. Creative Research Scientist,. Pi developing this composite set of traits Psychology Graduate Students. Journal of Con- chuloRw AJticana . 1968, Supplement No . 4; fit . Dell . and applying them to any potentially iultinq Psychology, sot. 27, 1963 . pp . 265, 266; M. A. and E. L. Gaier, Identification of Creativity : The 1 : valuable area of human performance. Wallach and C. W. Wing, Jr . . The Talented Students: dividua1, Psychological Bulletin, vol. 73 . 1970, p; Children who manifest or arc capable of .4 Validation of the Creativity Intelligence Distinction 55-73; and J. P. Guilford, Some New Looks at it developing an interaction among the (New York : Holi, Rinehart and Winston. 1969); J. M. Nature of Creative Processes . in M. Frederick.ic Richards . Jr . et al ., Prediction of Student Ac- and H. Gilliksen, eds., Contributions to Matheniauc three clusters require a wide variety of complishmeni in College, Journal of Educational Psychology (New York : Halt, Rinehartand Winsio: educational opportunities and services P,s-chology, vol. 58, 1967, pp . 343-55 ; L. R . Harmon . 1964). that are not ordinarily provided through The Development of a Criterion of Scientific Com- . I8 . S. B. Crockenburg . Creativity Te,ts: A Boon regular instructional programs . fie(cncc . in C. W raylur and F. Barron . eds ., Scion. Boondoggle for Education? Rrvuw of Education . Wit Creutnvtv : Ir, RIIwcnition and Development Research, vol. 42, 1972 . pp . 2' .-s5 . A graphic representation of this defini- (New York : John W %ley and lions, (96)1, pp . 44-52; B. 19 . Nicholls, op . cit ., p. 721 . tion is presented in Figure 2. The dclint- S. Bloom, Report tin Creativity Research by the Ex- 20 . Wallach, up . cit. aminer's Office of the University of Chicago, in tion is an operational one because it meets Taylor and Barron . op . cit. ; and L. Hudson, Degree three important criteria . First, it is derived Class and Attainment in Scientific Research, British from the best available research studies Journal of Psychology, vol . 51, 1960, pp . 67-73 . dealing with characteristics of gifted and J . L. Holland and A. W. Astin, The Prediction of the Academic, Artistic, Scientific . and Social talented individuals . Second, it provides Achievement of Undergraduates of Superior guidance for !he selection and/or develop- Scholastic Aptitude, Journal of Educational ment of instruments and procedures that Psychology, vol . 53 . 1962, pp . 132, 133. Morovia, NY 17118 Printed November 1979, CHRONICLE GUIDANCE Publications, Inc. . United States of America