Description
What are the origins of greatness? Few other questions have caused such intense debate, controversy, and diversity of opinions. In recent years, a large body of research has accumulated that suggests that the origins of greatness are extraordinarily complex. Instead of talent or practice, it's talent and practice. Instead of nature or nature, it's nature via nurture. Instead of practice, it's deliberate practice. Instead of the causes of greatness in general, it's the determinants of greatness specific to a field. The Complexity of Greatness brings together a variety of perspectives and the most cutting-edge research on genes, talent, intelligence, expertise, deliberate practice, creativity, prodigies, savants, passion, and persistence. A variety of different domains are represented, including science, mathematics, expert memory, acting, visual arts, music, and sports. This book demonstrates that the truth about greatness is far more nuanced, complex, and fascinating than any one viewpoint or paradigm can possibly reveal. Indeed, it suggests that the time has come to go beyond talent or practice. Greatness is much, much more.
Table of Contents
PrefaceScott Barry Kaufman, New York UniversityPart One: Perspectives1. Where Does Greatness Come From: A Treasure Hunt Without a MapSamuel D. Mandelman, Teachers College, Columbia University and Elena L. Grigorenko, Teachers College, Columbia University, Yale University, Moscow State University 2. Greatness as a Manifestation of Experience-Producing DrivesWendy Johnson, University of Edinburgh3. If Innate Talent Doesn't Exist, Where do the Data Disappear?Dean Keith Simonton, University of California at Davis4. Whither Cognitive Talent?: Understanding High Ability, its Development, Relevance and FurtheranceHeiner Rindermann, TU Chemnitz, Stephen J. Ceci and Wendy M. Williams, Cornell University5. Young and Old, Novice and Expert: How We Evaluate Creative Art Can Reflect Practice or TalentJames C. Kaufman, California State University at San Bernardino, John Baer, Rider University, and Lauren E. Skidmore, California State University at San Bernardino6. Prodigies, Passion, Persistence, and Pretunement: Musings on the Biological Bases of Talent Martha J. Morelock, Vanderbilt University7. Savant Syndrome: A Compelling Case for Innate TalentDarold A. Treffert, University of Wisconsin8. Mindsets and Greatness: How Beliefs About Intelligence Can Create A Preference for Growth Over DefensivenessPaul A. O'Keefe, New York University and CUNY Graduate CenterPart Two: Debate9. Giftedness and Evidence for Reproducibly Superior Performance: An Account Based on the Expert Performance Framework (REPRINT)K. Anders Ericsson, Roy W. Roring, and Kiruthiga Nandagopal, Florida State University10. Yes, Giftedness (aka “Innate” Talent) Does Exist!Françoys Gagné, Université du Québec à Montréal 11. Gagné is Omitting Troublesome Information so as to Present More Convincing Accusations: His Accusations Along with My Own Exploration of the Evidence for Innate Talent K. Anders Ericsson, Florida State UniversityPart Three: Domains12. Scientific Talent: Nature Shaped by NurtureGregory Feist, San José State University13. The Promise of Mathematical PrecocityLinda E. Brody, Johns Hopkins University14. Memory Expertise or Experts' Memory?John Wilding, University of London15. Practice and Talent in ActingHelga Noice and Tony Noice, Elmhurst College16. The Rage to Master: The Decisive Role of Talent in the Visual Arts (UPDATED REPRINT)Ellen Winner, Boston College and Harvard Project Zero; Jennifer E. Drake, Boston College17. Music in Our LivesJane Davidson and Robert Faulkner, University of Western Australia18. Creating Champions: The Development of Expertise in SportsPaul R. Ford, Nicola J. Hodges, and A. Mark Williams, University of British ColumbiaEpilogue: Michael Howe RememberedJane Davidson, University of Western Australia; John Sloboda, Keele University; and Stephen Ceci, Cornell University
