Evolving Complexity Theory (ECT) of Talent Development: A New Vision for Gifted and Talented Education
Abstract
Conceptions of giftedness and talent have undergone significant changes since Galton (Hereditary genius: An inquiry into its laws and consequences. London, UK: Macmillan, 1869) and Terman (Genetic studies of genius: Vol. 1, Mental and physical traits of a thousand gifted children. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1925). The general consensus seems to be that human potential is pluralistic rather than monolithic, dynamic rather than fixed; talent is shaped through developmental interaction with the environment over time in a bidirectional, probabilistic manner, rather than uni-directionally determined. In line with this general trend, I present Evolving Complexity Theory (ECT), a theory of talent development I have built with a developmental systems approach, as an attempt to account for a diverse range of talent outcomes. In this chapter, I first present major arguments of ECT phrased as a set of eight interrelated propositions regarding what develops, how it develops, and when it develops. I then compare ECT with other conceptions of talent development to show how a theoretical synthesis like ECT contributes to our understanding of developmental potential and its short-term and long-term development. Finally, I discuss practical implications of ECT, particularly with respect to educational policy, identification, educational intervention, and psychological guidance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1163938
Entities
People
- David Y Dai
Organizations
- State University of New York at Albany