Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Savant talent.

¹Psychology Department, Goldsmiths College, University of London, London SE14 6NW, UK. l.pring@gold.ac.uk

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

|July 5, 2005

Summary

Savant and expert abilities share qualities, with weak coherence potentially fostering talent development. This cognitive style may be linked to exceptional abilities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Touching words is not enough: how visual experience influences haptic-auditory associations in the "Bouba-Kiki" effect.

Cognition·2014

Same author

Story discourse and use of mental state language between mothers and school-aged children with and without visual impairment.

International journal of language & communication disorders·2013

Same author

The structure of savant calendrical knowledge.

Developmental medicine and child neurology·2012

Same author

Patterns of autobiographical memory in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Journal of autism and developmental disorders·2012

Same author

Autobiographical memory in adults with autism spectrum disorder: the role of depressed mood, rumination, working memory and theory of mind.

Autism : the international journal of research and practice·2011

Same author

Creativity in savant artists with autism.

Autism : the international journal of research and practice·2011

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Developmental Psychology

Background:

Talent is an elusive concept, yet savants and experts exhibit shared qualities.
Understanding exceptional abilities requires examining intelligence, implicit learning, and knowledge organization.
Cognitive theories offer insights into the remarkable skills observed in individuals with autism.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the shared qualities between savant and expert abilities.
To discuss cognitive factors, including intelligence, implicit learning, and knowledge organization, in relation to exceptional talents.
To examine cognitive theories that explain extraordinary abilities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Main Methods:

Descriptive accounts of savant talents.
Discussion of intelligence, implicit learning, and knowledge organization.
Review of cognitive theories relevant to autism and exceptional abilities.

Main Results:

Savants and experts appear to share significant qualities.
A cognitive style characterized by weak coherence may predispose individuals to talent development.
The cognitive style associated with weak coherence might be relevant to understanding autistic spectrum disorder.

Conclusions:

Weak coherence as a cognitive style may predispose individuals to developing talents.
Speculation exists regarding the link between artistic/mathematical genius and autistic spectrum disorder traits, though further research is needed.

Related Experiment Videos