An Introduction to the Special Issue: A Review of European and American Perspectives and Research on Talent...

After a century during which the psychology of high ability focused largely on innate cognitive abilities, the twenty-first century ushered in a transformative period in which views of talent broadened to include recognition that talent development is a much more complex process that begins with uncovering potential but does not stop there. Current approaches consider the whole process of talent development and include both individual and environmental aspects as well as their systemic interplay. Therefore, we can now document contributions of environmental, personal, psychosocial, educational, and chance factors to the cumulative conversion of potential abilities into high level performance or creativity. The eight contributions to this special issue flesh out various factors in the complex equation of talent development as it applies to different populations, contexts, and domains. One article addresses individual differences in abilities and how they can be measured and recognized. Another two focus on the peer group and how peers can influence creativity and acceptance. Three articles address factors of education and opportunity and how they affect the positive development of talent. One article identifies and categorizes the psychosocial skills needed for transforming potential into creative, productive achievement. A final paper addresses the place of talent development in the general developmental psychology literature.