The Complexity of Greatness: Beyond Talent or Practice

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, creativity, prodigies, savants, mindset, and grit. 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:
Preface Scott Barry Kaufman, New York University Part One: Perspectives 1. Where Does Greatness Come From: A Treasure Hunt Without a Map Samuel 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 Drives Wendy Johnson, University of Edinburgh 3. If Innate Talent Doesn't Exist, Where do the Data Disappear? Dean Keith Simonton, University of California at Davis 4. Whither Cognitive Talent?: Understanding High Ability, its Development, Relevance and Furtherance Heiner Rindermann, TU Chemnitz, Stephen J. Ceci and Wendy M. Williams, Cornell University 5. Young and Old, Novice and Expert: How We Evaluate Creative Art Can Reflect Practice or Talent James C. Kaufman, California State University at San Bernardino, John Baer, Rider University, and Lauren E. Skidmore, California State University at San Bernardino 6. Prodigies, Passion, Persistence, and Pretunement: Musings on the Biological Bases of Talent Martha J. Morelock, Vanderbilt University 7. Savant Syndrome: A Compelling Case for Innate Talent Darold A. Treffert, University of Wisconsin 8. Mindsets and Greatness: How Beliefs About Intelligence Can Create A Preference for Growth Over Defensiveness Paul A. O'Keefe, New York University and CUNY Graduate Center Part Two: Debate 9. 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 University 10. 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 University Part Three: Domains 12. Scientific Talent: Nature Shaped by Nurture Gregory Feist, San José State University 13. The Promise of Mathematical Precocity Linda E. Brody, Johns Hopkins University 14. Memory Expertise or Experts' Memory? John Wilding, University of London 15. Practice and Talent in Acting Helga Noice and Tony Noice, Elmhurst College 16. 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 College 17. Music in Our Lives Jane Davidson and Robert Faulkner, University of Western Australia 18. Creating Champions: The Development of Expertise in Sports Paul R. Ford, Nicola J. Hodges, and A. Mark Williams, University of British Columbia Epilogue: Michael Howe Remembered Jane Davidson, University of Western Australia; John Sloboda, Keele University; and Stephen Ceci, Cornell University

About the Author :
Scott Barry Kaufman is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at New York University and co-founder of The Creativity Post. He completed his doctorate in cognitive psychology at Yale University in 2009. He also holds degrees from University of Cambridge and Carnegie Mellon University.

Review :
"[The Complexity Of Greatness'] wide-ranging overview will be of interest to many colleagues." -- PsycCRITIQUES