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Francis Galton
Theory states that genius is basically a combination of an extreme degree of "intellect, zeal, and power of working". -
Lewis Terman
Champions the use of intelligence tests, such as the IQ test, to identify and determine giftedness in children. -
Leta Hollingworth
Publishes "Gifted Children: Their Nature and Nurture", an early, if not the first, textbook on gifted education. -
Calvin Taylor
Led National Science Foundation-funded conferences on scientific creativity in response to the launching of Soviet satellite Sputnik.
Taylor proposed that multiple talents should be evaluated in the classroom in order to identify more students as gifted in recognized talent areas. -
Abe Tannenbaum
Published the book "Gifted Children: Psychological and Educational Perspectives". Championed broadening the definition of giftedness to include "the ability to perform or produce work “that enhances the moral, physical, emotional, social, intellectual, or aesthetic life of humanity.” -
Joseph Renzulli
Three Ring Conception of Giftedness states that there is an interaction between three basic traits (above average ability, high level of creativity, and high level of task commitment). -
Howard Gardner
Theory states that individuals know and experience the world through seven distinct ways including visual-spacial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical. -
Herrnstain and Murray
Publishes controversial book titled The Bell Curve which states human intelligence is influenced by race, genetics, and environment. -
Donna Y. Ford
Published groundbreaking books on the issues of race and identification among minority groups including "Reversing Underachievement Among Gifted Black Students" and "Multicultural Gifted Education" among many others throughout the late 1990's and 2000's. -
Robert Sternberg
Theory of Successful Intelligence states intelligent behavior comes from the harmony between analytical, creative and practical abilities. When these abilities function together, individuals may experience success within specific contexts. -
Francoys Gagne
Differentiating Model of Giftedness and Talent states that gifts are developed into talents through a developmental process.