The role of knowledge structures in adult excellence. An approach from expert functioning

 Antoni Castelló-Tarrida, Barcelona (Spain)

 Ramón Cladellas-Pros, Barcelona (Spain)

 Joaquín Limonero-García, Barcelona (Spain)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C60-2019-05

Keywords

Excellence, expertise, knowledge structures, high ability, brain, technology, innate, adult

Abstract

Adult performance of high ability individuals has seldom been researched. Current results suggest that adult excellence occurs at lower rates than high ability individuals identified in their infancy or youth, with few cases of high intellectual abilities among adults that yield excellence products. This paper focuses on the analysis of the relative frequency of biographical traits that are associated with high ability as well as to the opportunities that allow building particular knowledge structures that are non-conventional and support innovation in people who excelled. A retrospective biographical analysis was performed on a sample of 120 individuals that generated renowned excellence products, in different fields, in the XXth century. Variables associated to high abilities were: precocity; learning problems; social problems in school; and academic excellence. And the variables associated with the generation of knowledge structures that support innovation were: academic-professional continuity; strong influence of particular individuals; and high productivity. Significant differences were found, showing a low presence of the first four variables and a higher presence of the last three. It follows that the trajectory towards excellence does not seem to correlate with a high level of intellectual resources but with a certain use of sufficient resources, whether cerebral or external technological support.

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Fundref

This research was financed within the framework of the research project ‘High intellectual capacity: management of cognitive resources and expression of talent’ financed by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (EDU 2016-78440-P).

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Technical information

Received: 29-12-2018

Revised: 06-02-2019

Accepted: 19-02-2019

OnlineFirst: 15-05-2019

Publication date: 01-07-2019

Article revision time: 39 days | Average time revision issue 60: 48 days

Article acceptance time: 52 days | Average time of acceptance issue 60: 64 days

Preprint editing time: 138 days | Average editing time preprint issue 60: 149 days

Article editing time: 183 days | Average editing time issue 60: 194 days

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