Wasted Adult Potential

Scott R. FurtwenglerJustin Neil L. YoungChristine M. Peet

Jessi Cummings-Mengis

Symposium Format• Conceptions of Giftedness that

include creativity• Talent Development in Adults:

Nurturing Deviance?• How to use the Medical Model• Creativity in Deviant Populations

CONCEPTIONS OF GIFTEDNESS THAT INCLUDE CREATIVITY

Justin Neil L. Young, M.Ed.

Giftedness and CreativityThe way in which evidence is interpreted dictates the role creativity plays in defining giftedness, but there is a great consensus that creativity is necessary for giftedness• Three Ring Model (Renzulli, 1978)• Triarchic Theory of Intelligence (Sternberg, 2000)• Star Model (Tannenbaum, 2003)• Dynamic Theory of Giftedness (Babaeva, 1999)• Artistic and Musical Giftedness (Winner, 2000)• Differentiated Model of Gifted and Talented

(Gagne, 2009)

Three Ring ConceptionGiftedness is the interaction of above average-ability, task commitment, and creativity (Renzulli, 1978)• Academic test scores at the upper limit do not

reflect potential for productivity (Wallach, 1976)

• Productive persons far more task oriented than general population

• Divergent thinking is a characteristic of highly creative people, there is little predictive validity.

Three Ring Conception

Triarchic Theory of IntelligenceGiftedness is present when an individual demonstrates high levels of intelligence. • Three types of intelligence (Sternberg,

2000)– Analytic– Creative– Practical

• Successful intelligence based in both personal and sociocultural standards and context (Sternberg, 2006)

Star Model• Giftedness is the ability to produce thoughts,

tangibles, artistry, or human services that are creative/proficient (Tannenbaum, 1986)

• Addresses antecedents and concomitants of demonstrated giftedness through five elements– Superior General Intellect– Distinctive Special Aptitudes– Nonintellective Requisites– Environmental Supports– Chance

• Elements have both static and dynamic aspects that interact with each other (Tannenbaum, 2003)

Star Model

Dynamic Theory of GiftednessSocial aspects influence development of giftedness (Babaeva, 1999)• Based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theories

– Sociocultural environment presents barrier for positive psychological development

– Stimulates compensation process to overcome obstacle

– Successful adjustment and incorporation into experience for future use

• Creativity increased over time for children in a challenging classroom environment (Babaeva, 1999)

Artistic and Musical GiftednessGiftedness is defined by precocity, intense motivation, and qualitative differences in learning and understanding information in the domain (Winner & Martino, 2003).• Creativity is an aspect of giftedness in

within a domain (Winner, 1997)– Everyone has little ‘c’ as children– Few obtain big ‘C’ in adulthood

• “[C]reativity is an inextricable part of giftedness” (Winner, 2003, p. 371)

Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent

• There is a distinction between giftedness and talent (Gagne, 2003)– Giftedness includes aptitude domains or natural

abilities– Talents are fields in which aptitudes manifest

• Creativity considered as aptitude domain or natural ability

• Intrapersonal characteristics, environmental factors, and chance influence developmental process between giftedness and talent

ReferencesBabaeva, J. D. (1999). A dynamic approach to giftedness: Theory and practice. High Ability Studies,

10, 51-68.Fliegler, L. A., & Bish, C. E. (1959). The gifted and talented. Review of Educational Research, 29, 408–

450.Gagné, F. (1999). Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 22,

194–234.Gagné, F. (2003). Transforming gifts into talents: The DMGT as a developmental theory . In N. Colangelo & G. A. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of gifted education (3rd ed., pp. 335–349). Boston, MA: Pearson

EducationMiller, A. L. (2012). Conceptualizations of Creativity: Comparing Theories and Models of Giftedness. Roeper Review, 34, 94-103. doi:10.1080/02783193.2012.660683Renzulli, J. S. (1978). What makes giftedness? Reexamining a definition. Phi Delta Kappan, 60, 180–

184.Sternberg, R. J. (2000). Patterns of giftedness: A triarchic analysis. Roeper Review, 22, 231–235.Sternberg, R. J. (2006). The Rainbow Project: Enhancing the SAT through assessments of analytical, practical, and creative skills. Intelligence, 34 , 321–350Tannenbaum, A. J. (1986). Giftedness: A psychosocial approach. In R. J. Sternberg & J. E. Davidson

(Eds.), Conceptions of giftedness (pp. 21–52). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.Tannenbaum, A. J. (2003). Nature and nurture of giftedness. In N. Colangelo & G. A. Davis (Eds.),

Handbook of gifted education (3rd ed., pp. 45–59). Boston, MA: Pearson EducationWinner, E. (1997). Giftedness vs. creativity in the visual arts. Poetics , 24 , 349–377.Winner, E. (2000). The origins and ends of giftedness. American Psychologist, 55, 159–169.Winner, E. (2003). Creativity and talent. In M. H. Bornstein, L. Davidson, C. L. M. Keyes, & K. A. Moore (Eds.), Well-being: Positive development across the life course (pp. 371–380). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence ErlbaumWinner, E. & Martino, G. (2003). Artistic giftedness. In N. Colangelo & G. A. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of

gifted education (3rd ed., pp. 335–349). Boston, MA: Pearson Education

TALENT DEVELOPMENT IN ADULTS: NURTURING DEVIANCE?

Scott R. Furtwengler, M.A.

Outline• Adult Creativity in the context of

intelligence and giftedness• Benefits of Creative Behavior in

Adults• Obstacles to identification• Measures• Future research

Creativity• Sternberg: Triarchic Theory of Intelligence– Analytical (componential)– Practical (contextual)– CREATIVE (experiential)

• Renzulli: Three Ring Conception of Gifted Behavior– Ability– Task commitment– CREATIVITY

Sternberg: Creative Facet• Insight, synthesis, ability to react to

novel situations and stimuli• On a continuum between novelty

skills and automatic skills

Renzulli: Creative-Productive Giftedness

“Those aspects of human activity and involvement where a premium is placed on the development of original material and products that are purposefully designed to have an impact on one or more target audiences.”

Subotnik: Talent Development is the transformation…

• Of abilities into competencies• Competencies into expertise• Expertise into outstanding

performance or seminal ideas

Subotnik et al. (2011)• Ability is necessary for giftedness• Interest & commitment to a domain are necessary to becoming a

gifted achiever and attaining eminence• Gifted achievement and eminence also depend on appropriate

teaching or coaching of psychosocial skills that include persistence and exertion of effort - development of talent requires a substantial investment of time

• The percentage of eminent adults is considerably smaller than the percentage of children with gifted potential

• Developmental periods in which potential and eminence are recognized differ across domains

• The transitions across stages are largely a function of developed psychosocial skills

• The emergence of new domains creates additional opportunities for the manifestation and development of talent and eminence

Identifying Adults with Gifted Behavior

• Explore personal growth and self-efficacy (Jacobsen, 1998)

• Correlates to an individual’s mental health and well-being (Caddy, Crawford, & Cage, 2012)

• Creative employees are important to an organization’s innovation, productivity, and sustainability (Lukersmith & Burgess-Limerick, 2013)

• Creative deficit (Mandel, 2009)

Measures of Creativity• Save for the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults (ATTA,

2008), predictive validity is limited• The Candle Problem (Duncker, 1945)• Wallace/Kogan (1965)• Alternative Uses Test (Guilford, 1967)• Nicholls (1972) suggests that an analysis of creative

products is preferable to the trait-based approach in making predictions about creative potential.

• Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (1974)• Wallach (1976) proposes that student self-reports about

creative accomplishment are sufficiently accurate to provide a usable source of data

• Abedi Test of Creativity (ATC, 2000)

Creativity & Deviance• Creative individuals are viewed as deviant

(Wells, Donnell, Thomas, Mills, & Miller, 2006)

• In group decision-making, group members dislike deviant members and rate morale lower despite increased innovation and creativity (Rijnbout & McKimmie, 2012)

• Workers perceive employers as disingenuous when calling for increased innovation (Lencioni, 2010)

Nurturing Deviance• Creative deviance (Mainemelis, 2010):

neither inherently destructive or constructive

• Positive deviance (Spreitzer & Sonenshein, 2004; Wexler, 2011): intentional behaviors that depart from the norms of a referent group in honorable ways.

• Innovative deviance (Acharya & Taylor, 2012)

Acharya & Taylor (2012)Positive Deviance & Innovation

• It is intentional, voluntary, purposeful and discretionary, rather than forced or coerced

• It involves departure from the norms of a referent group and it therefore unexpected

• It is honorable in nature• It is beneficial to employees and

organizations

Creative Behavior• Viewed as deviant (abnormal,

aberrant) behavior• Not predictable (possible cause for

the difficulty in supporting scales with predictive validity)

• Not controllable• Scientific method: to predict and

control

Future research• Stereotype threat • Social desirability• New model for identification

ReferencesAvey, J., Lynn Richmond, F., & Nixon, D. (2012). Leader Positivity and Follower Creativity: An Experimental Analysis. Journal Of Creative Behavior, 46(2), 99-118. doi:10.1002/jocb.8 Binnewies, C., & Gromer, M. (2012). Creativity and innovation at work: the role of work characteristics and personal initiative. Psicothema, 24(1), 100-105.  Bloom, B. (1985). Developing talent in young People. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. Caddy, L., Crawford, F., & Page, A. (2012). 'Painting a path to wellness': correlations between participating in a creative activity group and improved measured mental health outcome. Journal Of Psychiatric And Mental Health Nursing, 19(4), 327-333. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01785.x Chell, E., & Athayde, R. (2011). Planning for uncertainty: soft skills, hard skills and innovation. Reflective Practice, 12(5), 615-628. doi:10.1080/14623943.2011.601561 Commons, M., Ross, S., & Bresette, L. (2011). The connection between postformal thought, stage transition, persistence, and ambition and major scientific innovations. In C. Hoare (Ed.) , The Oxford Handbook of Reciprocal Adult Development And Learning (2nd Ed) (pp. 287-301). New York, NY US: Oxford University Press.  Coxon, S. (2012). Innovative Allies. Gifted Child Today, 35(4), 277-284. doi:10.1177/1076217512455480 Hicks, J., Pedersen, S., Friedman, R., & McCarthy, D. (2011). Expecting innovation: psychoactive drug primes and the generation of creative solutions. Experimental And Clinical Psychopharmacology, 19(4), 314-320. doi:10.1037/a0022954 Jones, E. (2012). Giving Ourselves Permission to Take Risks. Exchange (19460406), (206), 46-50.  Kerr, R. & McKay, R. (2013). Searching for tomorrow’s innovators: Profiling creative adolescents. Creativity Research Journal, 25(1), 21-32. doi:10.1080/10400419.2013.752180 Knox, A. (2011). Creativity and Learning. Journal Of Adult And Continuing Education, 17(2), 96-111. Lencioni, P. (2010). Why Companies Need Less Innovation. Businessweek.Com, 3.  Lukersmith, S., & Burgess-Limerick, R. (2013). The perceived importance and the presence of creative potential in the health professional's work environment. Ergonomics, 56(6), 922-934. doi:10.1080/00140139.2013.779033 Mainemelis, C. (2010). Stealing fire: Creative deviance in the evolution of new ideas. Academy of Management Review, 35, 558-578.

Mandel, M. (2009). INNOVATION INTERRUPTED. (cover story). Businessweek, (4135), 34-40.  Meyer, P. (2012). Embodied learning at work: Making the mind-set shift from workplace to playspace. New Directions For Adult & Continuing Education, 2012(134), 25-32. doi:10.1002/ace.20013 Ness, R. (2011). Commentary: Teaching creativity and innovative thinking in medicine and the health sciences. Academic Medicine: Journal Of The Association Of American Medical Colleges, 86(10), 1201-1203. doi:10.1097/ACM.0b013e31822bbb9f Renzulli, J.(1998) in Baum, S. M., Reis, S. M., & Maxfield, L. R. (Eds.). Nurturing the gifts and talents of primary grade students. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press. 

ReferencesRietzschel, E., Nijstad, B., & Stroebe, W. (2010). The selection of creative ideas after individual idea generation: choosing between creativity and impact. British Journal Of Psychology (London, England: 1953), 101(Pt 1), 47-68. doi:10.1348/000712609X414204 Rijnbout, J. S., & McKimmie, B. M. (2012). Deviance in group decision making: Group-member centrality alleviates negative consequences for the group. European Journal Of Social Psychology, 42(7), 915-923. doi:10.1002/ejsp.1917 Saunders, L. (2012). Silences and silence in ‘creativity’. London Review Of Education, 10(2), 215-225. doi:10.1080/14748460.2012.691285 Shavinina, L. (2013). How to Develop Innovators? Innovation Education for the Gifted. Gifted Education International, 29(1), 54-68. Shavinina, L. (2012). The Phenomenon of the "Abortion" of New Ideas and the Impact of "Saved" Ideas and thus Implemented Innovations on the Economy in the Case of Gifted Innovators. Talent Development & Excellence, 4(2), 171-179.  Smith, A., Courvisanos, J., Tuck, J., McEachern, S., & National Centre for Vocational Education, R. (2012). Building the Capacity to Innovate: The Role of Human Capital--Support Document. National Centre For Vocational Education Research (NCVER),  Spreitzer, G., & Sonenshein, S. (2004). Toward the construct definition of positive deviance. American Behavioral Scientist, 47, 828-487. DOI: 10.1177/0002764203260212 Subotnik, R. (2009). Developmental transistions in giftedness and talent: Adolescence into adulthood. The Development of Giftedness Across the Life Span. Horowitz, F., Subotnik, R., & Matthews, D. (Eds.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.  Subotnik, R. F., Olszewski-Kubilius, P., & Worrell, F. C. (2011). Rethinking Giftedness and Gifted Education: A Proposed Direction Forward Based on Psychological Science. Psychological Science In The Public Interest (Sage Publications Inc.), 12(1), 3-54. doi:10.1177/1529100611418056 Walberg, N. (2012). The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEO's Strategies for Beating the Devil's Advocate & Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization. Colorado Libraries, 36(4), 1.  Wexler, M. (2011). POSITIVE DEVIANCE AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT IN PUBLIC AGENCIES. Optimum Online, 41(4), 2.

HOW TO USE THE MEDICAL MODEL

Christine Peet, M.Ed.

WHAT IS THE MEDICAL MODEL?• Set of assumptions

• Looks at behavioral abnormalities using the same framework as physical disease

How is creativity currently identified?

• Social identity analysis (Hirst, Van Dick, & Van Knippenberg, 2009).

• Problem identification and instruction based on personality (Reiter-Palmon & Robinson, 2009).

• Measuring post-formal thinking (Blouin & McKelvie, 2012).

Problems with Current Identification

• Lacks universal definition• Creativity is often overlooked• Lacks predictive validity• Potential wasted• Productivity not maximized

Foundation of “medical model”

• Psychoanalytic Theory assumes person is:– Sick– Symptoms– Cause– Treatment

• Based on a “problem”

Foundation of “medical model”• Theory of proposed creativity

identification process assumes:– Data– Universal definition– Indicators– Patient is involved

• Not trying to treat a “problem”

Why medical model?• Generally succinct• Tangible• Easily understandable• Relies primarily on objective and

measurable observation• Universal definitions and standards

2 Types of diagnoses in medical model

• Substantial diagnosis

• Nominal diagnosis

Questions to ask• As diagnosticians, or identifiers of

creativity, are we seeking and using substantial or nominal diagnosis?

• How are both approaches useful in practice?

What the medical model misses• Phenomena that are not measurable

and quantifiable

• Psychological components

• Stress or emotional conflict

Why are psychological measures important

• Can affect results of creativity measure

• Difficult to measure

What to do Regarding medical model issues

• Ignore components that do not fit into the medical model

• Implement alternative methods

Problems with medical model• Psychological vs. physical

components

• Difficulty identifying creativity

I’m creative, but the medical model did not diagnosis me properly.

• Person may be in the gray area

• Identifiers need to examine the gray area

Limitations of universal medical model

• Creativity looks differently throughout cultures worldwide

• Individual components to consider:– Environment– Culture – Vocation – Ethnicity

Future research for identifying creativity

• Improve proposed medical model

• Use a holistic approach

ReferencesAlbee, G. W. (1998). Fifty years of clinical psychology: Selling our soul to the devil. Applied & Preventive

Psychology, 7(1), 189-194.Blouin, P. S., & McKelvie, S. J. (2012). Postformal thinking as a predictor of creativity and of the identification and appreciation of irony and metaphor. North American Journal Of Psychology, 14(1), 39-50.Chodoff, P. (2002). The Medicalization of the Human Condition. Psychiatric Services; doi: 10.1176.Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. British Journal of

Psychiatry, 196 (4286), 129-136.Furnham, A. & Bower, P. (1992). A comparison of academic and lay theories of schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 161(1), 201-210.Hirst, G., van Dick, R., & van Knippenberg, D. (2009). A social identity perspective on leadership and

employee creativity. Journal Of Organizational Behavior, 30(7), 963-982. doi:10.1002/job.60.Laing, R.D. (1971). The Politics of the Family and Other Essays. London: Tavistock Publications.Pilgrim, D. (2002). The biopsychosocial model in Anglo-American psychiatry: Past, prent and future? Journal of Mental Health, 11(6), 585-594.Reiter-Palmon, R., & Robinson, E. J. (2009). Problem identification and construction: What do we know, what is the future?. Psychology Of Aesthetics, Creativity, And The Arts, 3(1), 43-47. doi:10.1037/a0014629.Shah, P. & Mountain, D. (2007). The medical model is deal – long live the medical model. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 191, 375-377. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.107.037242.Webb, J. T., Amend, E. R., Webb, N. E., Goerss, J., Beljan, P., & Olenchak, F. R., (2004). Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, bipolar, OCD, Asperger’s, depression, and other disorders. Scottsdale: Great Potential Press.

Question for the AudienceBased on your own personal knowledge, how would you describe an adult who is highly creative?

CREATIVITY IN DEVIANT POPULATIONS

Jessi Cummings-Mengis, M.A.T., M.Ed

How is Creativity Used?• Use talents in an illegal fashion• Drop out of high school• Choose not to pursue abilities• Waste potential

• (Borzyskowski, 2009; Cratty, 2012; Grantham, 2011; Kim, 2008; Kampylis & Valtanen, 2010; Rawe, 2007; Whiting, 2009; Zablowski, 2012)

Incarceration• 7.1 million incarcerated in 2010

• (Glaze, 2011)• Costs $26,074 per inmate, per year

• (James, 2013)• After parole, 32.4% come back after

three year• (Jones, 2010)

What About Adults?• Research is focused on children and

adolescents• Rareness in adult studies• Unknown about what happens to

unidentified individuals• Unknown about creativity/gifted and

illegal use

What About Adults?• Relationship between ADHD and a

person in prison– Overall rate 10.5%–Male 9.8%– Female 15.1%– General population (2-5%)• (Cahill, 2012)

• Relationship between ADHD and a person who is gifted

Future Research• Identify if high levels of creativity

exist within incarcerated populations • Examine the relationship • Work backwards– Programs to decrease recidivism – Identify youth– Use creativity in legal ways

Thank youYou can contact Scott Furtwengler atsfurtwengler@gmail.com