A state of intellectual or creative giftedness.

There are differences in intellectual attainment among children. Some children make strides in learning and creativity that are well beyond what would normally be expected and are called geniuses or gifted students. Although definitions of genius, or giftedness, are inevitably culture-bound and subjective, psychologists are trying to determine what factors might contribute to its emergence in children.

Infancy and Preschool

Because it is impossible to tell which infants will become gifted children, it is extremely difficult to study environmental influences on giftedness from infancy. So researchers generally study gifted children only in later years, relying solely on unscientific methods such as selfreports and memories of parents and teachers. While this is not the most reliable method of study, it does offer some insight into the development of geniuses.

Psychologist William Fowler has done extensive research in this area and has found...