Emerging Conceptions of Giftedness: Building a Bridge to the New Century

Abstract

This article describes a continuum of definitions of giftedness from conservative to liberal, and how these definitions relate to the development of the 3-ring conception of giftedness. In this definition, above-average ability, task commitment, and creativity are seen as 3 interactive clusters of traits that gifted students may exhibit or are capable of developing. The 3-ring conception of giftedness provides an operational definition that can be used by schools as the basis for identification that, in turn, leads to more targeted programming options for gifted students. Recent research related to the 3-ring conception focuses on the infinite number of interactions that contribute to giftedness including personality and environmental factors that have an impact on one's ability to engage in creative and productive endeavors.