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

Castelló-Tarrida, Antoni, Cladellas-Pros, Ramón and Limonero-García, Joaquín The role of knowledge structures in adult excellence. An approach from expert functioning. Comunicar, 2019, vol. 27, n. 60, pp. 49-58. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English 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.

Spanish abstract

El rendimiento adulto de personas con diagnóstico de alta capacidad es un campo que ha sido poco investigado. Los resultados existentes indican que la excelencia se presenta en proporciones mucho menores que los casos con alta capacidad detectados durante la infancia/juventud, siendo relativamente pocos los casos de alta capacidad entre las personas que han generado productos de excelencia. Este artículo plantea el análisis de la frecuencia relativa de variables biográficas asociadas a la alta capacidad y a la oportunidad de generación de estructuras de conocimiento particulares, adecuadas para soportar la innovación en personas que han demostrado excelencia. Se ha utilizado un análisis biográfico restrospectivo de una muestra de 120 personas que generaron reconocidos productos de excelencia en diferentes campos durante el siglo XX. Se evaluaron variables asociadas a las altas capacidades: precocidad, problemas de aprendizaje, problemas sociales en la escuela y excelencia académica. Y variables asociadas a la generación de estructuras de conocimiento innovadoras y no convencionales: continuidad académico-profesional, influencia de personas individuales y alta productividad. Se detectaron diferencias significativas que indican una baja presencia de las primeras cuatro variables y una elevada presencia de las tres últimas. De ello se deduce que la trayectoria hacia la excelencia no parece corresponderse con la disposición de un elevado nivel de recursos intelectuales sino con una determinada utilización de recursos suficientes, ya sean cerebrales o apoyos tecnológicos externos.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Excellence; expertise; knowledge structures; high ability; brain; technology; innate; adult; Excelencia; experto; estructuras de conocimiento; alta capacidad; cerebro; tecnología; innatismo; adulto
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BJ. Communication
G. Industry, profession and education.
G. Industry, profession and education. > GH. Education.
Depositing user: Alex Ruiz
Date deposited: 14 Sep 2019 18:31
Last modified: 14 Sep 2019 18:31
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/38791

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