Originally Posted by Ben leis
I'm not sure I get the hard distinction some people have made between high achievers and gifted students. It seems difficult and not very interesting to tease apart what part of good performance is due to good study habits etc. vs innate ability. I think the ability to focus and apply is just as interesting as raw intelligence and certainly not something that is opposed to it.

Well, for one reason it's an question of developmental arc over a lifetime.

If your arc is steeper than others' the ability difference will grow over time, regardless of application because of the underlying cognitive capacity.

In addition, there is the question of whether arcs flatten at the lower levels as age increases.

This is where you get into the question of "overexcitibilies", "positive disintegration", and other things that exist but are not clearly understood.


Last edited by JonLaw; 04/01/14 11:56 AM. Reason: Words not there, so I are make new words and put there.