Creativity and Giftedness

Abstract

During the last decades there is a growing interest in theory and research on creativity and giftedness. Creativity and giftedness are two distinct, but intercorrelated terms. They can be combined into a new distinct type of giftedness, the creative giftedness. Creative giftedness is associated with originality and inventiveness in highly cognitively demanding scientific and/or artistic fields. In this chapter, there will be a presentation in the form of a brief historical overview of the research on the topic of creativity and giftedness. This chapter also includes a review concerning data from neuropsychological research coming from children, adolescents and adults, who are both creatively and intellectually gifted, and data from a Greek research for the general population's attitudes toward individuals who are characterized as both intellectually and creatively gifted. Finally, some questions that need clarification through future research and a discussion concerning new methodological paradigms will be presented.