Two Tails of the Normal Curve: Similarities and Differences in the Study of Mental Retardation and Giftedness

Professionals in the fields of mental retardation and giftedness have much to teach each other as well as the field of human development in general. Examining the commonalities and differences between the fields in social issues, definitions, developmental differences from the norm, values and polic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American psychologist 2000-12, Vol.55 (12), p.1413-1424
Main Authors: Robinson, Nancy M, Zigler, Edward, Gallagher, James J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Child
Child Development
Child, Gifted - psychology
Child, Preschool
Childhood Development
Education, Special
Elementary Secondary Education
Female
Financial Support
Gifted
Heterogeneous Grouping
Homogeneous Grouping
Human
Humans
Individuality
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Intellectual Development Disorder
Intellectual Disability - diagnosis
Intellectual Disability - psychology
Male
Mental Retardation
Reference Values
Regular and Special Education Relationship
Social Bias
United States
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Summary:Professionals in the fields of mental retardation and giftedness have much to teach each other as well as the field of human development in general. Examining the commonalities and differences between the fields in social issues, definitions, developmental differences from the norm, values and policy issues, and educational and long-term implications deepens insights about both normal and deviant development. The authors stress the importance of individual differences in the differential design of educational strategies and the application of approaches developed with specialized populations to normally developing children. Current social inequalities affect both of these fields in particular ways. Finally, numerous research agendas can be enhanced by including representatives of both ends of the normal curve.
ISSN:0003-066X
1935-990X
DOI:10.1037/0003-066X.55.12.1413