Author:

Keywords:

expertise, chess positions, age-differences, practice, musicians, ballet dancers, individual-differences, talent, cognitive plasticity, skeletal-muscle, mnemonic skill, memory, information, school, Social Sciences, Psychology, Psychology, Multidisciplinary, CHESS POSITIONS, AGE-DIFFERENCES, BALLET DANCERS, INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES, COGNITIVE PLASTICITY, SKELETAL-MUSCLE, MNEMONIC SKILL, MEMORY, INFORMATION, SCHOOL, 1701 Psychology, 1702 Cognitive Sciences, Experimental Psychology, 52 Psychology

Abstract:

The theoretical framework presented in this article explains expert performance as the end result of individuals' prolonged efforts to improve performance while negotiating motivational and external constraints. In most domains of expertise, individuals begin in their childhood a regimen of effortful activities (deliberate practice) designed to optimize improvement. Individual differences, even among elite performers, are closely related to assessed amounts of deliberate practice. Many characteristics once believed to reflect innate talent are actually the result of intense practice extended for a minimum of 10 years. Analysis of expert performance provides unique evidence on the potential and limits of extreme environmental adaptation and learning.