Extremely Early High Abilities, Sensitive Periods, and the Development of Giftedness: a conceptual proposition

Abstract

An explanation is proposed of the underlying mechanisms and nature of extremely early high abilities — prodigiousness. It is suggested that prodigiousness be considered as a consequence of accelerated development especially during sensitive periods, which results in the rapid formation of a child's mental resources into unique cognitive experiences, expressed in the prodigy's exceptional perceptions of the world. Other phenomena in the very young prodigy's development (e.g. crystallising experiences, midlife crisis, asynchrony and/or dyssynchrony) are also interpreted in the light of this conception of prodigiousness.