Editing Lewis Terman (section)

===Psychology of Extreme Talent===
Terman's study of genius and gifted children was a lifelong interest.<ref>(Vialle, 1994)</ref> His fascination with the intelligence of children began early in his career since he was familiar with [[Alfred Binet]]'s research in this area.<ref name=Bernreuter>Bernreuter, R. G., Miles, C.C., Tinker, M.A., & Young, K. (1942). ''Studies in personality.'' New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.</ref>

Through his studies on gifted children, Terman hoped first, to discover the best educational settings for gifted children and, second, to test and dispel the negative stereotypes that gifted children were "conceited, freakish, socially eccentric, and [insane]".<ref name=Bern11>Bernreuter, R. G., Miles, C.C., Tinker, M.A., & Young, K. (1942). ''Studies in personality.'' New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company. page 11</ref>

Previously, the research looking at genius adults had been retrospective, examining their early years for clues to the development of talent. With Binet's development of [[IQ tests]], it became possible to quickly identify gifted children and study them from their early childhood into adulthood.<ref name=Bernreuter/> In his 1922 paper called ''A New Approach to the Study of Genius'', Terman noted that this advancement in testing marked a change in research on geniuses and giftedness.<ref>(Terman, 1922)</ref>

Terman found his answers in his [[longitudinal study]] on gifted children: [[Genetic Studies of Genius]].<ref>Minton, 1988</ref> Initiated in 1921, the ''Genetic Studies of Genius'' was from the outset a long-term study of [[gifted children]]. Published in five volumes, Terman followed children with extremely high IQ in childhood throughout their lives. The fifth volume examined the children in a 35-year follow-up, and looked at the gifted group during mid-life.<ref name="Terman, 1959">(Terman, 1959)</ref>

''Genetic Studies of Genius'' revealed that gifted and genius children were in at least as good as average health and had normal personalities. Few of them demonstrated the previously held negative stereotypes of gifted children. He found that gifted children did not fit the existing stereotypes often associated with them: they were not weak and sickly social misfits, but in fact were generally taller, in better health, better developed physically, and better adapted socially than other children. The children included in his studies were colloquially referred to as "Termites".<ref>{{Cite book |title=Terman's Kids: The Groundbreaking Study of How the Gifted Grow Up |last=Shurkin |first=Joel |year=1992 |publisher=Little, Brown |location=Boston, Massachusetts |isbn=978-0-316-78890-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/termanskids00joel}}
*{{cite news |author=Frederic Golden |date=May 31, 1992 |title=Tracking the IQ Elite : TERMAN'S KIDS: The Groundbreaking Study of How the Gifted Grow Up, By Joel N. Shurkin |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-31-bk-1247-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108031753/http://articles.latimes.com/1992-05-31/books/bk-1247_1_lewis-terman |archive-date=2012-11-08 |url-status=live |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> The gifted children thrived both socially and academically. In relationships, they were less likely to divorce.<ref name=Seagoe/> Additionally, those in the gifted group were generally successful in their careers: Many received awards recognizing their achievements. Though many of the children reached exceptional heights in adulthood, not all did. Terman explored the causes of obvious talent not being realized, exploring personal obstacles, education, and lack of opportunity as causes.<ref name=Bernreuter/>

Terman died before he completed the fifth volume of ''Genetic Studies of Genius,'' but Melita Oden, a colleague, completed the volume and published it.<ref name="Terman, 1959"/> Terman wished for the study to continue on after his death, so he selected [[Robert Richardson Sears]], one of the many successful participants in the study as well as a colleague of his, to continue with the work.<ref name=Seagoe/> The study is still supported by [[Stanford University]] and will continue until the last of the "Termites" withdraws from the study or dies.

====Role of complex tasks in developing potential====
In 1915, he wrote a paper called ''The mental hygiene of exceptional children''.<ref>(Terman, 1915)</ref> He pointed out that though he believed the capacity for intelligence is inherited, those with exceptional intelligence also need exceptional schooling. Terman wrote that "[bright children] are rarely given tasks which call forth their best ability, and as a result they run the risk of falling into lifelong habits of submaximum efficiency".<ref name=Bernreuter/> In other words, nature (heredity) plays a large role in determining intelligence, but nurture (the environment) is also important in fostering the innate intellectual ability. By his own admission, there was nothing in his own ancestry that would have led anyone to predict him to have an intellectual career.<ref>Terman, L.M. (1932). Autobiography. In C. Murchison (Ed.), ''A history of psychology, Volume II'' (pages 297-332). Worcester, Massachusetts; Clark University Press.</ref>