The Tyranny of Talent: Why talent matters for understanding human performance
Abstract:
When discussing the factors affecting human performance in sport and other achievement domains, is there a word that’s loaded with more baggage than ‘talent’? For over a century and a half, discussions of human achievement had to navigate what it means to be talented – but what is ‘talent’ and how good are we at identifying it? In this presentation, Joe Baker will summarize his research program examining the validity of talent as a concept, the challenges for researchers working in this area, and its implications for those working in elite sport contexts.
Bio:
Dr. Joe Baker is the Tanenbaum Research Chair in Sport Science, Data Modelling and Sport Analytics at the University of Toronto, Canada. His research considers the varying influences on optimal human development, ranging from the challenges associated with talent identification and athlete development to understanding how to construct optimal environments for skill acquisition and learning. Joe is the author/editor of 13 books and hundreds of peer-reviewed articles. In addition to his research activities, he works with professional teams and sport organizations around the world in their quest for sporting success. More information about his research can be found at https://www.bakerlab.kpe.utoronto.ca/
Location: Life Sciences Center, Room 1001