Behavioral and Brain Sciences



Open Peer Commentary
Howe et al.: Innate talents

If the key's not there, the light won't help


Robert J. Sternberg a1
a1 Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205 robert.sternberg@yale.edu

Abstract

Howe and colleagues demonstrate that deliberate practice is necessary for proficient levels of competence, a fact that is uncontroversial. They fail, however, to demonstrate the role of biology in talent, because the studies they cite are almost all irrelevant to the issue.