Emil O W Kirkegaard

Contellesa's study seems like it's inherently contradictory. She wants to know more about how polymaths develop and their experiences...but she used a methodology that has inherently weak generalizability. #APA2019 #psychology

I'm skeptical that having expertise in the sciences and the arts makes someone a polymath. "Poly" = "many," not "two." And why can't someone be a high-level expert in multiple sciences? Of course, the more domains she requires, the smaller her sample is. #APA2019 #psychology

Michael Araki is on deck now. He starts by saying how disappointed he is that the scientific knowledge on polymaths is so small. #psychology #APA2019

Araki identifies 6 types of polymathy: -Philosophical -Experiential (lots of travel, experiences) -Omni Genere (Renaissance style polymathy of knowing everything) -Avocational (mix of hobbies and jobs) -Pro-c (creative in jobs) -Big-C (high creativity) #APA2019 #psychology

Araki's three requirements for polymathy: Breadth Depth (If you don't have depth, you're a dilettante.) Integration #APA2019 #psychology

Araki also discusses the costs of polymathy. It's important for creativity, but it can make people more difficult to employ and it has psychosocial costs. #APA2019 #psychology

Next presenter is Michele Root-Bernstein. She starts w/a working definition of creative polymathy: "Active engagment in multiple interests or endeavors, integrating vocations with avocations, simultaneously and serially over the course of a lifetime." #APA2019 #psychology