Genetic Studies of Genius

work by Terman

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July 16, 2026

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Lewis Terman, an American psychologist, initiated a significant longitudinal study in 1921 to investigate gifted children, whom he defined as those with IQs exceeding 140. His research, published in Genetic Studies of Genius, challenged the stereotype of gifted children as frail or socially inept, finding them to be healthier and more stable than average. Terman's work also supported his advocacy for eugenics, a controversial concept focused on selective human breeding. The study's findings, gathered over decades, provided extensive data on the lives and achievements of gifted individuals. Genius, in psychology, refers to extraordinary intellectual power, with Terman setting an IQ threshold of 140 for potential genius.12

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Lewis Terman
, Genetic Studies of Genius, 5 vol. (1926–59). Terman’s successors continued to publish books on the longitudinal study that Terman began in the first half of the 20th century. Terman’s other investigations were reported in Sex and Personality (1936) and Psychological Factors in Marital Happiness (1938).
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, Genetic Studies of Genius, 5 vol. (1926–59). Terman’s successors continued to publish books on the longitudinal study that Terman began in the first half of the 20th century. Terman’s other investigations were reported in Sex and Personality (1936) and Psychological Factors in Marital Happiness (1938).
Read More