ABSTRACT
Social and emotional development refers to the changes in an individual’s relationships with others, changes in emotions, and changes in personality. This chapters seeks to answer the question, “How does basic social and emotional development occur, what does it look like, and why is this relevant for the development of talent?” To do so, social and emotional development will be explored through several lenses: a lifespan theory of psychosocial development, a theory of moral development, research on social development and interpersonal relationships among the gifted, and the construct of emotional intelligence. Researchers in the field of gifted education and talent development should be inclusive of the notion of intersectionality in the design and interpretation of research. Moral development is partially predicated upon cognitive development. Hence, if intellectually gifted individuals have advanced cognitive development, it is fair to wonder if they also have advanced moral development.
