Personal abilities are the features of the subject's psyche that affect the success of acquiring skills, knowledge, and skills. However, the abilities themselves are not limited to the presence of such skills, signs and habits. In other words, the ability of a person is a kind of opportunity for acquiring skills and knowledge. Abilities are manifested only in such activities, the implementation of which is impossible without their presence. They are found not in skills, knowledge and skills, but in the process of acquiring them and are included in the personality structure. Every person has abilities. They are formed in the process of the subject's life activity and change together with changes in objective life circumstances.

Development of personality abilities

Abilities in the structure of personality are its potential. The structural structure of abilities is dependent on the development of the individual. There are two degrees of ability formation: creative and reproductive. At the reproductive stage of development, the individual shows a significant ability to acquire knowledge, activity and implement it according to a clear pattern. At the creative stage, the individual is able to create something new, unique. The combination of outstanding abilities that cause a very successful, original and independent performance of various activities is called talent. Genius is the highest level of talent. Geniuses are those who can create something new in society, literature, science, art, etc. The abilities of subjects are inextricably linked with inclinations.

A person's abilities for rote memorization, sensation, emotional excitability, temperament, psychomotor skills are formed on the basis of inclinations. The possibilities for the development of the anatomical and physiological properties of the psyche, which are due to heredity, are called inclinations. The development of inclinations depends on close interaction with the surrounding circumstances, conditions and the environment as a whole.

Absolutely nothing capable people can not be. The main thing is to help the individual find his vocation, discover opportunities and develop abilities. Every healthy person has all the necessary general abilities for learning and those abilities that develop during certain activities are special. So, the main factor influencing the development of abilities is activity. But in order for abilities to develop, activity itself is not enough, certain conditions are also needed.

Skills need to be developed from childhood. In children, engaging in any particular type of activity should evoke positive, constant and strong emotions. Those. such activities should bring joy. Children should feel satisfaction from classes, which will lead to the formation of a desire to continue to study further without coercion from adults.

Important in the development of children's abilities is the creative manifestation of activity. So, for example, if a child is passionate about literature, then in order to develop his abilities, it is necessary that he constantly write essays, works, albeit small ones, with their subsequent analysis. A huge role in the development of the abilities of younger students is played by visiting various circles, sections. You should not force the child to do what was interesting to parents in their childhood.

The activity of the child should be organized so that it pursues goals, slightly exceeding its capabilities. If the children have already shown abilities for something, then the tasks given to him should gradually be complicated. It is imperative to develop in children along with abilities and exactingness towards oneself, purposefulness, perseverance in an effort to overcome difficulties and criticality in judging one's actions and oneself. At the same time, it is necessary to form in children the right attitude towards their abilities, achievements and successes.

The most important thing in the development of abilities in early age is sincere interest in your baby. It is necessary to pay as much attention to your child as possible, to do some work with him.

The decisive criterion for the development of society is the embodiment of the abilities of individuals.

Each subject is individual, and his abilities reflect the character of the individual, passion and inclination towards something. However, the realization of abilities directly depends on desire, regular training and continuous improvement in any specific areas. If an individual does not have a passion for something or a desire, then it is impossible to develop abilities.

Creative abilities of the individual

Many mistakenly believe that only drawing, writing, and music are considered creative abilities. However, this is absolutely false. Since the development of the creative abilities of the individual is closely interconnected with the individual's perception of the world as a whole and the feeling of being in it.

The highest function of the psyche, reflecting reality, is creativity. With the help of such abilities, an image of an object that does not exist at that moment or has never existed at all is developed. At an early age, the foundations of creativity are laid in a child, which can manifest itself in the formation of abilities for a plan and its implementation, in the ability to combine one's ideas and knowledge, in the sincerity of conveying feelings. The development of children's creative abilities occurs in the process of various activities, for example, games, drawing, modeling, etc.

The individual characteristics of the subject, which determine the success of the individual in any creative activity, are called creative abilities. They are a combination of many qualities.

Many well-known scientists in psychology combine the ability to be creative with the peculiarities of thinking. Guilford (an American psychologist) believes that creative individuals are characterized by divergent thinking.

People with divergent thinking, when looking for a solution to a problem, do not focus all their efforts on establishing a single correct answer, but look for various solutions in accordance with all possible directions and consider many options. Creative thinking is based on divergent thinking. Creative thinking is characterized by speed, flexibility, originality and completeness.

A. Luk identifies several varieties of creative abilities: finding a problem where others do not notice it; curtailment of mental activity, while transforming several concepts into one; the use of skills that have been acquired in finding solutions from one problem to another; perception of reality as a whole, and not crushing it into parts; ease in finding associations with distant concepts, as well as the ability to issue necessary information at a certain moment; choose one of alternative options problem solving before its verification; show flexibility of thinking; introduce new information into an existing knowledge system; to see things, objects as they really are; highlight what is noticed from what the interpretation offers; creative imagination; easy to generate ideas; refinement of specific details to optimize and improve the original idea.

Sinelnikov and Kudryavtsev identified two universal creative abilities that have developed in the process historical development society: the realism of the imagination and the ability to see the integrity of the picture before its constituent parts. A figurative, objective grasp of some significant, general pattern or trend in the formation of an integral object, before the individual has a clear idea about it and can introduce it into the system of clear categories of logic, is called the realism of the imagination.

The creative abilities of a person are a set of traits and character traits that characterize the level of their compliance with certain requirements of any type of educational and creative activity, which determine the degree of effectiveness of such an activity.

Abilities must necessarily find support in the natural qualities of the individual (skills). They are present in the process of constant improvement of personality. Creativity alone cannot guarantee creative achievement. To achieve it, a kind of “engine” is needed, which is able to put mental mechanisms into operation. Creative success requires will, desire and motivation. Therefore, eight components of the creative abilities of subjects are distinguished: personality orientation and creative motivational activity; intellectual and logical abilities; intuitive abilities; worldview properties of the psyche, moral qualities that contribute to successful creative and learning activities; aesthetic qualities; communication skills; the ability of the individual to self-manage his educational and creative activities.

Individual abilities of a person

Individual abilities of a person are general abilities that ensure the success of the assimilation of general knowledge and the implementation of various activities.

Each individual has a different "set" of individual abilities. Their combination is formed throughout life and determines the originality and uniqueness of the individual. Also, the success of any type of activity is ensured by the presence of various combinations of individual abilities that work for the result of such activity.

In the process of activity, some abilities have the opportunity to be replaced by others, similar in properties and manifestations, but having differences in their origin. The success of similar activities can be provided by different abilities, so the absence of any ability is compensated by another or a set of such abilities. Therefore, the subjectivity of a complex or a combination of certain abilities that ensure the successful performance of work is called an individual style of activity.

Now modern psychologists distinguish such a concept as competence, which means integrative abilities aimed at achieving results. In other words, this is a necessary set of qualities that employers need.

Today, the individual abilities of a person are considered in 2 aspects. One is based on the unity of activity and consciousness, which was formulated by Rubinstein. The second considers individual properties as the genesis of natural abilities that are associated with the inclinations and typological and individual characteristics of the subject. Despite the existing differences in these approaches, they are connected by the fact that individual characteristics are detected and formed in the real, practical social activity of the individual. Such skills are manifested in the performance of the subject, in activity, self-regulation of the activity of the psyche.

Activity is a parameter of individual characteristics, it is based on the speed of prognostic processes and the variability of the speed of mental processes. So, in turn, self-regulation is described by the influence of a combination of three circumstances: sensitivity, a specific rhythm of installation and plasticity.

Golubeva connects various types of activity with the predominance of one of the cerebral hemispheres. People with a dominant right hemisphere are characterized by high lability and activity. nervous system, the formation of non-verbal cognitive processes. Such individuals learn more successfully, solve tasks well in conditions of lack of time, and prefer intensive forms of education. People with a predominant left hemisphere are characterized by weakness and inertia of the nervous system, they more successfully master humanitarian subjects, can plan activities more successfully, and have a more developed self-regulating arbitrary sphere. From this it should be concluded that the individual abilities of a person are interconnected with his temperament. In addition to temperament, there is a certain relationship between the abilities and orientation of the personality, its character.

Shadrikov believed that ability is functional feature, which manifests itself in the process of interaction and functioning of systems. For example, a knife is capable of cutting. It follows that the abilities themselves as properties of an object are determined by its structure and the properties of individual elements of the structure. In other words, an individual mental ability is a property of the nervous system in which the function of reflecting the objective world is carried out. These include: the ability to perceive, feel, think, etc.

This approach of Shadrikov made it possible to find the right balance between abilities and inclinations. Since abilities are some properties of functional systems, therefore, the elements of such systems will be neural circuits and individual neurons that specialize according to their purpose. Those. properties of circuits and individual neurons and are special inclinations.

Social abilities of the individual

The social abilities of an individual are those properties of an individual that are acquired in the process of his development and meet the requirements of significant social activity. They change in the process of education and in accordance with existing social norms.

In the process of social communication, social properties are more expressed in conjunction with the cultural environment. One cannot be excluded from the other. Since it is the socio-cultural qualities that play the main role in the formation of the subject as a person.

In the processes of interpersonal interaction, socio-cultural value is lost, and social abilities cannot be fully manifested. The use of social abilities by an individual allows you to enrich your socio-cultural development, improve the culture of communication. Also, their use significantly affects the socialization of the subject.

So, the social abilities of the individual are the individual psychological characteristics of the individual, which can allow him to live in society, among people and are the subjective circumstances of successful communicative interaction and relationships with them in any kind of activity. They have a complex structure. The basis of such a structure is: communicative, social-moral, social-perceptual properties and ways of their manifestation in society.

Social-perceptual abilities are individual psychological properties individual, arising in the process of his interaction and relationships with other individuals, providing an adequate display of their characteristics, behavior, states and relationships. This type of ability also includes emotional-perceptual abilities.

Socio-perceptual abilities constitute a complex set of communicative abilities of an individual. Because it is the communication properties that allow subjects to understand and feel the other, to establish relationships and contacts, without which effective and full interaction, communication and fulfillment joint work impossible.

Personal professional abilities

The main psychological resource that invests a person in the process of work and activity is professional abilities.

So, the professional abilities of the individual are the individual psychological properties of the individual that distinguish him from others and meet the requirements of labor and professional activity, and are also the main condition for the implementation of such activities. Such abilities are not limited to specific skills, knowledge, techniques and skills. They are formed in the subject on the basis of his anatomical and physiological features and inclinations, however, in most specialties they are not strictly determined by them. More successful performance of a particular type of activity is often associated not with one specific ability, but with a certain combination of them. That is why professional skills are conditioned by successful specialized activity and are formed in it, however, they also depend on the maturity of the individual, the systems of his relations.

Activities, abilities of the individual throughout the life of the individual regularly change places, being either a consequence or a cause. In the process of carrying out any type of activity, mental neoplasms are formed in the personality and abilities, which stimulate the further development of abilities. With the tightening of the circumstances of the activity or with changes in the conditions of the tasks, the tasks themselves may turn on various systems abilities for such activities. Probable (potential) abilities are the basis newest species activities. Since the activity is always pulled up to the level of abilities. So, professional abilities are both the result and the condition for successful work activity.

General human abilities are those psychological properties that are necessary for the involvement of an individual in any professional and labor activity: viability; ability to work; the ability for self-regulation and activity, which includes forecasting, anticipating the outcome, goal setting; the ability to, spiritual enrichment, cooperation and communication; the ability to be responsible for the social outcome of labor and to professional ethics; ability to overcome obstacles, noise immunity, resistance to unpleasant circumstances and conditions.

Against the background of the above abilities, special ones are also formed: humanitarian, technical, musical, artistic, etc. These are individual psychological characteristics that ensure the success of an individual performing certain types of activities.

The professional abilities of an individual are formed based on universal human abilities, but later than them. They also rely on special abilities if they arose simultaneously with professional or earlier.

Professional skills, in turn, are divided into general, which are determined by the subject of activity in the profession (technology, man, nature) and special, which are determined by specific working conditions (lack of time, overload).

Also abilities can be potential and actual. Potential - appear when new tasks arise before the individual, which require new approaches to solving, and also subject to the support of the individual from the outside, which creates an incentive to actualize the potential. Actual - already today carried out in a procession of activity.

Personal communication skills

In the success of the individual, the determining factor is the relationship and interaction with the surrounding subjects. Namely, communication skills. The success of the subject in professional activity and in other areas of life depends on the degree of their development. The development of such abilities in an individual begins almost from birth. The sooner the baby can learn to speak, the easier it will be for him to interact with others. The communicative abilities of subjects are formed individually for each. The determining factor in the early development of these abilities are parents and relationships with them, later peers become an influencing factor, and even later - colleagues and one's own role in society.

If in early childhood the individual does not receive the necessary support from parents and other relatives, then he will not be able to acquire the necessary communication skill in the future. Such a child may grow up insecure and withdrawn. Consequently, his communication skills will be at a low level of development. The way out of this situation can be the development of communication skills in society.

Communication skills have a certain structure. They include the following abilities: information-communicative, affective-communicative and regulatory-communicative.

The ability to start and maintain a conversation, competently complete it, attract the interest of the interlocutor, use non-verbal and verbal means for communication are called information and communication abilities.

The ability to capture the emotional state of a communication partner, the correct response to such a state, the manifestation of responsiveness and respect for the interlocutor is an affective-communicative ability.

The ability to help the interlocutor in the process of communication and accept support and help from others, the ability to resolve conflicts using adequate methods, is called regulatory and communicative abilities.

Intellectual abilities of the individual

In psychology, there are two opinions about the nature of intelligence. One of them claims that there are general conditions of intellectual abilities by which intelligence in general is judged. The object of study in this case will be the mental mechanisms that determine the intellectual behavior of the individual, his ability to adapt to environment, the interaction of its external and inner worlds. Another suggests the presence of many structural components of intelligence that are independent of each other.

G. Gardner proposed his theory of the plurality of intellectual abilities. These include linguistic; logico-mathematical; creation in the mind of a model of the location of an object in space and its application; naturalistic; corpus-kinesthetic; musical; the ability to understand the motivation of the actions of other subjects, the ability to form the correct model of oneself and the application of such a model for a more successful realization of oneself in everyday life.

So, intelligence is the level of development of the individual's thought processes, which provide the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and apply them optimally throughout life and in the process of life.

According to most modern scientists, general intelligence is realized as a universal ability of the psyche.

Intellectual abilities are features that distinguish one individual from another, arising on the basis of inclinations.

Intellectual abilities are grouped into broader areas and can manifest themselves in various fields the life of the individual, his social role and status, moral and moral qualities.

Thus, it should be concluded that intellectual abilities have a rather complex structure. The intelligence of the individual is manifested in the ability of the individual to think, make decisions, the expediency of their application and use for the successful implementation of a particular type of activity.

The intellectual abilities of an individual contain a huge number of different components that are closely interconnected. They are realized by subjects in the process of playing various social roles.

General characteristics of human abilities

The word "ability" has a very wide application in most various areas practices. Usually, abilities are closely tied to a particular type of activity performed: high abilities - high-quality and effective activities, low abilities - low-quality and inefficient activities.

The phenomenon of ability is usually explained on the basis of one of three ideas:

1) abilities are reduced to all kinds of mental processes and states, follow from their characteristic features this person has

2) abilities are reduced to a high level of development of general and special knowledge, skills and abilities (KUNs) that ensure the successful performance of various types of activities by a person,

3) abilities are not ZUNs, but what ensures their rapid acquisition, consolidation and effective use on practice.

A little clarification needs to be made on the last point. Indeed, one can often observe how two specialists with the same level of training, under otherwise equal (similar) circumstances, achieve different successes. Of course, chance is of great importance in life. However, in order to put their ZUNs into practice, there are also conditions: a person must have an active life position, be strong-willed, purposeful, rational, etc.

B. M. Teplov identified three main features of the concept of "ability":

Individual psychological characteristics that distinguish one person from another (if some quality is not unique, like everyone else, this is not an ability),

Individual psychological characteristics that are related to the success of an activity or a series of activities,

Abilities can exist without ZUNs.

A classic example: the famous artist V. I. Surikov, could not enter the Academy of Arts. Although the outstanding abilities of Surikov manifested themselves early, necessary skills and skills in drawing he had not yet been formed. Academic teachers denied Surikov admission to the academy. The inspector of the academy, having looked at the drawings submitted by Surikov, said: "For such drawings, you should even be forbidden to walk past the academy!"

Teachers are often mistaken and cannot distinguish the absence of ZUNs from the lack of abilities. The opposite error is no less common: developed ZUNs are perceived as developed abilities (although a young person may simply be “trained” by his parents and previous teachers).

Nevertheless, in modern psychology and pedagogy, there is an idea that ZUNs and abilities are closely related. Namely: in mastering ZUNs, abilities are not only revealed, but also developed.

As B. M. Teplov believed, abilities can exist only in a constant process of development. Abilities that are not developed are lost over time. Area examples human activity in which abilities are developed:

technical creativity,

artistic creation,

Literature,

Mathematics,

Thesis about the need to develop abilities Maybe also have biological implications. As studies show, the genes of humans and animals can be in an activated state or not. Environmental conditions, lifestyle affect whether genes are activated or not. This is another adaptation mechanism invented by nature for living beings.

B. M. Teplov argued that “One of the most important features of the human psyche is the possibility of an extremely wide compensation of some properties by others, as a result of which the relative weakness of any one ability does not at all exclude the possibility of successfully performing even such an activity that is most closely related to this ability The missing ability can be compensated to a very wide extent by others, highly developed in a given person.

The proximity of abilities to each other, the ability to interchange them, makes it possible to classify abilities. However, the heterogeneity of the problem of abilities has led to the fact that the classifications differ significantly from each other.

First basis of classification

Natural (natural) abilities (that is, biologically determined),

Specific human abilities (having a socio-historical origin.

The natural elemental abilities are:

Perception,

Fundamentals of communication.

The makings of a man and the makings of an animal are not the same thing. A person develops abilities on the basis of inclinations. The formation of the ability occurs in the presence of elementary life experience, through the mechanisms of learning, etc.

Specific human abilities:

special ability,

Higher intellectual abilities.

General abilities are characteristic of most people and determine the success of a person in various activities:

thinking ability,

The subtlety and precision of hand movements,

Speech, etc.

Special abilities determine the success of a person in specific activities, the implementation of which requires the makings of a special kind and their development:

musical ability,

mathematical ability,

linguistic abilities,

technical ability,

literary ability,

Artistic and creative abilities,

Athletic ability, etc.

Intellectual abilities can be divided into:

theoretical abilities,

practical ability,

learning ability,

Creative skills,

subject abilities,

interpersonal abilities.

These types of abilities are closely related to each other, intertwined. The presence of, say, general abilities in a person does not exclude the development of special abilities, as well as vice versa. General, special and higher intellectual abilities do not conflict, but coexist, complement and enrich each other. In some cases, a high level of development of general abilities can act as special abilities in relation to certain types of activity.

Practical orientation

theoretical abilities,

Practical ability.

Theoretical abilities provide the quality and effectiveness of abstract-theoretical reflections, practical - concrete substantive actions. The development of this or that type of ability is closely connected with the inclinations of a person: what he likes, to theorize or act. Therefore, it can often be observed that in some people only theoretical abilities (different) are well developed, in others - only practical ones.

GENERAL ABILITIES

An attempt to systematize and analyze abilities was made by V. N. Druzhinin (2). General abilities he defines as the ability to receive, transform and apply knowledge. And this is the most important role play the following components:

1. Intelligence (ability to solve problems based on the application of existing knowledge),

2. creativity (the ability to transform knowledge with the participation of imagination and fantasy),

3. learning ability (ability to acquire knowledge).

Intelligence many researchers consider it as an equivalent of the concept of general giftedness, as the ability to learn and work in general, regardless of their content. The most complete, from a substantive point of view, is the definition of Wexler's intellect, he understands intellect as the ability for expedient behavior, rational thinking and effective interaction with the outside world.

The second factor in general ability is creativity, creative abilities, understood as a person's ability to non-standard, non-standard problem solving. Consider the relationship between creativity and intelligence. A lot of works have been devoted to establishing the relationship between creativity and intelligence, but they give very contradictory data, apparently, these relationships are characterized by great individual originality and at least 4 different combinations can occur. The peculiarity of the combination of intelligence and creativity is manifested in the success of activities, behavior, personality traits, ways (forms) of social adaptation.

Creativity is not always amenable to development; moreover, it has been noticed that in the process schooling associated with routine and solving standard algorithmic problems, the number of highly creative schoolchildren is decreasing. The development of creativity is facilitated by attention to the child, a wide range of requirements, including inconsistent ones, little external control of behavior, encouragement of non-stereotypical behavior and the presence of creative family members. Sensitive periods for the development of general creativity were noted at the age of 3-5 years, specialized at 13-20 years.

Learnability - this is the general ability to assimilate knowledge and methods of activity (in the broad sense); indicators of the rate and quality of mastering knowledge, skills and abilities (in the narrow sense). The main criterion of learning in a broad sense is the "economical" thinking, that is, the brevity of the path in self-identification and formulation of patterns in the new material. The criteria for learning in the narrow sense are: the amount of dosed assistance that the student needs; the ability to transfer acquired knowledge or methods of action to perform a similar task. Implicit learning ability is distinguished as "unconscious" primary general ability and explicit "conscious" learning ability.

Considering the ratio of intelligence, creativity and learning, Druzhinin V. N. distinguishes 2 levels in them.

Level 1 is determined by hereditary factors, the level and features of the development of functions - this is a functional level determined by the natural organization of the individual.

Level 2 - operational - socially determined, is determined by the degree of formation of operations that are assimilated by an individual in the process of upbringing, education and relate to the characteristics of a person as a subject of activity (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Two-level structure of abilities.

Thus, in the structure of abilities, naturally conditioned functional and socially conditioned operational mechanisms are closely intertwined. Some authors include stylistic characteristics in the structure of abilities, which primarily include cognitive styles. Cognitive styles are stable individual characteristics that manifest themselves in the way a person perceives and processes information.

IN last years along with general intelligence, emotional intelligence is distinguished, which includes 5 types of abilities: knowledge of emotions, management of emotions, recognition of emotions in others, the ability to motivate oneself, coping with social relations. If general intelligence is a factor in academic and professional success, then the level emotional intelligence allows us to talk about the likelihood of success in life (2).

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Special abilities determine the success of a person in specific activities, for the implementation of which the inclinations of a special kind and their development are necessary (mathematical, technical, literary and linguistic, artistic and creative, sports, etc.). These abilities, as a rule, can complement and enrich each other, but each of them has its own structure.

Special abilities should also include abilities for practical activities, namely: constructive-technical, organizational, pedagogical and other abilities.

Special abilities are organically related to general ones, or mental faculties. The higher the general abilities are developed, the more internal conditions to develop special abilities. In turn, the development of special abilities, under certain conditions, has a positive effect on the development of intelligence.

There are many individuals with a very high level of various abilities: scientific, literary, mathematical and artistic. Practical abilities cannot be developed and updated in creative activity without a high level of intellectual development. Thus, the constructive and technical abilities of a person are often associated with great scientific talent: a gifted inventor often introduces innovation not only in production, but also in science. A gifted scientist may also show outstanding design abilities (Zhukovsky, Tsiolkovsky, Edison, Faraday and many others).

Thus, each activity imposes certain requirements on general and special abilities. That is why it is impossible to narrowly professionally develop a personality, its abilities. Only the comprehensive development of the personality will help to identify and form general and special abilities in their unity. This does not mean that a person should not specialize in the area for which he shows inclination and greatest ability. Therefore, although this classification has a real basis, when analyzing a particular type of ability, it is necessary to take into account the general and special components in each separate case (7).

Often they talk about the abilities of a person, implying his tendency to certain kind activities. At the same time, few people think that this concept is scientific and implies the level of development of this quality, as well as the possibility of its improvement. Not everyone knows what levels of development of abilities exist, how to work on improving them and learn how to use them to the maximum. Meanwhile, it is not enough to have any ability, this quality must be constantly developed if you want to really succeed in a certain area.

ability level

According to the scientific definition, ability is individual and psychological feature specific person, which determines his ability to carry out a specific activity. Congenital prerequisites for the emergence of certain abilities are inclinations that, unlike the first, are laid down in a person from birth. It should be borne in mind that abilities are a dynamic concept, which means their constant formation, development and manifestation in various fields of activity. The levels of development of abilities depend on many factors that should be taken into account for continuous self-improvement.

According to Rubinstein, their development takes place in a spiral, which means the need to realize the opportunities provided by one level of abilities in order for a further transition to a higher one to occur.

Ability types

The level of development of personality abilities is divided into two types:

Reproductive, when a person demonstrates the ability to successfully master various skills, acquire and apply knowledge, and also implement activities according to an already proposed model or idea;

Creative, when a person has the ability to create something new, original.

In the course of successful acquisition of knowledge and skills, a person moves from one level of development to another.

In addition, abilities are also divided into general and special, according to Teplov's theory. The general ones are those that are demonstrated in any field of activity, while the special ones are manifested in a specific area.

Ability Development Levels

The following levels of development of this quality are distinguished:

Ability;

giftedness;

Genius.

In order to form a person's giftedness, it is necessary that there be an organic combination of general and special abilities, and their dynamic development is also necessary.

Giftedness - the second level of ability development

Giftedness implies a set of various abilities that are developed at a sufficiently high level and provide an individual with the opportunity to successfully master any type of activity. In this case, the possibility of mastering is specifically implied, since a person, among other things, is required to directly master the necessary skills and abilities for the successful implementation of the idea.

Giftedness is of the following types:

Artistic, implying great achievements in artistic activity;

General - intellectual or academic, when the levels of development of a person's ability are manifested in good results in learning, mastering various knowledge in various scientific fields;

Creative, involving the ability to generate new ideas and demonstrate a penchant for invention;

Social, providing a high identification of leadership qualities, as well as the ability to build constructive relationships with people and the possession of organizational skills;

Practical, manifested in the ability of the individual to apply their own intellect to achieve their goals, knowledge of the weak and strengths person and the ability to use this knowledge.

In addition, there are types of giftedness in various narrow areas, for example, mathematical talent, literary, etc.

Talent - a high level of development of creative abilities

If a person who has a pronounced ability in a particular area of ​​​​activity, constantly improves them, they say that he has a talent for it. It should be borne in mind that this quality is also not innate, despite the fact that many are accustomed to think so. When we talk about the levels of development of creative abilities, talent is a fairly high indicator of a person's ability to engage in a certain field of activity. However, do not forget that this is nothing more than pronounced abilities that need to be constantly developed, striving for self-improvement. No natural inclinations will lead to the recognition of talent without hard work on oneself. In this case, talent is formed from a certain combination of abilities.

Not a single, even the highest level of development of the ability to do something can be called talent, since in order to achieve a result, it is necessary to have such factors as a flexible mind, strong will, great ability to work and a rich imagination.

Genius is the highest level of ability development

A person is called a genius if his activity has left a tangible mark on the development of society. Genius is the highest level of development of abilities that a few possess. This quality is inextricably linked with the originality of the individual. distinctive quality genius, unlike other levels of development of abilities, is that it, as a rule, shows its "profile". Any side in a brilliant personality inevitably dominates, which leads to a vivid manifestation of certain abilities.

Ability Diagnostics

Revealing abilities is still one of the the most difficult tasks psychology. IN different time many scholars have put forward own methods studies of this quality. However, at present there is no technique that allows you to identify a person’s ability with absolute accuracy, as well as determine its level.

The main problem was that abilities were measured quantitatively, the level of development of general abilities was deduced. However, in fact, they are a qualitative indicator that must be considered in dynamics. Different psychologists put forward their own methods for measuring this quality. For example, L. S. Vygotsky proposed to evaluate through the zone of proximal development. This suggested a double diagnosis, when the child solved the problem first together with an adult, and then on his own.

Other methods for diagnosing the level of development of abilities

Human abilities can manifest at any age. However, the sooner they are identified, the greater the likelihood of their successful development. That is why now educational institutions from the earliest age, work is required, during which the levels of development of abilities in children are revealed. Based on the results of work with schoolchildren, classes are conducted to develop the identified inclinations to a particular area. Such work cannot be limited to the school, parents should also take Active participation in work in this direction.

The techniques most widely used for diagnosing abilities, both general and special:

- "The problem of Everier", designed to assess the purposefulness of thinking, that is, to what extent a person can concentrate on the task at hand.

- "Research of memory using the technique of memorizing ten words", aimed at identifying memory processes.

- "Verbal fantasy" - determining the level of development of creative abilities, primarily imagination.

- "Remember and dot" - diagnostics of the volume of attention.

- "Compasses" - the study of features

- "Anagrams" - the definition of combinatorial abilities.

- "Analytical mathematical abilities" - the identification of similar inclinations.

- "Abilities" - identifying the success of the performance of activities in a particular area.

- "Your creative age", aimed at diagnosing the correspondence of the passport age with the psychological one.

- "Your creativity" - diagnostics of creative possibilities.

The number of techniques and their exact list are determined based on the goals of the diagnostic examination. At the same time, the end result of the work is not revealing the ability of a person. The levels of development of abilities must constantly increase, which is why after the diagnosis, work must be carried out to improve certain qualities.

Conditions for increasing the level of development of abilities

One of the most important criteria for improving this quality is the conditions. The levels of development of abilities must constantly be in dynamics, moving from one stage to another. It is important for parents to provide their child with conditions for the realization of his identified inclinations. However, success depends almost entirely on a person's performance and focus on results.

The fact that a child initially has certain inclinations does not at all guarantee that they are transformed into abilities. As an example, consider a situation where a good prerequisite for further development musical abilities is the presence of a person's fine hearing. But the specific structure of the auditory and central nervous apparatus is only a prerequisite for the possible development of these abilities. A certain structure of the brain does not affect either the choice future profession its owner, nor the opportunities that will be provided to him for the development of his inclinations. In addition, due to the development of the auditory analyzer, it is possible that abstract-logical abilities will be formed, in addition to musical ones. This is due to the fact that the logic and speech of a person are in close connection with the work of the auditory analyzer.

Thus, if you have identified your levels of ability development, diagnosis, development and eventual success will depend only on you. In addition to relevant external conditions, you must be aware that only daily work will turn natural inclinations into skills that in the future can develop into real talent. And if your abilities are unusually bright, then perhaps the result of self-improvement will be the recognition of your genius.

The domestic theory of abilities was created by the works of many outstanding psychologists - Vygotsky, Leontiev, Rubinstein, Teplov, Ananiev, Krutetsky, Golubeva.

Teplov, defining the content of the concept ability, formulated 3 her sign, which underlie many works:

1. abilities are understood as individual psychological characteristics that distinguish one person from another;
2. they are related to the success of an Activity or many Activities;
3. abilities are not limited to available skills, abilities and knowledge, but can explain the ease and speed of acquiring this knowledge.

Ability- this is a psychological feature of a person and is not an innate quality, but is a product of development and formation in the process of any Activity. But they are based on congenital anatomical and physiological features - inclinations. Although abilities develop on the basis of inclinations, they are still not their function, inclinations are prerequisites for the development of abilities. Inclinations are considered as non-specific features of the nervous system and the organism as a whole, therefore, the existence of its own pre-prepared inclination for each ability is denied. On the basis of different inclinations, different abilities develop, which are equally manifested in the results of Activity.

Based on the same deposits different people different abilities can be developed. Domestic psychologists talk about the inseparable connection of abilities with activity. Abilities always develop in Activity and represent an active process on the part of a person. Types of Activity in which abilities are formed are always concrete and historical.

One of the main principles of domestic psychology is a personal approach to understanding abilities. Main thesis: it is impossible to narrow the content of the concept of "ability" to the characteristics of individual mental processes.

I. The problem of abilities arises when considering a Personality as a subject of Activity. A great contribution to the understanding of the unity of abilities and qualities of the Personality was made by Ananiev, who considered the ability as an integration of the properties of the subjective level (properties of a person as a subject of Activity). In his theory the structure of human properties has 3 levels:

1. Individual(natural). These are sexual, constitutional and neurodynamic features, their highest manifestations are inclinations.
2. subjective properties characterize a person as a subject of labor, communication and knowledge and include features of attention, memory, perception, and so on. The integration of these properties are abilities.
3. Personal properties characterize a person as a social being and are associated primarily with social roles, social status and value structure. Highest level in the hierarchy of personal properties is represented by the character and inclinations of a person.

A unique combination of all the properties of a person forms an individuality in which the central role is played by personal properties that transform and organize individual and subjective properties.

II. Most often, the relationship between the orientation of the Personality and its abilities is considered. Interests, inclinations, needs of a person induce him to active activity, in which abilities are formed and developed. Successful performance of the Activity associated with developed abilities has a positive effect on the formation of positive motivation for the Activity.

III. The influence of the characterological traits of the Personality on the formation of abilities is great. Purposefulness, diligence, perseverance are necessary in order to achieve success in solving the tasks set, and hence the development of abilities. The lack of strong-willed character traits can interfere with the development and manifestation of the intended abilities. Researchers note the characterological traits inherent in gifted people - initiative, creativity, high self-esteem.

Foreign psychologists also express similar ideas about abilities. They associate them with achievements in various activities, consider them as the basis of achievements, but do not associate abilities and achievements as identical characteristics.

Capabilities- this is a concept that serves to describe, streamline the possibilities that determine the achievements of a person. Abilities are preceded by skills that are their condition for acquisition in the learning process, frequent exercises and training. Achievements in Activity depend not only on abilities, but also on motivation, mental state.

General abilities- intellectual and creative abilities, which find their manifestation in many different types Activities.

Special abilities– are defined in relation to individual special areas of Activity.

Most often, the ratio of general and special abilities is analyzed as the ratio of the general and the special in the conditions and results of the Activity.

Teplov associated general abilities with general moments in different types of activity, and special ones with special specific moments.