Rebuilding the Bridge: Overlooked Creativity Insights and Their Implications for Gifted Education

Creativity has long occupied an important place in gifted education theory, yet much of the most recent empirical work on creative development has emerged in adjacent disciplines. In this integrative synthesis, we draw on contemporary research in psychology, neuroscience, education, and human–artificial intelligence (AI) interaction to summarize converging evidence on how creativity is defined, structured, assessed, and cultivated. We highlight findings supported by meta-analyses, replication studies, and large-scale modeling, including work on implicit theories, domain specificity, cognitive and personality correlates, metacognition, creativity training, and emerging assessment approaches. Rather than proposing prescriptive reforms, we examine how these developments may clarify and extend existing conversations within gifted education concerning identification, programming, and talent development. By mapping areas of empirical stability across disciplines, this review aims to strengthen cross-field dialogue and support continued integration between creativity research and gifted education scholarship and practice.