Aptitude

aptitude

[′ap·tə‚tüd]

(psychology)

The natural inclination or capacity for skillful performance of an as yet unlearned task.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Aptitude

 

a high level of development of a person’s capabilities, allowing him to achieve particular success in one or another pursuit.

A distinction is made between general and specific aptitudes, or between general and specific aspects of aptitude. Thus, with a general intellectual aptitude, all types of activity requiring intellectual qualities for their successful realization may be mastered. A specific aptitude is linked with the type of activity in whose pursuit it reveals itself most fully; examples are mathematical, technical, musical, artistic, and poetic aptitudes.

The chief indications of exceptional aptitude are early manifestation of abilities and rapid mastery of knowledge: the person possessing such qualities develops an interest in and an inclination for a certain activity, becomes skilled in it, and in its pursuit manifests originality and creativity.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.