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This chapter is designed to provide an overview of gender differences found among intellectually gifted students and examine the research addressing males and females in a variety of dimensions of cognitive giftedness, but most frequently those related to manifesting quantitative gifts. This is often a controversial topic. Gender-related differences, when clearly shown by researchers, are not always embraced with enthusiasm. Men and women differ from each other in both fundamental and superficial ways. Physiological differences are well-known. Other differences are less obvious. Many of the cognitive ones are small and unimportant. A few are larger and influential, especially educationally. In this chapter, only differences on certain aptitude and achievement tests are considered, chiefly for above-average examinees. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

Attention is a necessary foundation for learning. Factors that have an effect on attention are maturation (Miller & Weiss, 1981; Gibson, 1992), gender (Brickenkamp & Zillmer, 1998) and intelligence (Silverman, Chitwood, & Waters, 1986; Sankar-Deleeuw, 2000). Chess requires students to use attentional skills to play and compete successfully. It has been shown to improve performance in traditional learning areas and can be a substantial bridge to intellectual and emotional growth (Bettelheim, 1997; Christiaen & Verholfstadt, 1978). Playing chess over a period of time has resulted in higher standardized test scores (Liptrap, 1998). Chess provides an intellectually stimulating and rewarding recreational activity (Schmidt, 1982; Rifner & Feldhusen, 1997) that fosters an appreciation for the consequences of actions and enhances planning skills, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills (Graham, 1985; Horgan, 1987). The goal was to examine attention in middle school students. The research question examined was: To what extent can variance in attention in middle school students be explained by gender, age, giftedness, and chess activity? These hypotheses were tested: (1) Gender is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. (2) Age is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. (3) Giftedness is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. (4) Chess activity is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. Thus, 126 middle school students from two metropolitan area middle schools were asked to complete a brief questionnaire about their chess activity, their identification as "gifted," gender, and age. Students then completed the d2 Test of Attention. The d2 Test measures processing speed, rule compliance, and quality of performance and estimates individual attention and concentration performance. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relation among the variables of giftedness, age, gender, chess activity and attention and to determine the influence of the four independent variables on attention. Total R equaled .572 with an R2 of .305, an adjusted R of .305. Three variables (age, gifted, chess activity) made significant contributions to the measure of attention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The present study investigated predictive relations between accelerated performance on tests of infant development, infant behavioral style, and performance on tests of cognitive and creative ability during adolescence. In addition, infant behavioral style was also examined as a means to enhance the predictive power of tests of infant development. The research area concerning infancy and the preschool years has mainly focused on the average child or deviations spanning below the mean. Similarly, much of the research within the area pertaining to the gifted and talented has focused on school age children, with little emphasis being placed on giftedness in the early years of life. The current study attempted to explore the areas of intelligence and creativity from a developmental perspective. This was done through a longitudinal follow-up of individuals who took part in research studies examining early indicators of intelligence, learning, and temperament as infants/toddlers. All participants of the current study obtained at least a standard score of 120 using the Mental Developmental Index of the BSID at the time of original participation. Thirty-two participants were obtained for use in the current study who were originally assessed as infants/toddlers approximately 12-19 years ago. Participants were administered the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition, the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (Figural Form B), and also filled out an updated demographic information sheet. Prior research has determined lack of predictive validity between infant and later tests of cognitive ability due to the limited verbal nature of the early standardized tests and the largely verbal nature of later standardized intelligence tests. It is also believed that aspects of infant behavioral style may contribute to the predictive validity of early standardized scores for later intelligence. It was hypothesized that the Bayley MDI score obtained as an infant/toddler would be significantly related to later creative ability. It was also hypothesized that infant/toddler behavior rating scores for test-affect extraversion, task orientation, and duration of orienting, when taken together, would be significantly related to later cognitive ability. Lastly, it was hypothesized that the addition of the three infant/toddler behavior rating scores to the Bayley MDI score would improve the predictive power over and above that predicted by the MDI score alone, in relation to later cognitive ability. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses did not yield significant results for the hypotheses reported above. However, a curvilinear relationship suggests that extremely high scores (130 and above) obtained during infancy may be related to later creativity, a finding that needs to be further explored with a larger sample size. Implications of the findings, limitations of the study, and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

This study sought to link both cultural macrolevel explanations and microlevel interactions to account for Korean American students' psychosocial adaptation and academic achievement through their acculturative experiences. To examine acculturation characteristics and ethnic orientations, the Korean American Acculturation Scale and the Ethnic Orientation Scale were administered to 466 students and 197 of their parents in the New York City and Chicago areas. Students and parents were divided into four acculturation style groups by the median score on two factors in the EOS (Korean orientation and Other-group orientation): (a) assimilation, (b) integration, (c) marginalization, and (d) separation. Students also completed the Domain-Specific Self-Concept Scale and the Learning Styles Inventory-III (LSI, Renzulli et al., 2002). To survey teachers' perceptions about Korean American students as gifted, the revised Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (Renzulli et al., 2002) was used. Seventy-nine teachers participated in this study. In addition, GreatSchools.net was used to collect contextual school data (e.g., school program, student-teacher ratio, school SES, and Asian student enrollment percentage). Ultimately 407 out of 466 students from 30 schools were analyzed by using a Hierarchical Linear Model (ELM) with two levels. Data were analyzed using a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) to assess the significance of independent variables on dependent variables. For gender and generation effects on acculturation characteristics (behavior and cultural value), females were characterized by a slower behavior acculturation rate into the mainstream culture than males. The more recent generations were more behaviorally acculturated into the mainstream culture. However, the adaptation process in cultural values was slow and depended on the generational status of Korean Americans. Korean Americans have adapted to the mainstream society by incorporating and changing selected cultural values. For gender and acculturation style effects on self-concepts (Academic, Appearance, Popularity, and Sensitivity to negative expression), female students showed lower Appearance self-concept than male students. Among four acculturation styles, integration style students showed higher Academic and Appearance self-concept than any other acculturation style groups. In terms of learning style preferences, female students preferred Peer teaching to male students. There were differences among acculturation styles in Direct instruction and Projects. However, there were no significant differences in most learning styles between integration style and separation style students. For the effect of acculturation style on teachers' perceptions of Korean American students as gifted, there was no the significant effect. Rather, there was the significant effect of GPA. The macrolevel (school-level) contexts have effects on the microlevel (student-level) in using a HLM. This study provided a "holistic" understanding of how Korean American students translated their experiences, thoughts, and feelings into school adaptation and academic achievement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Measurement of the abilities of gifted children is challenging. Identifying patterns of performance for gifted children has proven elusive. The WJIII COG, a theory-driven measure, purports to provide information about a child's pattern of abilities, including areas previously not measured by other cognitive instruments. Only one study has addressed the relationship between the WJIII COG and gifted children. (Rizza, et al., 2001). The purpose of this study was to examine the WJIII COG's appropriateness for use with gifted children. Interpretive guidance when using the WJIII COG with gifted children was sought. The following question was addressed: Do children of high intellectual ability display distinct patterns of performance on the WJIII COG Stratum II variables. If so, do these patterns qualitatively differ from the performance of children of non-high intellectual ability? The participants for this study were taken from the standardization sample of WJIII COG participants (N = 3,145). The participants were divided into two groups: high intellectual ability, Group 1 (N = 389), and "other," (Group 2) (N = 2756). Group 1 participants had a GIA Standard score of 120 or above. The participants were further divided into three subgroups, determined by age: preschool, school-aged, and college-aged. Approximately half of the sample was male. White participants were the majority of the sample (77.4-87.9%). Most participants were non-Hispanic (91.3-94.9%). Means, standard deviations, ranges, minimum values, and maximum values, were obtained. WJIII COG Stratum II variables were paired and compared. The comparisons made were ranges and point differences. Cumulative percentages of point differences were calculated at the 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 point levels. Two primary findings emerged. The first finding was that Group 1 participants scored higher overall than Group 2 participants when averages were compared. The second finding was that no gifted profile emerged for Group 1. Although no gifted pattern emerged, there was a great deal of variability within individual student profiles for both Groups. It was suggested that further research be directed at whether subtypes of students with high abilities could be identified that would have clinical implications congruent with multidimensional theories of giftedness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Literature from various fields of research and biographical sketches of eminent individuals suggests that the key to socially constructive success as an adult may in large part lie beyond the relatively simple idea of intellectual capability. A set of six factors-Optimism, Courage, Romance with a Topic/Discipline, Sensitivity to Human Concerns, Mental/Physical Energy, and Vision/Sense of Destiny-related to cognitive development but not measurable by traditional cognitive tests were explored for the first time among students. Collectively, these factors are referred to as "co-cognitive factors" because of their interdependence with cognitive development, and they appear to be integral to considerations of social capital because of their close association with life satisfaction, disposition, personality, and well-being. A quantitative study with a correlational descriptive design was conducted using two forms of the Co-Cognitive Factors Scale (Co-CFS) and an associated survey with a convenient sample of high school juniors and seniors from 11 states. Data from this study were used to establish additional information regarding the content validity of the Co-CFS. Multivariate analyses, including MANOVA, MANCOVA, and canonical correlation, were conducted to examine the factors as a set with regard to motivation, happiness, student grade point average (GPA), and involvement in extracurricular activities (particularly those associated with community- or service-oriented work). Interaction involving GPA, optimism, Vision/Sense of Destiny, and motivation were identified. Results suggested inverse relationships that require additional research. Scale score means and alpha reliabilities were higher when students were thinking about topics or subjects of interest to them. Community-oriented extracurricular involvement, utilized as a proxy for social capital, was a significant contributor to the prediction of students' levels of Courage, Romance with a Topic/Discipline, and Sensitivity to Human Concerns. This study provided a first look at the distribution, relevance, and abundance of the co-cognitive factors among a high school student sample. Results from this first empirical study pertaining to co-cognitive factors support additional research on co-cognitive factors, which appear may be significant contributors to student success, personal satisfaction, and development of social capital. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Comments on an article by Françoys Gagné (see record 2004-22507-002) on the Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT). I applaud Gagné's meticulous effort to articulate a comprehensive model of talent development, which specifies components of the model and delineates the relationships of these components in an admirably clear way. The field needs clarity and precision if it is to move forward. However, I am also concerned that the attempt to pin down everything as pure and clean also comes at the cost of oversimplication. My comment will focus on the transformation metaphor in the model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Although numerous studies have compared cognitive and motivational characteristics between gifted versus nongifted students, research comparing those characteristics among different types of gifted students has not kept up with the theoretical development that saw a transition from unidimensional to multidimensional conceptualizations of giftedness. This study compares cognitive and motivational characteristics of high school students who are academically gifted in math, creatively talented in math, and nongifted. Whereas no differences were found among the three groups in their beliefs about ability, most of the other characteristics examined in the study distinguished the three groups. Academically gifted female students reported expending more effort than did academically gifted male students. Creatively talented males put forth more effort than academically gifted males, and the creatively talented in general used more cognitive strategies than the academically gifted. Overall, students who were either academically gifted or creatively talented in mathematics perceived that they were self-efficacious in general, used cognitive strategies, perceived their math ability and math self-efficacy to be high, and valued learning math more so than their nongifted age peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

In this case study the author explored a teacher's beliefs about creativity and giftedness and investigated the classroom practices of this teacher of gifted students for 20 years. Seven semi-structured and 2 open observations were carried out in her classroom, and 2 prefigured interviews were conducted with her. She believed that creative children are those who are "free thinkers" and have "imaginative intelligence." The thin line between an academically gifted child and a creatively gifted child is built by "imagination," "emotional intensity," and "curiosity." In creative writing, she tried to implement activities such as learning to write poetry, personal narratives, research reports and essays posing solutions to real world problems, and mystery stories decorated with similes, metaphors and imaginative expressions. In reading, students analyzed characters, problems, places and times in stories and novels, and then rewrote stories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Identifying giftedness makes some of children's apparently malajusted behaviours understandable. It thus precludes affective and cognitive disorders. A better awareness of their specific profile should help those clever but atypical children integrate as they are too often considered psychologically disturbed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

By examining a gifted magnet of an urban California high school as a racial project, this study contributes to our understanding of racial formation. The study analyzes the organizational and representational practices of this voluntary desegregation tool--a partial-site magnet program for "gifted" students--and its impact on students inside and outside the program. In doing so, the study reveals how, in contrast to its stated mission, this form of voluntary desegregation actually constitutes a form of resegregation. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this research reveals a series of practices that have produced exclusionary access to the gifted program, limited the interaction between magnet and non-magnet students, and instituted an apparently color-blind discourse of the gifted as in need of protection, all contributing to a widespread though complex and contradictory notion of whiteness as giftedness. Such notions run counter to the original intent of the desegregation ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. Revealing the processes by which a desegregation instrument facilitates such contradictory outcomes provides critical insights into the dynamic nature of racial formation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This investigation reinforces the conceptualization of television viewing as a learned activity by highlighting the interrelatedness of children's linguistic, cognitive, and perceptual skills for accurate comprehension of television's most basic narrative device--temporal sequencing. It also explores the impact of highly divergent skills and abilities by sampling children school-labeled as academically gifted and artistically gifted. Findings reveal that children with exceptional information processing and/or visual representation capabilities, even at the young age of six, are capable of a higher level of comprehension of basic and modified ("time leaps," "flashback") modes of temporal sequencing when compared to children without those capabilities. It was also found that televiewing experience facilitated comprehension, although heavy consumption by children who do not possess the prerequisite visual literacy was ineffective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Young gifted children, although a diverse group within the population, demonstrate a number of distinctive characteristics particularly in the cognitive, social and emotional domains. This paper explores the nature of the young gifted child's thinking during the period of early childhood. The discussion is illustrated with examples provided by the families of young gifted children. The examples of children's conversations, drawings, and work samples from the study highlight the reality of the lived experience of young gifted children. They also challenge adult preconceptions of the young child and suggest the need to reconceptualize the roles and relationships within early childhood pedagogy. The notion of the "search for complexity and connection" is proposed as a useful construct to assist families and educators to understand and respond to the young gifted child's "kind of thinking." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Language minority students, while often underrepresented in traditional gifted programs, can benefit from "heritage language" courses focused on developing academic proficiency and exploring challenging content in their home language. We describe how heritage language courses can provide an appropriate venue for the identification of gifted potential among language minority students, how such courses can enhance student motivation for learning, and what cognitive benefits may be associated with additive bilingualism developed through such courses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This article presents a bibliography of published books on creativity and problem solving. Some of the books included are "Creativity for teachers" by Tan Ai-Girl; "Creative business: Achieving your goals through creative thinking and action" by Tim Bills; "Kids' play-Igniting children's creative passion", by Michelle Cassou; "New thinking for the new millennium", by Edward De Bono; "Unlocking creativity: A teacher's guide to creativity across the curriculum", by Robert Fisher; "Beyond Knowledge: Extracognitive aspects of developing high ability", by Larisa V Shavinina; "Creativity and giftedness", by Donald J Treffinger, etc. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

After a brief introduction with four main questions related to identifying gifted and talented students, this article centres on the following topics: (1) multidimensional conceptions of giftedness as preconditions of suitable identification procedures, (2) functions and benefits vs. dangers of identification measures, (3) methodological problems and (4) practical recommendations for the identification of various groups of gifted and talented students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The article discusses influence of family on child's development. On the basis of empirical data collected with the help of surveys the author analyzes the link between the "theory of instruction" supported by the parents (a system of empirical notions of the goals, means and strategies of education) and peculiarities of attitude to school on the part of primary schoolers and young adolescents. The author argues that the parental theory of instruction may affect development in the child of personal motivational sets which may promote or inhibit development of giftedness in adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The study reports on myths, which prevail in our society regarding giftedness. A detailed focus is aimed at the myth pertaining to the characteristic of the gifted child, and it brings an opinion that modern myths are formed also because of professional workers. It analyzes the myth on a gifted and bright child, the myth on a gifted child and a child with ADHD, and the myth on a happy emotional life of the gifted. Several questions are dealt with - professional workers should answer them, as long as they want to thwart formation of new myths. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

An introduction is given to the papers included in the present issue of High Ability Studies, which continues the tradition of presenting target articles which have been reviewed and commented on by eminent colleagues. In this issue Françoys Gagné (see record 2004-22507-002) submits his DMGT Model to discussion. To supplement the peer commentaries, additional questions are posed to which Professor Gagné presents his opinions. In his article 'Intelligence current in creative activities' Jiannong Shi (see record 2004-22507-011) undertakes a remarkable attempt to establish a theoretical bridge between the concepts of intelligence and creativity. In their highly interesting contribution 'Shona culture of Zimbabwe's view of giftedness' Constantine Ngara and Marion Porath (see record 2004-22507-012) make the case for fusing together the cultural and scientific views of giftedness in the school curriculum in order to develop a diversity of talents in students. Additional contributions include 'A review of primary and secondary influences on sport expertise' by Joe Baker and Sean Horton (see record 2004-22507-013), 'Cross-cultural predictors of mathematical talent and academic productivity' by Petri Nokelainen, Kirsi Tirri and James Reed (see record 2004-22507-014)and 'Explaining high abilities of Nobel laureates' by Larisa V. Shavinina (see record 2004-22507-015). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Teacher nomination is an important procedure in identifying highly gifted students for enrichment programs. In this study, teachers at college-prep high schools (German Gymnasium) nominated students for summer schools of the German Pupils Academy. The qualities of teacher decisions were examined by comparing them with the results of a cognitive ability test and with student self-nominations. Teachers identified all students as being highly gifted according to psychometric test criteria. In contrast to the perfect effectiveness of teacher nominations, the efficiency was quite low. Teacher nominations as well as self-nominations of students resulted in high proportions of candidates who did not meet psychometric criteria for high giftedness. The willingness of students to enrol at the Pupils Academy was largely determined by motivational variables like self-efficacy. The effectiveness of all student decisions concerning giftedness were considerably beyond those of teachers. In nominating students, teachers should try to obtain more information about students' self-perceptions of own abilities and motivations concerning gifted programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)