Gifted individuals may exhibit some of the following characteristics. Keep
in mind that gifted individuals are not a homogenous group, and therefore,
may exhibit these characteristics in varying degrees and intensities. It is
not expected that a gifted child will exhibit all of the traits listed nor
are the presence of any of these characteristics proof that a child is
gifted.
General Intellectual Ability
- Have varied interests and exhibit curiosity; strong curiosity; asks
questions about everything and anything; inquisitive (Clark, 2002;
Silverman, 1997-2004, Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan, Hartman, &
Westberg, 2002 ; Bloom, 1982; Terman & Oden, 1951).
- Demonstrate a high level of language development and verbal ability;
has extensive vocabulary; early or avid reader (Clark, 2002; Silverman,
1997-2004; Terman & Oden, 1947; Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan,
Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ; Gross, 1993 ).
- Have an unusual capacity for processing information ( Clark,
2002).
- Ability to think and process information quickly; learns rapidly
(Clark, 2002; Silverman, 1997-2004).
- Comprehensively synthesizes problems; reasons well (Clark, 2002;
Silverman, 1997-2004; Sternberg, 1986 ).
- Heightened capacity to recognize diverse relationships and integrate
ideas across disciplines; r easons things out, comprehends meanings, and
makes logical associations. ( Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan, Hartman,
& Westberg, 2002 ).
- Early use of differential patterns in thought processing ( Clark,
2002).
- Is a keen observer; alert (Silverman 1997-2004, Renzulli, Smith, White,
Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ; Rogers, 1986; Witty, 1958
).
Specific Academic Ability
- Capable of absorbing an extraordinary quantity of information with
unusual retentiveness; has an excellent memory (Clark, 2002; Silverman,
1997-2004).
- Able to comprehend subject matter at advanced levels ( Clark,
2002).
- Has facility with numbers (Silverman 1997-2004; Gottfried, Gottfried,
Bathurst, & Guerin, 1994; Hildreth, 1966; Hollingworth, 1931;
Robinson, Roedell, & Jackson, 1979; Rogers, 1986 )
- Has quick mastery and recall of factual information; rapid learning
ability (Bloom, 1982; Hollingworth, 1942; Terman & Oden, 1947 ;
Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Unusual intensity; persistent and goal directed; p erseverant in their
interests (Clark, 2002; Silverman, 1997-2004; Renzulli, Smith, White,
Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ; Rogers, 1986; Witty,
1958).
- Has a long attention span; perseverant when interested (Feldhusen,
1986; Rogers, 1986; Witty, 1958).
Creative Ability
- Flexible thought processes in solving problems ( Clark, 2002).
- Early ability to delay closure ( Clark, 2002).
- Can generate original ideas and solutions; is highly creative; offers
unusual, unique, or clever answers; originality in written, oral, or
artistic expression; independent thinker (Clark, 2002; Silverman,
1997-2004; Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg,
2002 ; Lovecky, 1993; Rogers, 1986 ).
- Has a vivid imagination; fantasizes (Silverman 1997-2004; J. Gallagher,
1966; S. Gallagher, 1985; Piechowski & Colangelo, 1984; Piechowski,
Silverman, & Falk, 1985; Terman & Oden, 1959; Renzulli, Smith,
White, Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Has a keen sense of humor; comical (Silverman, 1997-2004; Renzulli,
Smith, White, Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ; Hollingworth,
1926; Terman, 1925; Kanevsky, Maker, Nielsen, & Rogers, 1994 ).
- Is a risk-taker; adventurous and speculative ( Renzulli, Smith, White,
Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Involvement with the metaneeds of society (beauty, justice, truth); is
sensitive to beauty (Clark, 2002; Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan,
Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Nonconforming; individualistic ( Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan,
Hartman, & Westberg, 2002).
- Uses previously learned things in new contexts (Smutney, 1998).
Leadership Abbility
- Have an evaluative approach towards self and others ( Clark,
2002).
- Heightened expectations of self and others; perfectionistic; is self
critical (Clark, 2002; Silverman, 1997-2004, Renzulli, Smith, White,
Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ; Adderholdt-Elliott, 1987; J.
Gallagher, 1990; Kerr, 1991; Robinson & Noble, 1991; Whitmore, 1980
).
- Advanced cognitive and affective capacity for conceptualizing societal
problems ( Clark, 2002).
- Are self-confident with children their own age as well as with adults (
Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Responsible; can be counted on ( Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan,
Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Is cooperative with teacher and classmates ( Renzulli, Smith, White,
Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Tends to dominate others; directs activities ( Renzulli, Smith, White,
Callahan, Hartman, & Westberg, 2002 ).
- Often has solutions to social and environmental problems ( Clark,
2002).
- Tends to question authority; is uninhibited in giving opinions
(Silverman 1997-2004; Renzulli, Smith, White, Callahan, Hartman, &
Westberg, 2002 ; Hollingworth, 1940; Meckstroth, 1991; Whitmore,
1979).
Affective/Social-Emotional Characteristics
- Large accumulation of emotions that has not be brought to awareness (
Clark, 2002).
- Unusual sensitivity to the feelings and expectations of others;
sensitive (Clark, 2002; Silverman, 1997-2004).
- Heightened self-awareness ( Clark, 2002).
- Advanced sense of justice – idealism at an early age; concerned with
justice, fairness (Clark, 2002; Roeper, 1988; Rogers, 1986; Silverman
& Ellsworth, 1980 ).
- Earlier development of internal locus of control ( Clark, 2002).
- Unusual emotional depth and intensity; shows compassion; sensitivity
(Clark, 2002; Silverman, 1997-2004; Piechowski, 1979, 1991; Webb,
Meckstroth, & Tolan, 1982; Torrance, 1977; Dabrowski, 1972; S.
Gallagher, 1985; Piechowski & Colangelo, 1984; Whitmore, 1980 ).
- Strong need for consistency between values and personal actions (
Clark, 2002).
- Advanced levels of moral judgment; morally sensitive (Clark, 2002;
Silverman, 1997-2004; Gross, 1993; Hollingworth, 1942; Passow, 1988;
Roeper, 1988; Silverman & Ellsworth, 1980; Terman, 1925 ).
- Strongly motivated by self-actualization needs ( Clark, 2002).
Psychomotor Characteristics
- Unusual quantity of input from environment through a heightened sense
of awareness ( Clark, 2002).
- Unusual discrepancy between physical and intellectual development (
Clark, 2002).
- Has a high degree of energy (Clark, 2002; Feldhusen, 1986; Whitmore,
1980).
References
- Adderholdt-Elliott, M. (1987). Perfectionism: What's bad about
being too good? Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Press.
- Bloom, B. S. (1982). The role of gifts and markers in the development of talent.
Exceptional Children, 48, 510-521.
- Clark, B. (2002). Growing up gifted (5th ed.) Columbus, OH:
Charles E. Merrill.
- Dabrowski, K. (1972). Psychoneurosis is not an illness.
London: Gryf.
- Feldhusen, J. F. (1986). A conception of giftedness. In R. J. Sternberg
& J. E. Davidson (Eds.), Conceptions of giftedness (pp.
112-127). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Gallagher, J. J. (1966). Research summary on gifted child
education. Springfield, IL: Office of the Illinois Superintendent
of Public Instruction.
- Gallagher, J. J. (1990). Editorial: The public and professional
perception of the emotional status of gifted children. Journal for
the Education of the Gifted, 13, 202-211.
- Gallagher, S. A. (1985). A comparison of the concept of
overexcitabilities with measures of creativity and school achievement in
sixth grade students. Roeper Review, 8, 115-119.
- Gross, M. U. M. (1993). Exceptionally gifted children. London:
Routledge.
- Hollingworth, L. S. (1926). Gifted children: Their nature and
nurture. New York: Macmillan.
- Hollingworth, L. S. (1931). The child of very superior intelligence as
a special problem in social adjustment. Mental Hygiene, 15(1),
1-16.
- Hollingworth, L. S. (1942). Children above 180 IQ Stanford-Binet:
Origin and development. Yonkers-on-Hudson, NY: World Book.
- Kanevsky, L., Maker, C. J., Nielsen, A., & Rogers, K. B. (1994).
Brilliant behaviors. In C. J. Maker & A. Nielsen. Principles and
curriculum development for the gifted. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
- Kerr, B. A. (1991). A handbook for counseling the gifted and
talented. Alexandria, VA; American Association for Counseling and
Development.
- Lovecky, D. V. (1993). The quest for meaning: Counseling issues with
gifted children and adolescents. In L. K. Silverman (Ed.), Counseling
the gifted and talented (pp. 29-50). Denver: Love.
- Meckstroth, E. (1991, December). Coping with sensitivities of gifted
children. Paper presented at the Illinois Gifted Education Conference,
Chicago, IL.
- Passow, A. H. (1988). Educating gifted persons who are caring and
concerned. Roeper Review, 11, 13-15.
- Piechowski, M. M. (1979). Developmental potential. In N. Colangelo
& R. T. Zaffrann (Eds.), New voices in counseling the gifted
(pp. 25-57). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
- Piechowski, M. M., & Colangelo, N. (1984). Developmental potential
of the gifted. Gifted Child Quarterly, 28, 80-88.
- Piechowski, M. M., Silverman, L. K., & Falk, R. F. (1985).
Comparison of intellectually and artistically gifted on five dimensions
of mental functioning. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 60,
539-549.
- Renzulli, J. S., Smith, L. H., White, A. J., Callahan, C. M., Hartman,
R. K., & Westberg, K. L. (2002). Scales for rating the behavioral
characteristics of superior students (Rev. ed.). Mansfield Center,
CT: Creative Learning Press.
- Robinson, N. M., & Noble, K. D. (1991). Social-emotional
development and adjustment of gifted children. In M. C. Wang, M. C.
Reynolds, & H. J. Walberg (Eds.). Handbook of special education:
Research and practice, Volume 4: Emerging programs (pp. 57-76).
New York: Pergamon Press.
- Robinson, H. B., Roedell, W. C., & Jackson, N. E. (1979). Early
identification and intervention. In A. H. Passow (Ed.), The gifted
and talented: Their education and development (pp. 138-154). The
78th yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part I.
Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
- Roeper, A. (1988). Should educators of the gifted and talented be more
concerned with world issues? Roeper Review, 11, 12-13.
- Rogers, M. T. (1986). A comparative study of developmental traits
of gifted and average children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation,
University of Denver, Denver, CO.
- Silverman, L.K. ( 1997-2004). Characteristics of giftedness scale:
A review of the literature. Retrieved April 25, 2005 from www.gifteddevelopment.com/Articles/Characteristics_Scale.htm
- Silverman, L. K., & Ellsworth, B. (1980). The theory of positive
disintegration and its implications for giftedness. In N. Duda (Ed.),
Theory of positive disintegration: Proceedings of the third
international conference (pp. 179-194). Miami, FL: University of
Miami School of Medicine.
- Smutney, J. F. (Ed.) (1998). The young gifted child: Potential and
promise, an anthology. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
- Sternberg, R. J. (1986). A triarchic theory of intellectual giftedness.
In R. J. Sternberg & J. E. Davidson (Eds.), Conceptions of
giftedness (pp. 223-243). Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
- Terman, L. M. (1925). Genetic studies of genius: Vol. 1. Mental and
physical traits of a thousand gifted children. Stanford, CA:
Stanford University Press.
- Terman, L. M., & Oden, M. H. (1947). Genetic studies of genius:
Vol. 4. The gifted child grows up. Stanford, CA: Stanford
University Press.
- Terman, L. M., & Oden, M. H. (1951). The Stanford studies of the
gifted. In P. Witty (Ed.), The gifted child (pp. 20-46). Boston:
D. C. Heath.
- Terman, L. M., & Oden, M. H. (1959). Genetic studies of genius:
Vol. 5. The gifted group at mid-life. Stanford, CA: Stanford
University Press.
- Torrance , E. P. (1977). Discovery and nurturance of giftedness in
the culturally different. Reston, VA: The Council for Exceptional
Children.
- Webb, J. T., Meckstroth, E. A., & Tolan, S. S. (1982). Guiding
the gifted child: A practical source for parents and teachers.
Columbus, OH: Ohio Psychology.
- Whitmore, J. R. (1979). Discipline and the gifted child. Roeper
Review, 2(2), 42-46.
- Whitmore, J. R. (1980). Giftedness, conflict, and
underachievement. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
- Witty, P. A. (1958). Who are the gifted? In N. B. Henry (Ed.),
Education for the gifted, (pp. 42-63). The fifty-seventh
yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part II.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
View Full Article
Reprinted with the permission of Duke University. © 2008 Duke University Talent Identification Program.
5 Outdoor Games to Play in Under 5 Minutes 
Spring Fever! 6 Ways to Settle Kids Down 
