Cognitive and Affective Characteristics of Gifted Children
There are many cognitive and affective characteristics of intellectually gifted adolescents which differ from those of their non-gifted peers. These characteristics have the potential to assist academic and social development, or conversely may present social and academic difficulties for the adolescents. Two cognitive characteristics and two affective characteristics typically associated with gifted adolescents will be examined to explore the relationship between these characteristics and their effect on social and academic development. The two cognitive characteristics that will be examined is self-regulation, and their dislike of slow paced work. And the two affective characteristics is the possible exhibition of perfectionist tendencies, and their emotional intensity.
The first cognitive characteristic is self-regulation. Self-regulation is a characteristic in which all students will generally have. It is comprised of metacognition, thinking about thinking, and motivation. It is the process of self-regulation employed by intellectually gifted adolescents which differ from those of their non-gifted peers. The metacognition component requires students to plan and self-check their academic performance. These students tended to plan strategies and checked their solution processes and answers while solving problems. The motivation aspect of self-regualtion involves self-efficacy and effort. Highly intrinsically motivated students expended greater effort for completing relevant tasks, and also tended to be self-efficacious. (Hong & Aqui, 2004) It has been asserted that gifted student’s use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies enhance perception of self-efficacy, which as a consequence provide the motivation for self-regulation. Confidence in their own abilities causes their efforts in the face of failure to increase exponentially until success us achieved. (Hong & Aqui, 2004) Gifted students have the ability to apply more conscious control over their
The first cognitive characteristic is self-regulation. Self-regulation is a characteristic in which all students will generally have. It is comprised of metacognition, thinking about thinking, and motivation. It is the process of self-regulation employed by intellectually gifted adolescents which differ from those of their non-gifted peers. The metacognition component requires students to plan and self-check their academic performance. These students tended to plan strategies and checked their solution processes and answers while solving problems. The motivation aspect of self-regualtion involves self-efficacy and effort. Highly intrinsically motivated students expended greater effort for completing relevant tasks, and also tended to be self-efficacious. (Hong & Aqui, 2004) It has been asserted that gifted student’s use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies enhance perception of self-efficacy, which as a consequence provide the motivation for self-regulation. Confidence in their own abilities causes their efforts in the face of failure to increase exponentially until success us achieved. (Hong & Aqui, 2004) Gifted students have the ability to apply more conscious control over their
References: Cross, T. et al. Psychological Characteristics of Academically Gifted Adolescents Attending a Residential Academy: A Longitudinal Study Journal for the Education of the Gifted Vol. 28, No. 2, 2004, pp.159 Hong, E. & Aqui, Y. Cognitive and Motivational Characteristics of Adolescents Gifted in Mathematics: Comparisons Among Students with Different Types of Giftedness The Gifted Child Quarterly Vol. 48, No. 3, 2004, pp. 191 Lovecky, D. Exceptionally gifted children: Different minds Roeper Review Vol. 17, No. 2, 1994 Olszewski-Kubilius, P. & Kulieke, M. Personality dimensions of gifted adolescents Davidson Institute of Talent Development, Teachers College Press 1989, pp. 125 Robinson, A. & Clinkenbeard, P. Giftedness: An Exceptionality Examined Annual Review of Psychology Vol. 49, 1998, pp. 117