The real difference in the way the three types think can be seen in their respective cognitive patterns:. They are able to see complex logical connections among very different types of information, and able to organize this data into larger self-constructed matrices, which are then available for use in future actions, reflections, analyses, and problem-solving.
Meta-thinking tends toward seeing everything in terms of metaphors, analogies, paradoxes and puzzles to be resolved by eventual abstraction. They are then able to reason through any given idea in relationship to their developed matrix — in the process, adding not only the given complex idea to the matrix, but also adding the complex relationships between the given idea and the existing matrix, as well as the new relationships that form in the synergistic interaction of the idea with the matrix.
After all, all gifted people are considered independent thinkers who detect patterns and problems and creatively find ways to innovate and solve dilemmas. There is never a place to stay, never real ground beneath their feet. Every supposed answer only generates a series of new questions, as though what most consider knowledge and facts were only a portal to more mystery and intrigue. Why are you asking? How should I be? My clients might seem the same toward me. But for us, it works!
This is because, for many, it is the first time they feel socially safe enough to share their matrix. As usual for them, they are seeing their argument or subject matter from myriad possible angles and further questions are being generated as they speak or write.
How can they communicate what is always changing? That's a ceiling. There are also achievement tests, which offer a standard score, that is a score based on a mean of , and a standard deviation of some number, commonly 15 or 16, to match the Wechsler or Stanford Binet, respectively. You might receive a total score from an achievement test that looks like an IQ score, but this score offers an IQ based on what the child has already learned, not on how the child thinks or her potential.
Some people consider this sufficiently similar to IQ - what a child has learned is based on his capability for learning - but thanks to environment, schooling, learning differences or other reasons, this may not always be the case. If you do accept a standard score generated from an achievement test as an IQ score for that child, you again need to be aware of the test ceilings, and other weaknesses. Some achievement tests are written for specific grade levels, and have few questions above or below that single grade level.
Other achievement tests are designed to identify learning weaknesses than to give an accurate overall score. No test is perfect. Additional scoring methods Now that the new versions of the WISC and SB tests have been out for a few years, publishers have added additional scoring methods, since the new "full scale" score includes a number of factors not closely correlated to "g" or general intelligence, including Short Term Memory and Processing Speed.
In these subtests, gifted children scored at means similar to average children, so these sub-scores often dramatically and falsely lower the full scale score. This index removes lower Short Term Memory and Processing Speed scores from the full scale score, resulting in a score more highly correlated to giftedness.
Depending on the subtest, extended subtest scores of up to 28 instead of 19 are available, and Extended IQ scores of up to are available. This extended scoring gives children credit for their correct answers above the previous subtest ceiling of 19, allowing differentiation of levels of giftedness well above the previous test ceilings. Levels of Giftedness The next question is harder to answer There is the numerical answer: a child of IQ is as different from a moderately gifted child of , as that child is from an average child of But IQ scores are no longer derived from a ratio, with the numerical difference between scores indicating the variation.
Today's IQ tests score on a curve, so that the difference between and is far less than the difference between and , and the difference between and is far less than the difference between and , though the ranges appear similar numerically. And there are lots of different levels of development to consider in each child.
There is intellectual development, the development measured by an IQ test. There is also physical development - gross and fine motor skills, social and emotional development, and spiritual development. And all of these development levels characterize the gifted child. Gifted children were seen as skinny, poor-eye-sighed children. Terman's research back in the 's attempted to disprove this "knowledge. His studies were racist and sexist, and he often "helped" those students who proved the most gifted on his measures.
This interference means that his results cannot be accurately determined. Psychomotor overexcitability is the manifestation of heightened energy levels seen in rapid talk, restlessness, the pressure for action, etc. Sensual overexcitability is characterized by heightened responses of the senses manifesting as extreme pleasure or displeasure, magnification of tactile senses such as the irritation of a shirt tag, or a sense of away or appreciation for natural or simplistic beauty and aesthetics.
Imaginational overexcitability manifests through invention as well as unique or expressive images, metaphors, fantasies, and animistic thinking. Intellectual overexcitability is most frequently associated with intensified theoretical thinking manifested as a drive to ask probing questions, avidity for knowledge, theoretical thinking, and preoccupation with theoretical problems.
Emotional overexcitability is a function of emotional relationships, manifested as strong attachments to people, living things, or places. The expressions of emotional overexcitability include timidity and shyness, enthusiasm, strong affective memory, concern with the death of others, exclusive relationships, and difficulties of adjustment to new environments [ 21 , 77 , 80 , 81 ].
The strength of overexcitabilities can be viewed "as a channel through which information flow in the form of sensations, feelings, experiences, images, ideas, hopes, and desires.
These channels can be wide open, narrow, or operating at bare minimum. They are assumed to be part of a person's constitution and to be more or less independent of each other. If more than one of these channels have wide apertures, then the abundance and diversity of feeling, thought, imagery, and sensation will inevitably lead to dissonance, conflict, and tension" [ 81 ].
Examples of psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational, and emotional overexcitabilities identified by Daniels and Piechowski [ 82 ] and Lind [ 83 ] are shown in Table 3. Lind [ 83 ] recognized high occurrence of overexcitabilities in the highly gifted yet also stated that not all highly gifted children exhibit overexcitabilities. It is important to recognize overexcitabilities are typical of the highly-profoundly gifted population, although not without exceptions.
This literature review summarizes the characteristics, behaviors, and development typical of highly-profoundly gifted children and the characteristics, behaviors and development of overexcitabilities to recognize correlations and to provide a platform, a starting point, for further research and better identification.
Characteristics and behaviors of the combination of multiple, higher-order over-excitabilities: Children exhibiting multiple overexcitabilities combined with special abilities display characteristics, behaviors, and development that are different from those of their age-peers. The distinguishing differences appear to lie in the energy-the heightened sensitivity, intensity, awareness, and asynchrony of the individual-rather than in the characteristic itself. Both case studies provided a glimpse of the heightened sensitivity, intensity and awareness exhibited in the characteristics, behaviors and development of a child with multiple over-excitabilities.
The five forms of overexcitability undergo extensive differentiation as human beings develop. Intellectual, imaginational, and emotional overexcitablities combine to play a significant role in the formation of developmental dynamisms that shape and direct personality development [ 77 ]. The levels of development - from overexcitabilities to dynamisms: One of the most significant innovations of the theory of positive disintegration is the concept of dynamisms.
Dynamisms form from the combination of multiple, higher-level overexcitabilities. Dynamisms reorganize human growth through instinctual, emotional, and cognitive forces. They can interact either synergistically or antagonistically depending on the level of integration and the developmental potential of the individual [ 77 , 79 , 86 ]. The process of positive disintegration includes five clearly distinguishable levels: 1 Primary integration; 2 Unilevel disintegration; 3 Spontaneous multilevel disintegration; 4 Organized multilevel disintegration; and 5 Secondary integration [ 76 , 77 , 79 ].
The first level: Primary integration: The first level of development-primary integration-defines a narrow, rigid, automatic structure governed by the first factor. No overexcitability or only the psychomotor or sensual forms are observed at this level. Therefore, no developmental dynamisms are associated with this mental structure. Individuals on this level are not capable of having internal conflicts, although they often have conflicts with their external environment.
They cannot follow long-range plans, and are limited to the reality of their immediate, passing feelings. Strong external stimuli and stressors may only temporarily bring psychic changes, but they are inevitably short and ineffective. They quickly return to the patterns of primary integration [ 87 ].
The second level: Unilevel disintegration: Unilevel disintegration begins with the loosening of the undifferentiated structure of primary integration. Changeable feelings, such as like and dislike, approach and avoidance, conflicting courses of action, indecision and doubt, replace the rigid behaviors of primary integration. Patterns of thought are often circular. Internal conflicts appear but are unilevel. External conflicts persist from primary integration but are not particularly aggressive and can be unpredictable.
Behavior in this mode conforms to external standards what people will think or say. The third level: Spontaneous multilevel disintegration: As development continues, a third factor the autonomous and intrapsychic processes starts to operate, and unilevel disintegration shifts to multilevel hierarchical organization-spontaneous multilevel disintegration.
It is characterized by extensive differentiation of mental structures. Individuals notice higher and lower levels of experience and search for models in their environment. This level is indicated by the increasing role of inner conflict and a gradual decrease in the frequency of external conflict.
Internal conflicts reflect a hierarchical structure of cognitive and emotional life-"what is" versus "what ought to be. This state is dramatic and marked by a sharp turning toward oneself in order to seek solutions within. The transition from unilevel disintegration to multilevel disintegration is a crucial and unexpected developmental event [ 5 , 77 ].
Through developmental dynamisms, abrupt changes in human behavior are observed. The first phase of the third level is characterized by emotional-cognitive dynamisms [ 77 ]: Astonishment with oneself , the first phase in the authentic observation of oneself and the beginning of the desire to change; disquietude with oneself , the search for the meaning of one's behavior and existence and a growing attitude of self-criticism, with emotional tension and readiness toward inner psychic transformation; dissatisfaction with oneself , a critical, condemning attitude toward oneself accompanied by states of anxiety and depression; and feelings of inferiority toward oneself , the awareness of the possibility of development, the awareness of weakness, and, at the same time, the feeling of one's potential and strength.
These dynamisms create states of self-observation, self-reflection, self-awakening, self-criticism, and self-awareness. They are the product of emotional and intellectual overexcitabilities. Intellectual overexcitability enhances the development of self-awareness [ 77 ]. The second phase of the third level involves continued emotional-cognitive development creating a new class of dynamisms that includes embarrassment , shame , and guilt -the self-conscious emotions.
These emotions require the ability to evaluate one's self and to infer the mental states of others [ 77 , 88 ]. Self-conscious emotions are important for helping individuals recognize and correct their social mistakes, strengthen social bonds, renew commitment to relationships, and motivate positive behavior [ 89 ].
They provide internal feedback about a specific goal, expectation, or standard that has been violated. Violation of social conventions may result in embarrassment, whereas violations of character ideas are associated with shame, and violations of rules, related to harm, justice, and rights, can cause guilt [ 90 ]. These self-conscious dynamisms are the result mostly of emotional and intellectual overexcitability, with some involvement of imaginational overexcitability.
The third phase of the third level involves spontaneous multilevel disintegration and emergence of positive maladjustment.
This is the dynamism of a conscious and selective rejection, or a need for adaptation to a higher hierarchy of value, and is characterized by a lack of adjustment to certain external or internal conditions.
It expresses the drive toward accelerated development, self-perfection, and the realization of an attitude of autonomy and authenticity.
The dynamism of positive maladjustment is connected to the understanding of others and their needs [ 86 ]. It is a product of emotional, cognitive, and imaginational overexcitabilities. By observing and studying gifted and creative people, Dabrowski [ 86 ] proposed that creative dynamisms emerge during the process of spontaneous multilevel disintegration.
Creative dynamisms arise from above-average sensitivity, and develop under conditions of emotional turmoil, mental tension, and internal conflict. They help to break the barrier of routine and liberate oneself from automatic experiences in order to achieve inner autonomy. They are an expression of a "psychological awakening", an important outlet for the increased tension of inner conflict and a vital force of defense against mental illness. As a result of creative dynamisms, individuals can experience the states of elation, pleasure, pride, and joy [ 79 , 86 ].
Creative dynamisms emerge as a combination of emotional, intellectual, and imaginational overexcitabilities; in some cases, sensual or psychomotor overexcitability is also involved. In her study of creative young people, Laycraft [ 32 ] showed that some participants were endowed with four forms of overexcitability. For example, one of her participants, Krista, a contortionist, was equipped with intellectual overexcitability creating a concept for the piece of contortion , emotional overexcitability expressing emotions during her performance , imaginational overexcitability drawing inspiration from some visual forms , and psychomotor overexcitability performing actual contortion movements; p.
Positive maladjustment and creative dynamisms help to reorganize a disintegrated mental structure and build a new reality through expanded awareness. It is a starting point for the transition to the next level. The fourth level: Organized multilevel disintegration: As development continues, individuals take the initiative in organizing hierarchies in their inner worlds. This is a period of organized multilevel disintegration directed and controlled by highly conscious, autonomous, and self-determining processes that stabilize and organize mental structures.
The characteristic feature of this level is the conscious transformation that leads to increasing stabilization of the hierarchy of values. There are still some existential and philosophical conflicts, but with less tension.
Conflicts, depression, and states of anxiety are handled consciously, and transformed into processes of enrichment and strengthening of one's development. This level is characterized by openness, sensitivity, and identification with others. Behavioral changes toward self-perfection and emotional relationships become deeper and more enduring [ 5 , 77 , 79 ].
The dynamisms of organized multilevel disintegration now work closely together and stabilize the following mental structures: " Subject-object " in oneself , the critical observation, self-evaluation, and conscious need for development, working closely with the dynamism of inner psychic transformation; inner psychic transformation , the process of developmental change in personality structure, especially the emotional; the third factor , the autonomous forces of self-directed development and conscious choices of development; self-awareness , the awareness of one's identity and one's individual uniqueness; self-control , bringing order and unity into one's development, increasing calmness and confidence; creative dynamism participating in the organization of new, more complex structure; and empathy emerging when the "subject-object" in oneself, self-awareness, and the third factor intertwine and interact with one another [ 77 , 80 ].
All or at least four of the five forms of overexcitabilities emotional, intellectual, imaginational, sensual, or psychomotor are involved in the formation of these dynamisms. At this level, individuals integrate opposing attributes into higher-order abstractions that bring meaning and authenticity to what in earlier times appeared to be upsetting contradictions within the self [ 91 ].
The fifth level: Secondary integration: As developmental potential becomes more complex, and includes all forms of overexcitability and special abilities and talents, the highest level of development can be reached.
This is the fifth level of secondary integration, characterized by a new organization and harmonization of personality. Personality becomes a self-aware, self-chosen, and self-affirmed structure. It is then a synthesis of the most essential human values embodied in the individual.
The main dynamisms active at this level are responsibility for oneself and others , the source of responsibility being the highest level of empathy and love for every human being and the need to turn this love into action; autonomy , signifying the realization of the meaning and value of human experience; authenticity , being the freedom from lower level drives, behaviour, and the influence of the external environment; and personality ideal , playing an increasingly significant role in the synthesis of the inner psychic milieu.
There are no internal conflicts; rather, there is a profound and active empathy expressed as spontaneous readiness for sacrifice, protection of others, deep understanding of others' development, and compassion over the difficulties of the world [ 77 , 79 ] Figure 1.
Levels of overexcitabilities: At lower levels of development, overexcitabilities occur in isolation from one another. As we discussed above, the first level, primary integration, is characterized by a lack of any overexcitability, or only by a single overexcitability psychomotor or sensual. However, at higher levels of development, overexcitabilities, by interacting and combining with each other, introduce significant changes in the quality of each form of overexcitability, and consequently produce coherent and higher-order arrangements called developmental dynamisms, and through them, substantial changes in human behavior [ 77 ].
As we have shown above, dynamisms of the third level of development are the product of emotional overexcitability, while simultaneously intellectual overexcitability enhances the development of self-awareness. Their main role is to shatter the pre-existing organization of the lower levels of development. A combination of emotional, intellectual, and imaginational overexcitabilities gives rise to higher levels of dynamisms, such as positive maladjustment and creative dynamisms.
They are observed in the transition from the third to the fourth level of development. In these dynamisms, imaginational overexcitability enriches them through strong visualization, fantasy, and the foreseeing of the future. Their main role is to help reorganize a disintegrated mental structure and build a new reality through expanded awareness.
Next, the interconnection of four forms of overexcitability, observed in the fourth level of development, produces greater psychic complexity, higher levels of creativity, heightened self-awareness, and improved social responsibility.
At this level, psychomotor overexcitability is manifested as an increasing ability for initiating dynamic courses of action, responsibility and punctuality, and organizational abilities.
Finally, at the fifth level, secondary integration, the five forms of overexcitability are bonded together into a harmonious and flexible whole, called the personality ideal [ 77 ] Table 4. Overexcitabilities assessment measures - OEQ and OEQ II: Dabrowski's studies and conception of overexcitabilities were multi-disciplinary, and incorporated work in medicine, psychoanalysis, neurology, and internal disease [ 92 ].
In his pediatric work, Dabrowski and his students, conducted neurological examinations to assess overexcitabilities and developmental potential in children. Piechowski worked with Dabrowski to develop research on overexcitabilities and gifted adolescents. In , Piechowski developed the overexcitabilities questionnaire OEQ as the first identification tool for the measurement of overexcitabilities.
It used a five-point Likert scale and consisted of 50 questions: 10 questions to assess each of the five forms of overexcitabilities. The OEQ II has been shown to be statistically reliable with positive factor analysis and an internal validation of 0. Psychologists, including Piechowski, Daniels, Silverman, Lovecky, Meckstroth, and Webb, found overexcitabilities best described the qualities and dynamic characteristics, behaviors, and development of gifted children, adolescents, and adults.
Jackson, a therapeutic counselor working with highly-profoundly gifted children, described overexcitabilities as a "qualitatively different" experience, "not just more of curiosity, sensory enjoyment, imagination and feeling but added dimensions of depth, texture, acuity, and perception. It implies an intense aliveness and a neural processing very different from the norm" [ 96 ]. Studies of overexcitabilities, giftedness, gifted identification: Overexcitabilities have been studied in various contexts, which include variables such as age, gender, culture, creativity, artistic talent, brain structure and giftedness [ 21 , 97 - ].
Research has shown gifted individuals tend to have more overexcitabilites than their typical peers [ 16 , 98 , - ]. Additionally, research has found overexcitabilities to be an effective tool for gifted identification [ 98 , , ]. Two recent meta-analyses [ 6 , ] agree with this observation; both analyses found the mean scores of all five overexcitabilities to be statistically significantly higher in gifted individuals than in their non-gifted peers.
Intellectual overexcitability was the highest discriminant factor between gifted and non-gifted individuals followed by imaginational overexcitability [ 6 , ], whereas psychomotor overexcitability was the least discriminant [ 6 ]. Steenbergen-Hu [ 6 ] took the analysis a step further by re-examining the gifted participants' scores by the level of overexcitability giftedness low, medium, or high. She found the "highly gifted" scored significantly higher than their typical peers on intellectual, imaginational, and sensual overexcitabilities in six of the eight studies in the meta-analysis.
This significant correlation seemed to imply that overexcitabilities were more dominant in "high" gifted individuals [ 6 ].
Of additional significance, Steenbergen-Hu examined the difference in mean effect size when giftedness was identified using multiple measurements versus a single non-verbal score.
In all the studies that identified giftedness using multiple measurements, she found the gifted participants significantly outscored the non-gifted participants on all measures of overexcitability [ 6 ].
These two findings imply that assessment of overexcitabilities may be effective for identifying highly-profoundly gifted students. Moreover, these results validate the need for multiple measures of assessment or a holistic examination of the child to accurately uncover and identify the multifaceted development and potential of the highly-profoundly gifted individual.
Steenbergen-Hu's [ 6 ] recent meta-analysis validates the positive correlation between overexcitabilities and giftedness, and provides additional analysis indicative of increasing level of giftedness with increasing overexcitability score. Additionally, examination of overexcitabilities and brain structure has provided intriguing correlations for further investigation.
For example, Kuo, et al. Example of misunderstanding of giftedness and overexcitabilities in recent study: Identified as the problem in the introduction, and acknowledged throughout this review, giftedness has often been misunderstood, misidentified, and misdiagnosed by untrained professionals [ 7 ]. Therefore, discrepancies in a recent study of giftedness and overexcitabilities must be addressed.
Karpinski, Kinase Kolb, Tetreault, and Borowski [ ] suggested a potential relationship between intelligence, overexcitabilities, and psychological disorders. However, overlooked the human development theory from which overexcitabilities originated. For more appropriate understanding, overexcitabilities must be considered in context to Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration.
Additionally, the prevalence of misdiagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and bipolar, in addition to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD , among the gifted and especially the highly-profoundly gifted population, needs to be considered as acknowledged by Webb, et al. Given the prevalence of misunderstanding, misidentification, and misdiagnosis of the highly-profoundly gifted population [ 7 ] and the most recent meta-analysis suggesting additional potential correlations between overexcitabilities and the level of giftedness [ 6 ], could the assessment of overexcitabilities be an effective tool for identifying the distinguishing characteristics, behaviors, and development of highly and profoundly gifted students?
Studies on characteristics, behaviors, and development of the highly-profoundly gifted population and overexcitabilities acknowledged corresponding influences and significant similarities between all areas of development and developmental potential. To answer the literature review question above, correlations are identified for the factors linked to developmental potential in Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration and the corresponding biological-physical, social-environmental, emotional, cognitive, and altruistic characteristics, behaviors, and development.
Biological and physical characteristics, behaviors, and development: Dabrowski [ 5 ] observed and documented high developmental potential exhibited by greater-than-typical action-oriented movement and verbal activity he called psychomotor overexcitability.
Similarly, Terman [ 1 ], Hollingworth [ 2 ], and Gross [ 3 ] reported advanced development demonstrated by early onset of movement and language acquisition [ 1 - 3 ]. In terms of physiology, greater-than-typical sensitivity, including the prevalence of autoimmune, allergy, and asthmatic reactions and increased heart rate corresponded with the greater-than-typical sensitivity characteristic of overexcitability of the neuromuscular system refer back to Table 3.
Social and environmental characteristics, behaviors, and development: In an unfit environment, gifted children with high developmental potential display symptoms of inefficient psychic excitability, often displayed as nervousness, and anxiety; consequently, their development is inhibited.
Similarly, in longitudinal studies of highly-profoundly gifted children, Terman, Hollingworth, and Gross [ 1 - 3 ] documented the historical impact of the social and environmental roles played by various stakeholders.
The development potential of an individual is supported when the social and physical environment is optimal [ 77 ]. Only a safe, trusting, and open-hearted environment is able to activate and boost the development of young people to a healthier, richer, and higher level, where there is much less tension and mental disorder [ 32 ].
Emotional characteristics, behaviors, and development: The emotional development of the highly-profoundly gifted is the driving factor of giftedness [ 41 , 45 - 47 ]. Likewise, emotional overex-citability is the driving factor of developmental potential [ 21 , 76 , 80 , 81 , , ]. A closer look at heightened sensitivity revealed the likelihood of discernment, response, feeling and display of emotions, aesthetics, and sensitivity to others as characteristic traits of the highly-profoundly gifted [ 44 ].
Case studies of highly-profoundly gifted children have demonstrated their understanding of perceptions and nuances not apprehended by others [ 3 ].
This greater-than-typical awareness is evident in all five overexcitabilities: The need for action in psychomotor overexcitability [ 51 ]; pleasure or displeasure in sensual overexcitability [21,51,80]; understanding and truth in intellectual overexcitability [ 21 , 51 , 80 ]; the abstract and association in imaginational overexcitability [ 82 ]; and feelings of self and for others in emotional overexcitability [ 82 ].
Highly gifted children tend to have more intense, stronger, and more memorable reactions [ 32 ]. Likewise, greater-than-typical intensity and reactions to stimuli are the very nature of overexcitabilities [ 82 ]. Moreover, the acute awareness exhibited by the highly-profoundly gifted has been observed as early as birth [ 3 , 12 , 39 ]. Acute awareness has been described as innate to overexcitability [ 82 ], and includes feelings of being different throughout the life span.
Acute and profound awareness is correlated with feelings of inferiority toward oneself Level III dynamism and self-awareness and self-control Level IV dynamism.
In addition, highly-profoundly gifted children tend to possess a natural tendency to being introspective-emotional, just as the dynamisms associated with overexcitabilities and development encourage introspection, emotional reflection, and deep-seated connection within themselves and their environment [ 51 ]. Highly-profoundly gifted children often describe a strong sense of right and wrong and an internal guide from within; this is the third-factor dynamism present in the combination of multiple overexcitabilities and multifaceted development and potential [ 79 ].
A strong sense of right and wrong is associated with positive maladjustment Level III dynamism. An internal guide from within is correlated to the third factor Level IV dynamism. The developmental potential of an individual demonstrating dynamisms higher-level multiple overexcitabilities can be both ascending and chaotic [ 61 , , ]. Feeling out-of-sync is typical of the highly-profoundly gifted population and the combined traits of multiple higher-level overexcitabilities.
Laycraft [ 32 , 61 , , ] showed that individuals characterized by multilevel overexcitability experience inner tensions and conflicts that create chaos in their mental structure. In this chaotic state, the rapid flow of energy links components of mental structure to coherent higher-order forms. These higher-order arrangements are developmental dynamisms , and through them the process of development proceeds to higher levels.
Therefore, chaos is a necessary condition for self-organization into more complex and ordered states of mental structures in gifted individuals. To the untrained eye, this emotional development may seem immature at times, while at other times, the interperspective emotional development may seem exceptional. This is the nature of asynchronous development , often descriptive of the highly-profoundly gifted child [ 63 ]. Similarly, chaos , the corresponding nature of asynchronous development is often descriptive of overexcitabilities and the necessary condition for self-organization into more complex and ordered states of mental structures of gifted individuals [ 61 , , ].
When the holistic, advanced, and asynchronous development of the child is considered, the chaotic tendency is better understood as typical of this population. Highly-profoundly gifted individuals tend to lean toward introversion [ 43 ]. While overexcitabilities are often misunderstood as being outwardly expressed, in actuality, due to their sensitive, intense natures, overexcitabilities can more often be inwardly expressed [ 43 ].
Similar to multifaceted, accelerated, and asynchronous emotional development, introversion is correlated to astonishment with oneself, disquietude with oneself, and dissatisfaction with oneself Level III dynamisms , and subject-object in one-self, self-awareness, inner psychic transformation, and self-control Level IV dynamisms; Table 5.
Cognitive characteristics, behaviors, and development: Hollingworth [ 2 ], as well as her contemporary Terman [ 1 ] and later Gross [ 3 ] substantiated an early ability and love of reading as the most common developmental milestone and characteristic of profoundly gifted children. Similarly, a common trait of intellectual overexcitability is frequent and sustained reading [ 82 ]. This intellectual overexcitability combines with emotional overexcitability.
Self-acceleration, a compulsion to learn everything, and the desire for complexity have all been reported in studies of highly-profoundly gifted children [ 1 - 3 ]. The intense search for knowledge is a characteristic behavior of intellectual overexcitability [ 82 ]. In addition, the highly-profoundly gifted are known as "rapid learners"; the speed and intensity of their learning style are also characteristic of the passion, drive, and mastery associated with intellectual overexcitability [ 82 ].
The intense speed and action associated with higher-level intellectual and other overexcitabilities are driven by psychomotor overexcitability. Perspective insights and the ability to skip steps have been commonly reported in studies of highly-profoundly gifted children [ 12 , 44 , 66 ].
How are gifted children identified? What signs can parents look for? Generally speaking, some signs of giftedness are: An extreme need for constant mental stimulation.
An ability to learn and process complex information rapidly. A need to explore subjects in surprising depth. An insatiable curiosity; endless questions and inquiries. Are profoundly gifted students gifted in all areas of learning? Does race, gender or socioeconomic status figure in giftedness? What local, state and national resources exist for gifted students and their parents?
Suggest an update. Hoping I could still get insights from you, regarding Giftedness. Related Articles.
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