Robert J. Sternberg
Elena L. Grigorenko
Lesley Hart
Linda Jarvin
Jonna Kwiatkowski
Tina Newman
Olga Stepanossova

The purpose of this research was to assess the factors that lead to success in transitions of giftedness. Currently, traditional analytic abilities are stressed in the identification of children for gifted education programs. However, our previous research suggests that creative and practical skills are as important as, if not more important, than analytical skills to success in life. In the studies reported here, we tested the hypotheses that creative and practical abilities will become of increasing importance with age and that members of underrepresented minority groups will, on average, score relatively highly on measures of creative and practical abilities than on measures of analytical abilities. To verify these hypotheses, we looked at individuals in various life stages, employing cross-sectional methods (Main Study), and across those same life stages, employing longitudinal methods (Longitudinal Study). Based on our data analyses, we conclude that preschool children who are identified as gifted do perform better on a number of cognitive and achievement tasks, but the distinction between analytical, creative, and practical skills at this level is not yet clear. The difference is clearer during middle and high school, when creative and practical abilities become more important relative to analytical skills, especially for underrepresented minority students.

Reference:

Transitions in the Development of Giftedness
Robert J. Sternberg
Elena L. Grigorenko
Lesley Hart
Linda Jarvin
Jonna Kwiatkowski
Tina Newman
Olga Stepanossova
 

Conclusions

1. There is a substantial amount of developmental fluctuation in regards to creative and practical skills from preschool through college.
2. Creative and practical skills are as important as analytical skills to success in life.
3. All children are identified as mainly creative, regardless of minority status, during the earliest stages of life.
4. The increase of the importance of creative skills is greater in gifted minority-groups than in gifted majority-group students by middle school.
5. Gifted students outperform non-gifted students at both the middle and high school levels.
6. From the fifth through eighth grades, the importance of the legislative thinking style increase compared to the executive thinking style.
7. The two traits found to be of most importance at the middle school level for gifted children include “surmounting obstacles” and “developing self efficacy.”
8. High motivated students are more likely to be perceived as gifted at the middle and high school levels.
9. The importance of a supportive family environment shows great importance for gifted development at the pre-school level, but ceases to be as important in the middle school and stages after.
10. Preschool children who are identified as gifted outperform non-gifted students on a number of cognitive and achievement tasks, but the distinction between analytical, creative, and practical skills is not clear.
11. The distinctions between analytical, creative, and practical skills become clearer during the middle and high school stages, with creative and practical abilities becoming of higher importance than analytical skills.
12. Legislative thinking style becomes more prominent with development.
13. The importance of the executive thinking style decreases with development.