The Mad Genius Stereotype: Still Alive and Well

Abstract

Scientists and laypeople agree on high ability as a defining feature of giftedness. Yet their views on gifted people's socioemotional characteristics diverge. Most studies find the gifted to be similar or slightly superior to average-ability persons in these domains (“harmony hypothesis”). However, subjective conceptions and media representations, most of which have focused on gifted children and youth, stress the socioemotional downsides of giftedness (“disharmony hypothesis”), affecting highly able individuals and those around them, thus hampering individual development. To date, most studies on gifted stereotypes have examined selective samples, mostly teachers. The present study is the first to provide representative data on conceptions of gifted individuals in general. A brief survey of 1029 German adults assessed quality and prevalence of stereotypes about gifted individuals, without an explicit focus on children and/or adolescents. Latent class analysis (LCA) revealed two conceptions of giftedness, with twice as many “disharmonious” than “harmonious” raters. Male gender, single parenthood, unemployment, higher income or negative attitudes toward the gifted predicted disharmonious ratings. However, effects were small, suggesting future studies look deeper into the processes of stereotype formation and maintenance.

Examining the Most and Least Changeable Elements of the Social Representation of Giftedness

“…Gifted children achieve a higher level of education than those of average ability (doctoral studies) [53] 4. Gifted children have above average intelligence even in domains not related to intellectual abilities [53] 5. Gifted children are often rare and present problems of social maladjustment [54] 6.…”

“…These children have a high capacity to lead groups [54] 13. Gifted children have a high performance and better results in school [53] 14. Gifted children have difficulties in relationships and communication with others [55] 15.…”

How Are the Gifted? Point of View of University Students

“…The gifted can be perceived by their peers as well-adapted or maladapted (Norman, Ramsay, Roberts, & Martray, 2000). These perceptions relate to the hypothesis of harmony, arguing that gifted students are well-adjusted, successful in life (Godor & Szymanski, 2017), and have similar socioemotional skills to their average-capacity peers (Baudson, 2016). The hypothesis of the lack of harmony suggests that the high intelligence of the gifted increases risk factors such as sensitivity, intensity and excess excitability that generates problems in adjustment (Godor & Szymanski, 2017;Preckel et al, 2015), and that they are socially and emotionally inferior to their peers (Baudson, 2016).…”

Andekuse kollokatsioonid keelekorpustes ning laste ja lastevanemate andekustõlgitsused

“…Eelkõige tõdetakse raskust fenomeni defineerida: andekus kui konstrukt sõltub ajaloolisest, kultuurilisest ja sotsiaalsest kontekstist (Borland 1997. Andekus on "silt", mida omistatakse eelkõige lastele ja määratletakse vanusega seotuna (Baudson 2016). Nooremate laste kõrged võimed avalduvad potentsiaalina, tegevustes ja kiires õppimisvõimes kas õppeaineti või muus koolisidusas valdkonnas (ingl schoolrelated domain), gümnaasiumieas noored peavad tõestama oma annete arengut ühiskonna tugialadel (foundational domain of society) .…”

“…KDA eelis näha n-ö tekstide taha võimaldas välja tuua andekuse sotsiaalse tähen-duse: avaldus laste otsene ja lapsevanemate varjatud arusaam, et fenomen on seotud vaid lapseeaga, nagu kinnitavad eelnevad uuringud , Baudson 2016. Vanemate intervjuudes seostus lapse andekus eelkõige kasvukeskkonnaga ja võimete-oskuste arendamise võimalustega hariduses, täiskas-vanu andekus aga tema isikuomadustega ja argitööga (vrd Cross, Coleman 2014).…”