Characteristics

Before discussing the typical characteristics demonstrated by gifted children, perhaps we should briefly discuss what factors in a child's background might affect the issue.
 * First of all no single, overarching feature of a child's background is generally accepted to lead to giftedness. The debate on what factors play the largest roles continues to rage in psychology journals and books. [|Nature v. Nurture Book]
 * However, heredity is generally acknowledged to play some role.
 * Families with one gifted child are often found to exhibit more than one.
 * College professors exhibit a very high likely-hood of producing gifted children; though the enivronmental role of such cases likely affects the issue significantly as well.
 * First-born children are more likely to develop into gifted students due to many families nurturing them more significantly.

Next we will look at the types of characteristics typically demonstrated by gifted students.

__General Characteristics:__
 * Abilitity to manipulate abstract symbol systems
 * Concentration power, focused thinking processes evident, long-term duration activities
 * Memory abilities are well developed, possible evidence of purposeful algorithm creation
 * Curiosity; about the way mechanical, natural, or other forces work or about the mysterious nature of phenomena
 * Preference for independent work versus group oriented activities
 * Multiple interests and talents, though student may focus on one or more abilities
 * Power of originality and a flare for creation via multiple venues

__Academic Characteristics__:

__Social / Emotional Characteristics:__


 * Sense of Justice, in terms of personal and media events and circumstances
 * Elevated alturistic and idealistic impulses; initiates projects of ideally large scope
 * Elevated sense of Humor; may be construed as a defense mechanism or relate to insightful potential
 * Emotional Intensity conerning personal performance, goals, and other peripherial events in some cases
 * Perfectionism: may be dangerous if child is not taught a sense of restraint in terms of their own efforts
 * Aesthetic sensibility; keen appreciation for artistic forms and relationships in painting, literature, etc.

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