Characteristic behaviours
Learning characteristics
- Displays logical and analytical thinking
- Is quick to see patterns and relationships
- Masters information quickly
- Strives for accurate and valid solutions to problems
- Easily grasps underlying principles
- Likes intellectual challenge
- Jumps stages in learning
- Seeks to redefine problems, pose ideas, and formulate hypotheses
- Finds as well as solves problems
- Reasons things out for her- or himself
- Formulates and supports ideas with evidence
- Can recall a wide range of knowledge
- Independently seeks to discover the why and how of things
Creative thinking characteristics
- Produces original ideas
- Displays intellectual playfulness, imagination, and fantasy
- Creates original texts or invents things
- Has a keen sense of humour and sees humour in the unusual
- Generates unusual insights
- Enjoys speculation and thinking about the future
- Demonstrates awareness of aesthetic qualities
- Is not afraid to be different
- Generates a large number of ideas
- Is prepared to experiment with novel ideas and risk being wrong
- Seeks unusual rather than conventional relationships
Motivational characteristics
- Strives for high standards of personal achievement
- Is self-directed
- Is highly self-motivated and sets personal goals
- Is persistent in seeing tasks to completion
- Becomes committed to and absorbed in tasks
- Tends to be self-critical and evaluative
- Is reliable
- Prefers to work independently
Social leadership characteristics
- Takes the initiative in social situations
- Is popular with peers
- Communicates well with others
- Actively seeks leadership in social situations
- Shows ability to inspire a group to meet goals
- Persuades a group to adopt ideas or methods
- Is self-confident
- Is adaptable and flexible in new situations
- Actively seeks leadership in sporting activities
- Is socially mature
- Is willing to take responsibility
- Synthesises ideas from group members to formulate a plan of action
Self-determination characteristics
- Is sceptical of authoritarian pronouncements
- Questions arbitrary decisions
- Pushes teachers and adults for explanations
- Displays a precocious interest in 'adult' problems
- Is reluctant to practice skills already mastered
- Is easily bored with routine tasks
- Expresses ideas, preferences, and opinions forthrightly
- Relates well to older children and adults, and often prefers their company
- Asks searching questions
As pointed out in the 'Definitions' section, cultures vary in the way they define giftedness and talent. This affects the characteristics seen as indicating exceptional ability. Some multi-categorical approaches to defining giftedness and talent are inclusive and flexible enough to include many culturally specific abilities.
However, as Bevan-Brown (1996) notes, the important difference may exist in the interpretation of a special ability. For example, Māori value three different styles of leadership:
- the 'up front' style, similar to that valued by Pākehā
- leadership-by-example
- behind the scenes leadership.
This illustrates the importance of schools consulting with their community when developing sets of characteristics to guide identification.