Structure and dynamics of general giftedness of children at school age

The book presents the results of theoretical and experimental study of general giftedness of children and adolescents at all levels of schooling. Giftedness is understood as a high creative potential, manifested and formed as a holistic characteristic of the mental development of the child in the interaction of his cognitive, motivational, emotional and other personal properties with the environment. In a multidimensional longitudinal-slice study of students with different levels of general giftedness we have studied their age, gender and individual characteristics in different learning environments. The structure and age dynamics of general giftedness of students at each level of schooling is described; the essential and changing with age role in the development of general giftedness of such personal characteristics as cognitive activity, achievement motivation, anxiety, self-esteem is revealed; possibilities of prediction of abilities and achievements at all stages of schooling are demonstrated. The book is intended for researchers, teachers, students, graduate students, as well as readers interested in the problems of giftedness.