To investigate the relationship between general intelligence g and temperament, highly intelligent 10‐year‐old children (N = 151) were compared with classmates of the same gender and socio‐economic status but of average intelligence (N = 134). The two ability groups were administered the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) during home visits. The parents and teachers rated the temperament of the children. The results showed a consistent pattern: highly intelligent children are more task‐oriented, e.g. less distractible and more controlled than their average counterparts. In the MFFT, gifted children not only gave a higher percentage of correct answers, but also showed longer (!) reaction times.
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