Prosocial Dispositions and Behaviors of the Intellectually Gifted

Abstract

The intellectually gifted have been found to have higher levels of many prosocial dispositions, but there is limited evidence of increased prosocial behavior. The present research used existing and original datasets to examine relations between intellectual giftedness and prosocial behavior and dispositions. In Study 1, those identified as intellectually gifted engaged in more political and helping behaviors than those not identified as intellectually gifted. In Study 2, gifted-identified undergraduate students reported more prosocial behavior (e.g., volunteering and giving) than nonidentified students; however, there were no clear differences in dispositions (e.g., personality and motivation) between gifted-identified and nonidentified students. Implications of these consistent linkages between intellectual giftedness and engaging in prosocial behavior for future research and practical applications are discussed.