Perception of Mentally Superior Children by Their Classmates

Abstract

The traits characteristic of gifted children were used to devise 14 items for a Guess-Who test. The test was administered to the classmates of 60 “high-superior” (Binet IQs 140+) fourth, fifth, and sixth grade children. It was found that not only were the high-superior Ss identified beyond chance expectancy but that their “low-superior” classmates (Binet-equivalent IQs 130–140) were also selected beyond chance expectancy on most of the traits. Analysis of the data by grade level (age) indicated that the tendency for high-superior children to be identified as gifted decreased with age while the low-superior Ss were identified with increasing frequency in the older groups. Those high-superior Ss who attended schools of lower socio-economic levels were more likely to be selected as possessing traits of giftedness than were those in high socio-economic schools. Almost the reverse pattern was found for low-superior Ss. High achievement seemed to favor the probability of high-superior Ss' being perceived as gifted when IQ was partialled out. Finally, the nomination data suggested that the high-superior Ss tended to be perceived by their classmates as different from themselves but they (the classmates) nevertheless indicated they wanted to be like the high-superior Ss. The low-superior Ss were not selected with significant frequency as being “different” but were also regarded as ones their classmates wanted to be like. In conclusion, it appears that gifted children tend to be perceived by their peers as exhibiting the traits typical of the gifted and in much the same way as evidence on their characteristics has indicated. This tendency seems to hold for those with IQs just below the gifted but to a somewhat lesser degree. The perception of these children as gifted seems to change with age, perhaps due to the nature of their school experiences. Both school achievement and socio-economic setting influence their being perceived as gifted. Whatever the most apparent characteristics of the gifted, they appear to be regarded by their peers as desirable.