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Article
A Cross-Cultural Study of the Social Experience of Giftedness
Roeper Review
  • Jennifer Riedl Cross, William & Mary - School of Education
  • Colin T. Vaughn, William & Mary - School of Education
  • Sakhavat Mammadov
  • Tracy L. Cross, William & Mary - School of Education
  • Mihyeon Kim, William & Mary - School of Education
  • Colm O’Reilly
  • Frances Spielhagen
  • Maria Pereira Da Costa
  • Barry Hymer
Document Type
Article
Department/Program
Education
Pub Date
10-25-2019
Abstract

The phenomenon of social coping among students with gifts and talents (SWGT) is not well understood. In interviews with elementary-, middle-, and high-school aged SWGT (N = 90; 50% female) from the United States, United Kingdom, South Korea, Ireland, and France, the universality of awareness of visibility of their exceptional abilities, high expectations and pressure to achieve from adults and peers, and peer jealousy and rejection, was confirmed. In all countries, SWGT were concerned about peers’ upward social comparison and the effects of their outperformance on peers’ feelings. SWGT attempted to hide their abilities or conform to peers’ behaviors. Prosocial helping behaviors were found among SWGT in nearly all age groups and a focus on the self was a useful coping strategy to students in all countries except France. Parallels are drawn between these findings and Goffman’s (1963) stigma theory.

Disciplines
Journal Article URL
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02783193.2019.1661052
Publisher Statement

This version is the accepted manuscript version of the article.

Citation Information
Jennifer Riedl Cross, Colin T. Vaughn, Sakhavat Mammadov, Tracy L. Cross, et al.. "A Cross-Cultural Study of the Social Experience of Giftedness" Roeper Review Vol. 41 Iss. 4 (2019) p. 224 - 242
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/mihyeon-kim/29/