This study was aimed to figure out what differences there were in traits between gifted students and ordinary students using a five-factor personality model and what differences there would be between top 5% ranked excellent students out of ordinary s...
This study was aimed to figure out what differences there were in traits between gifted students and ordinary students using a five-factor personality model and what differences there would be between top 5% ranked excellent students out of ordinary students and gifted students and examine what types of personality characteristics the gifted students would have through the said process. In order to achieve such a research objective, the research questions of this study could be summarized as below. First, what differences would there be in personality characteristics by factor between gifted students and ordinary students in the five-factor personality model? Second, what differences would be personality characteristics by factor between ordinary students and gifted students with middle-ranked and high-ranked academic performance in the five-factor character model? Third, how would be the counter-measuring methods or defense mechanism for the characteristics of interpersonal relationship, psychological happiness and stress of gifted students found in the five-factor personality model?
The subjects of this study included middle school students at Annexed Gifted Education Centers at Dongducheon Yangju and Euijeongbu Offices of Education, 78 male and female first- and second-grade gifted students including B Girl's Middle School located in Dongducheon City in Gyeonggi-do and 107 counterparts from D Middle School located in Yangju City, Gyeonggi-do. As for measurement tools, NEO Personality Assessment Inventory for Adolescents based on a five-factor (Big Five: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness) personality model was used and variance analysis was performed among groups to compare and verify the differences among the differences between five-factor character components between gifted students and ordinary students and all the said analyses were conducted by using an SAS 8.12 version (WINDOWS).
After examining the differences in characteristics between gifted and ordinary students with regards to the big five-factor personality model, it has been shown that there were some differences among student groups in extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness except for neuroticism . In case of extraversion, it has been noted that gifted students had significantly higher results than ordinary students (t=12.57, p < .001). In terms of openness, gifted students were higher than ordinary ones (t=18.58, p < .001). In case of agreeableness, gifted students had statistically more significant than ordinary ones (t=3.98, p < .05). In terms of conscientiousness, gifted students were higher than ordinary students (t=17.77, p < .001).
After making a comparative analysis on ordinary students (middle-ranked in academic performance), ordinary students with high academic performance (upper 5%) and gifted students classified according to academic performance among ordinary school students regarding five factors in personality, there were some differences among student groups in extraversion, openness, conscientiousness and neuroticism, but there were no statistically significant differences in agreeableness. In case of extraversion, gifted students were significantly higher than ordinary students and students with high academic performance (F=6.27, p < .01). In terms of openness, students with high academic performance and gifted students were higher than ordinary students so that it has been confirmed that openness of students with high academic performance was higher than that of ordinary students (F=15.50, p < .001). Like openness, in case of conscientiousness it has been shown that students with high academic performance and gifted students were significantly higher than ordinary students (F=15.61, p < .001). Regarding neuroticism, gifted students were lower than both ordinary students and students with high academic performance (F=3.13, p < .05).
The gifted children with higher extraversion and agreeableness have maintained positive relationship and a sense of intimacy with others and those with higher extraversion and lower neuroticism have felt a sense of happiness and stability in current situations. Meanwhile, the gifted students with higher agreeableness and conscientiousness tended to have a higher level of satisfaction and happiness in their lives and a positive trend towards the future. Those with lower neuroticism and higher extraversion and openness than ordinary students tended to be positive and rational and to use self-controlled behaviors and humor so that they had higher abilities in coping with stress. In the meantime, those with lower neuroticism and higher extraversion, openness and conscientiousness tended to be equipped with defense mechanism of adaptive behavioral types so that they could coordinate their problems and control themselves in a fairly sound manner.
This study provided a suggestion in determining the personality characteristics by each gifted student by reviewing their characteristics through a five-factor personality model the NEO Personality Assessment Inventory for Adolescents that made a close inquiry into personality characteristics among individuals developed by supplementing the disadvantages of MBTI and MMPI used a lot currently. Furthermore, it would be meaningful as a basic research for the understanding of characteristics of gifted students in the future.