| This dissertation research project was designed to address the overall research question: "Is there a difference across cultures in the perceived traits of gifted behavior?" A survey was used to identify traits of gifted behavior generally recognized within the United States, and to compare those traits with perceived indicators of gifted behavior implicitly found within the context of nine foreign cultures. The survey was translated into eight languages, and administered to over 1,900 university students majoring in education or psychology. International participants in the research project were from the Western European countries of England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, and the Asian countries of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, with the United States as control. Variables targeted for study included individual gifted traits (reasoning, problem solving, memory, inquiry, insight, learning, interest, high IQ score, theoretical, creativity, communication, high achiever, imagination), and a number of conceptual clusters (cognitive, achievement, motivation, creativity, socio-emotional, and existential). The data set also permitted the comparison of gender, education versus psychology, individualistic versus collectivist culture, religion, and the level of participation in gifted education. Quantitative and qualitative comparisons were made regarding specific terms referring to the gifted, the relative importance of multiple intelligences, and the general value placed on gifted education.; Overall, the research findings confirmed the hypothesis that some common traits of gifted behavior can be found across cultures, while other traits appear to show some cultural variance. The gifted trait items with the highest cross-cultural mean scores on the rating scale of the survey instrument included learning, reasoning, problem solving, memory, inquiry, insight, high IQ, and interests. Evidence also suggested the acceptance of the concept of multiple intelligences, with the highest rankings being given to the logical-mathematical, verbal-linguistic, and the visual-spatial types of intelligence. Taken together, the research findings provided considerable support for the position of maintaining sensitivity to cultural variances when called upon to assess the traits of gifted individuals within culturally diverse populations. |
