"Conforming and Condescending Attitude of Gifted Children in Response to their Social Anxiety and Asynchronous Cognitive and Emotional Development"

Abstract

Main characteristic of giftedness is the asynchronous cognitive and emotional development of children even from an early age. This deviation affects the self-concept of gifted children when they join educational environments as they compare themselves with their peers. Sometimes, this results to social anxiety that triggers two common behavioral issues that gifted children suffer of, a condescending attitude of arrogance or a conforming attitude of compliance. Both result to maladaptive behaviors. In this report, two cases of gifted children are presented. In the first case, a child that displayed arrogance is presented while in the later another that exhibited compliance, putting aside its own interests and identity, to feel accepted by its peers. Both cases are analyzed in respect with the abilities, self-concept, emotional balance, motivation, support systems and attitude of the children evaluated. Useful insights are provided in both cases.