Zeal: Essential to Superior Intellectual Achievements?

Psychosocial development in intellectually gifted children.

“…Enthusiasm and vigor imply at least as much mental as physical energy. Mental energy is exhibited in the capacity to do a great deal of hard work to achieve goals and overcome obstacles (Freehill & McDonald, 1981;Galton, 1892). Parents and teachers rate intellectually gifted children as having more willpower and perseverance than children not identified as gifted (Burks et al, 1930;Terman, 1925).…”

The Role of Motivation to the Academic Achievement of Gifted Secondary Students

“…In addition to the recognition by Feldhusen and Hoover (1986), Renzulli (1978), and Freehill and McDonald (1981), other researchers have found that motivation contributes to academic achievement by highly able secondary students. Sternberg (1986) established the importance of motivation in the success of intelligent people, while Clinkenbeard (1994) propounded that 'motivation is clearly important when considering how to narrow the gap between potential and performance ' (p. 187).…”

“…There is a general acceptance in the educational community that motivation plays a role in the actualisation of giftedness into everyday accomplishments by students. Consequently, authors such as Feldhusen and Hoover (1986), Renzulli (1978), and Freehill and McDonald (1981) include motivation in their definitions of giftedness. Renzulli, Feldhusen and Hoover describe it as 'task commitment,' while Freehill and McDonald identify it as 'zeal.'…”

Reliability and Validity of Learning Behaviors Scale (LBS) Scores With Academically Talented Students: A Comparative Perspective

“…Similarly, Barron (1963) argued for the importance of self-direction and vitality. And, shortly after Renzulli's definition entered the literature, Freehill and McDonald (1981) observed that assessing GT children needs to be more broadly conceived, taking into account "unique patterns of skills and motivations" (p. 126). From the position of theorists, then, there is considerable consensus that giftedness requires both capacity and effort, even though we seem prone to forget or ignore effort more often in the academic arena than in other more behaviorally explicit areas of talent like athletics and music.…”

“…In sum, GT-identified individuals who are successful do not differ from those who are labeled GT and are unsuccessful on the basis of capacity or talent, since both groups are generally chosen using the same instruments; rather, the differences are found in the former group's investment of time, in their commitment to getting the task done, in their persistence in the face of difficulties, and in their willingness to take on challenging tasks in the process of honing their skills and talents (Barron, 1963;Freehill & McDonald, 1981;Galton, 1869;Renzulli, 1978Renzulli, , 1986Sosniak, 1998;Walberg et al, 1981;Worrell, 2003).…”