Cross, T. L., Neumeister, K. S., & Cassady, J. C. (2007). Psychological types of academically gifted adolescents. Gifted Child Quarterly, 51(3), 285-294. doi:10.1177/0016986207302723
This study provides descriptive information about the psychological types of a sample of 931 gifted adolescents who attended a public residential academy. Psychological types are assessed with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI reports on four pairs of personality types: Extraversion/Introversion (E/I), Sensing/Intuition (S/N), Thinking/Feeling (T/F), and Judging/Perceiving (J/P). Overall, the most common types reported by this sample were INTJ, INTP, INFP, ENFP, and ENTP. Comparisons between gifted and norming samples are reported. Gender differences for the gifted sample were found on E/I, with males orienting toward I and females orienting toward E. Gender-specific comparisons between gifted and norming samples reveal that gifted females had a greater tendency toward I and T, and gifted males had a greater tendency for I. Overall, both genders in the gifted sample tended to be NP types. Putting the Research to Use: The findings of the present study regarding psychological type and gifted students have several important implications for educators. A similarity between gifted students’ and teachers’ personality types enables teachers to provide the type of instruction that appears to fit with gifted students’ learning styles: theory based, logical analysis, abstract concepts, problem solving, and open discussion. Likewise, a mismatch of type between gifted students and their teachers may lead to difficulties in the classroom as gifted students with Intuition and Perceiving preferences may feel misunderstood and unchallenged by their teachers who are less likely to have this type combination. To address this concern, administrators may want to consider offering professional development sessions that give an overview of the four broad dimensions of personality and their indication of learning style preference. Such sessions may help teachers learn how to include a variety of instructional strategies and assessment options that would appeal to a wide range of students, including those with NP preferences. In addition, because students with a Perceiving preference may have a tendency toward disorganization and procrastination, Sak recommended that teachers adopt instructional models that include flexible classroom structure. With their emphasis on independence and self-paced learning, such instructional models may help students with a Perceiving preference develop into self-regulated learners. By factoring psychological type into the equation of curriculum planning, as this study suggests, educators are able to design teaching methods that will provide an optimal fit for gifted learners