A comparison of personality traits and cultural orientations in adolescents identified versus unidentified as gifted

The aim of this study is to compare the personality traits and cultural orientations of the adolescents (high school students), who were identified and non-identified as gifted, living in Turkey, in terms of demographical variables. A total of 688 adolescents, selected by multistage convenient sampling, aged between 13 and 19, who lived in 14 different cities in seven regions of Turkey participated in this study (non-identified = 345, identified = 343). Five Factor Personality Inventory, INDCOL Scale, and Demographic Information Form are applied in this study for collecting data. The results showed that adolescents who are identified as gifted are high on extraversion and low on neuroticism compared to their peers. In terms of neuroticism, girls have significantly higher mean scores than boys. In terms of allocentrism, gifted students' means are found to be significantly lower than non-identified. Although the idiocentrism means are higher in favor of gifted students, it is not statistically significant when compared to their peers. Gender differences are not found in the cultural orientation variable. In the investigation of the relationship between identification and income level, parents' educational level, residence, settlement status where most of life is spent, socioeconomically biased identification was found in Turkey's system. Results are discussed in the context of contemporary gifted education theories and policies. Suggestions are made for gifted education stakeholders.