The Ways Gifted Children Are

Gender Differences in Gifted People

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Gender, intellectual levels, and personality differences between children, their parents, and their teachers all make a difference in how gifted children adapt or adjust to school experiences. And the cultures and mores of the time play an over-sized role, as well.

Boys and girls are generally different in the ways they approach school [1]. Most often, they have different activity levels and interests no matter how we rear them, as most parents quickly discover. Whatever the rea- sons are for many persistent differences between males and females, these differences have behavioral consequences for children in school. And that includes gifted children.

In my experience, most girls and women, as a group, tend to see shades of meaning and concepts more easily and are more general in their interests than most boys and men. I tripped over Michael Gurian’s work, from which I especially recommend his book, What Could He Be Thinking: How a Man’s Mind Really Works (2004) [2]. Dr. Gurian addresses the masculinity-femininity continuum and “bridge brains” concept in his work and books. Many more qualitative science researchers tend to use a lot of observations and intuition to develop theories. See this link from Wikipedia for more on the debates around the different kinds — and attitudes about — research value and results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_and_soft_science. I happen to see it much as the Wiki authors do.

Many gifted girls and women enjoy learning about a variety of topics to a fairly high level more than they tend to enjoy specializing in something that they feel would restrict them, or their contributions, in too many ways. When both people in a male/female couple have equally high intellectual ability, it is not unusual for them to assume that the male is smarter because he can dominate in his one primary subject. I point this out because women often underestimate themselves and their intellectual abilities [3], (for example, Kerr, 1994).

Gifted girls and boys approach and adapt to the school environment differently. When gifted girls start school already knowing how to read and do most other tasks, they look around and decide how else to keep themselves busy and occupied. They make the most of it. By being quick and efficient at their assignments, they can use the extra time gained to read, talk with friends, help the teacher, or take on a leadership role. Most girls have the added benefit of a teacher and parents who think that she is cooperative and a good student. Because she is!

I am struck, however, by the unwillingness of specialists, scientists, teachers, etc. to accept or understand that there really are some differences in brain structure and how people along the continuum Gurian describes express their intelligence and abilities differently because of their very nature. As an example of those who avoid believing this, which to me is missing a lot of key points, see this paper from the APA (American Psychological Association) [4]: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2018/09/girls-read-write. We are different from each other, and that doesn’t at all mean one person or another is inferior. With males and females and people along the bridge-brain masculinity/femininity continuum, it is those people who are toward the middle of the entire group have more ways of thinking that are truly unique.