Abstract
This paper describes the personality correlates of differential verbal and mathematical ability in very bright adolescent boys (N=182). The results indicate that there are few mean personality differences between two groups of boys formed on the basis of high scores on measures of either verbal or quantitative ability. On the other hand, within each of these groups there are dependable personality correlates of differences between verbal and quantitative ability. In particular, boys with high verbal relative to their quantitative scores seem independent, rational, reflective, and mature, regardless of their vocational or academic preferences.
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Work on this paper was supported by a grant from the Spencer Foundation, Chicago, Illinois.
Received her Ph.D. in psychology from the Johns Hopkins University. Major interests are personality theory and medical psychology.
Received his Ph.D. in psychology from the Johns Hopkins University. Major interests are education and developmental psychology.
Received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of California at Berkeley. Major interests are personality theory and moral development.
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Viernstein, M.C., McGinn, P.V. & Hogan, R. The personality correlates of differential verbal and mathematical ability in talented adolescents. J Youth Adolescence 6, 169–178 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02139082
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02139082