Ermakov. [Correlation of the dynamics of development of theoretical thinking and general intellectual abilities in gifted junior schoolchildren. Dissertation abstract for the degree of Candidate of Psychological Sciences. Ph. D. (Psychology)]

Abstract:
The paper studies the correlation between the dynamics of development of theoretical thinking and general intellectual abilities in gifted junior schoolchildren. For diagnostics we used: the test "Standard progressive matrices plus Raven" (D. K. Raven), "Test of mental development" (TUR) (G. P. Loginova), "Group intellectual test" (GIT) (G. P. Loginova), methods of non-subject diagnostics of theoretical thinking basics: "Difference", "Games in 3", "Postman" (A. Z. Zak), methods of non-subject diagnostics of theoretical thinking basics: "Difference", "Games in 3", "Postman" (A. Z. Zak). Z. Zak), the method of subject diagnostics of the basics of theoretical thinking of junior schoolchildren on the topic of addition of multi-digit numbers with a digit transition (series "Digitization of a Number") and the method with incomplete data in the content of the task conditions (series "Tower", V. A. Guruzhapov). The sample included 594 pupils of grades 1—4. Of them, 378 pupils of a gymnasium and 216 pupils of a secondary comprehensive school. The experiment was conducted between September 2011 and September 2013. All subjects were surveyed twice with an interval of one year. A questionnaire survey to obtain expert assessments about the change in students` learning success over the school year was conducted among teachers of grades 1—4 of the gymnasium (7 people). It was found that giftedness of junior schoolchildren can be diagnosed using both intelligence tests and methods of diagnosing theoretical thinking. Also the level of development of theoretical thinking can be considered as an indicator of giftedness. The connection between high indicators between theoretical thinking and general intellectual abilities is stable throughout the entire period of study in elementary school. The level of development of theoretical thinking predicts learning success in children. However, it may be age-related. This issue requires a separate study. Also, the methods of diagnostics of theoretical thinking are less labor-intensive when compared to intelligence tests. Despite the fact that expert assessments (from teachers) coincide with the data that were obtained during the diagnostics of general intellectual abilities, they underestimate theoretical thinking.