Objetivo.Proponer una definición de alta capacidad intelectual y, dentro de ella, de superdotación, talento y genio, postulando que son manifestaciones intelectuales con perfiles multidimensionales distintos que dan lugar a productos cognitivos diferenciados.

Sujetos y métodos. Tras un cribado, se extraen al azar 41 estudiantes con perfiles intelectuales de superdotación, talento simple o múltiple y capacidad intelectual típica previamente identificados.

Resultados. Se obtienen patrones diferenciales de resolución según perfiles intelectuales, cuantitativamente (mayor cantidad de información) y cualitativamente (mayor complejidad relacional entre la información).

Conclusión. Las diferencias entre el producto cognitivo de perfiles intelectuales de alta capacidad (superdotación o talento) y capacidad intelectual media permiten inferir un procesamiento diferencial de la información utilizada. [REV NEUROL 2008; 46 (Supl 1): S11-6]

Palabras clave. Alta capacidad intelectual. Desarrollo cognitivo diferencial. Genio. Inteligencia. Superdotación. Talento.

HIGH ABILITY CHILDREN AND THEIR DIFFERENTIAL COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

Introduction. From the neuroconstructivist point of view, cognitive development is understood as a process of successive and continuous reorganization whose changing mechanisms and differential outcomes (typical and atypical) must be studied. High intelectual abilities are one of their differential manifestations but its concept and nature is confused conditionning the validity of its identification and the efficacy of the interventional programs.

Aim. To propose a clarifying definition of the nature of high intellectual abilities and their manifestations: giftedness, talent and genious, as well as their cognitive functioning and neurological correlates.

Subjects and methods. A qualitative task analysis is applied to 41 participants with intellectual profiles corresponding to: giftedness, talent and typical intelligence, previously obtained.

Results. Results show differences on the cognitive results, not only referred to the quantity of informations produced but in the data organization more complex and hard interrelated among the gifted participants.

Conclusion. It must be a differential process of resolution adjusted to each one of the profiles studied. [REV NEUROL 2008; 46 (Supl 1): S11-6]

Key words. Differential cognitive development. Genious. Giftedness. High intellectual ability. Intelligence. Talent.

S. Sastre-Riba