On the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Children by Tracy Cross

Author:Tracy Cross
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks

24Note. Adapted from “Technology and the Unseen World of Gifted Students,” by Tracy L. Cross, 2004, Gifted Child Today, 27(4), pp. 14–63.

CHAPTER 25

Growing Up Gifted Amid a Culture of Social Media25

KEY CONCEPTS

• Positive influences of social media

• Connectedness

Although it is true that every generation of children grows up with a different confluence of historical influences than the previous generation, the current generation of students with gifts and talents (SWGT) has matured during a unique time in which they have been immersed within an electronic social network. Although some factors that influence development within cohorts, such as life during wartime, financial recessions, political scandals, and so forth, do exist for today’s children, never before have children been so thoroughly immersed in technology in general and social media in particular. This chapter will illustrate many of the more interesting aspects of growing up gifted, immersed in a culture of social media.

We begin with the development of friendships. Historically, friendships have largely been made among SWGT based on proximity and geography. Possible friends were largely based on those with whom you went to school and those who lived very close to you. The group of possible friends was limited to same-age mates located in the SWGT class in their local school. Participation in sports or band could also provide opportunities for friendship development. In addition, in cities, parents often arranged for play dates. In the past 30 years or so, some SWGT made friends among other SWGT in summer or Saturday programs. This represents a small portion of the overall population and is especially true for underrepresented groups of SWGT. Given these options, it has been common for SWGT to struggle making friends among intellectual peers.

The new paradigm allows for friendships to be made based on interest and passion. Through the use of technology (computers and phones), increasing numbers of SWGT communicate with a vast array of people with ease. Previous issues associated with friendship formation—age, geography, and schools—have become increasingly less important. For example, websites about art are numerous across the world and have hundreds of thousands of followers, many of whom are SWGT. Conversations about art and artists become the foundation of their communications, often leading to the formation of friendships. In many cases, the friends do not meet in person but grow their friendship virtually. There are an infinite number of possible topics that SWGT can pursue. The long-term effects of these types of relationships are not yet understood empirically.

Arguably, the most essential quality of the experience of growing up amid a culture of social media is the primal feeling of connectedness. Many SWGT who are introverted are interacting far more regularly at their choosing. This fact greatly increases the extent to which they interact with others. Add to this equation the SWGT who are more extroverted, and the percentage of SWGT connecting with others is greatly increased. Feeling connected is an important aspect of mental health, and social media has the potential to help all SWGT to that end.

The

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