• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.679-702
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• 2012

Values can be regarded as an important factor which acts as an indicator showing each person's individual path of life. many researchers have suggested that values function as standards that guide thought and action. Values lead us to take particular positions on social issues and they predispose us to favor one perspective over another. Adolescence is an important period for the establishment of one's values. The values established during such a period become an important factor determining one's right personality and contents of life. In particular, it is important to take a study about the values possessed by gifted and talented children in Korea. There have been several researches regarding the cognitive and affective characteristics of gifted and talented learners in Korea. However, there has not been any research regarding their values in life. This study investigates the characteristics of values shown by 468 high-school students from two special schools for gifted students by using Schwartz's Value Survey Scale which is consisted of 57 value categories and 10 value types. According to the results of this study, the students from the special high-school for gifted children tend to promote such value types as 'autonomy' and 'stimulation' the most. Conversely, the same students tend to deny or ignore such value types as 'power' and 'tradition'. This study provides basic data regarding the values of gifted and talented students as the first research of its kind targeting gifted students in Korea. It has an important meaning for the research related to the characteristics shown by gifted students in Korea.