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European Journal of High Ability

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SELFACTUALIZATION IN GIFTED
AND AGGRESSIVE YOUNG PEOPLE
Irena PufalStruzik

Educational University of Kielce, Institute of Education

and Psychology , ul. Krakowska 11, Kielce, Poland
Published online: 04 Oct 2011.

To cite this article: Irena PufalStruzik (1995) SELFACTUALIZATION IN GIFTED AND

AGGRESSIVE YOUNG PEOPLE, European Journal of High Ability, 6:1, 53-59, DOI:
10.1080/0937445950060106
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0937445950060106

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EUROPEAN JOURNAL FOR HIGH ABILITY, 1995, 6, 53-59.

SELF-ACTUALIZATION IN GIFTED AND AGGRESSIVE YOUNG

PEOPLE

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Irena Pufal-Struzik1

A total of 80 students aged seventeen and eighteen (40 in each group) selected from
several secondary schools took part in the study. It was assumed that the intensity
of self-acceptance among gifted young people is positively influenced by intellectual
success, as well as by the following personality traits: internal locus of control,
average or low level of anxiety, strong sensation seeking. There was a trend
towards higher self-actualization among gifted students (although statistically
insignificant), while self-actualizing students had an internal locus of control and a
need for stimulation and varied experience. The assumption that lower anxiety and
higher self-acceptance are characteristic of young people with higher selfactualization was not confirmed, which suggests that there is a need to intensify
parents' and teachers' support for students coping with difficulties.
Self-actualization is an inborn tendency which leads to a high level of psychological
autonomy and maturity. It seems advisable to regard self-actualization as a dynamic
process leading to full realization of potentials, a dynamic tendency towards
actualizing these potentials. According to Strzalecki (1989), realization of this
tendency is favoured by the projection of personal aims and intentions into the future,
by the guiding of goals and values by the "ideal self, and by the ability to give up
immediate gratifications. Referring to this type of behaviour, Obuchowski (1985,
p. 132) wrote that it is typical of people of "long term efficiency" in action.
The most frequently cited factors favouring self-actualization are as follows:
motivation for long term achievement and ambition (Allport, 1963; Barron, 1963;
Obuchowski, 1985; Rogers, 1962; Strzalecki, 1989), ability to set oneself tasks and
plan actions (Obuchowski, 1985; Strzalecki, 1989), readiness to give up immediate
gratification, independence of mind and action, initiative (Drwal, 1972; Gough &
Woodworth, 1960; Kmiecik, 1983; Zuk, 1986), domination and ability to relieve
1

Authors address: Dr Irena Pufal-Struzik, Educational University of Kielce, Institute of Education

and Psychology, ul. Krakowska 11, Kielce, Poland.

53

tensions appearing in the process of actualization. Self-actualization is also favoured

by a clear perception of reality and favourable social conditions, as well as by a strong
desire to understand and experience the world, by strong empathy and close social
contacts with a sense of responsibility for one's own actions and their consequences
(Barron, 1963; Fromm, 1970; Lukaszewski, 1984; Maslow, 1959; Rogers, 1962;
Tomaszewski, 1976). A self-actualizing personality is also a highly integrated
personality showing a tendency towards autonomy, self-control, self-acceptance, and
dynamic and deep feelings.

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METHOD
The study reported in this paper aimed at finding causal relationships between
selected personality traits and self-actualization among young people who were highly
intellectually gifted but free from aggressive tendencies, by comparing them with
people of average gifts and high aggression. In the first stage (February - March,
1994) 80 students of seventeen and eighteen (from 25 classes) were selected from five
general secondary schools. Among them were 40 students showing specific
intellectual talents for arts or science subjects accompanied by good results in other
subjects. These young people had entered the nationwide finals of contests in a given
school subject (held in Poland every year) after success in intermediate level contests
in their districts. No aggression was found in the behaviour of these students (low
scores on a test of aggression). The other group consisted of students of average gifts
(showing no specific talents for any subject) with a high level of aggression in
behaviour. The Buss-Durkee test was used to measure aggression.
In the second stage (April - May, 1994) a questionnaire prepared by the author
and psychological interviews were used to assess self-actualization among young
people. The statements in the questionnaire and the questions used in interviews dealt
with the following traits of behaviour crucial for self-actualization: the way the term
"self-actualization" is understood and the awareness of its importance to an individual,
tendencies towards reflectiveness about oneself and one's life, the degree to which
aims and ambitions were defined and put into perspective, a sense of complete
personality development, taking notice of obstacles to such development, being fit
and effective in action, satisfaction with oneself and one's achievements, perceptible
support and help from one's family when in need versus excessively intense family
pressure, a sense of independence and freedom, self-determination, tendencies toward
self-improvement and self-criticism. The personality aspects whose connections with
self-actualization among young people were investigated were as follows: locus of
control (LOC), anxiety, self-acceptance and the need for strong sensations, which is
typical of both self-actualizing persons and all young people.
Locus of control was measured by the Questionnaire for Testing Control (QTC)
worked out by Krasowicz and Kurzyp-Wojnarska (1990). The QTC is used to assess a
personality variable called the "control of behaviour consequences," which is

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described in Rotter's theory of social education (1966). The questionnaire is highly

correlated with other methods of testing locus of control, e.g. Rotter's Scale I-E
(1966), and is scored according to Polish norms. Level of anxiety as a state and as a
personality trait was measured by the Polish adaptation of the American test "StateTrait Anxiety Inventory" (STAI) worked out by Spielberger, Gorsuch and Lushen
(1970). The authors of the Polish adaptation (ISCL) are Spielberger, Strelau,
Tysarczyk and Wrzesniewski (Wrzesniewski & Sosnowski, 1987), and it is used with
healthy people over fifteen. Only the results on anxiety as a relatively constant
personality trait were considered in the present analysis. To measure self-acceptance
(SA), Karylowski's "Questionnaire SA" (1975) assessing the degree of agreement
between the real self and the ideal self was used. To find out how intense the need for
seeking sensations among the students was, the Polish adaptation (with appropriate
norms) of Zuckerman's "Sensation Seeking Scale" worked out by OleszkiewiczZsurzs (1982) and called "Zuckerman's Test of Interests and Preferences" was used.
Of the five subscales of the test, only the dimension "Seeking experiences and gaining
stimulation through studying new and more and more unusual features of the
surroundings" was used.
Initially, it was assumed that the following relationships would appear:
1. Gifted students have a stronger sense of self-actualization and self-satisfaction than
people of average gifts and high aggression (in conflict with others when
frustrated).
2. Functional traits typical of self-controlled students favour self-actualization.
3. Students with higher self-actualization accept themselves much better.
4. Students with strongly felt actualization of their potentialities and gifts are less
fearful and anxious, and show better emotional adaptability.
5. A strong need for new and unconventional experiences is connected with higher
self-actualization.

RESULTS
The analysis of the data showed that there were more students with higher selfactualization among the gifted students (the ratio was 48.0% compared with 31,6% in
the group of aggressive students), but these differences did not reach the level of
statistical significance ( 2 = 2.22; df=1; ns). Students of both groups, as a rule,
understood the notion of self-actualization well, i.e., making full use of personal

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potentials, defining and actualizing planned aims, attaining a state of placidity and
harmony due to "fashioning one's own character" and self-improvement.
Students of both groups were different in respect of aspects of behaviour typical
of self-actualizing people such as satisfaction with achievements of an intellectual
nature, level of knowledge and educational success. The differences were in favour of
gifted students; at the same time, within the same group, self-critical opinions were
observed which reflected considerable insight into themselves. The traits which the
students regarded as insufficiently developed for them to be fully satisfied and to
accept themselves were as follows: unsatisfactory will-power and persistence,
insufficient diligence and self-control in difficult situations (46.0% of opinions).
Aggressive students were mostly dissatisfied with their lack of conscientious
behaviour, excessive impulsiveness, readiness to be in conflict with others, laziness
and tendency to tell lies. Such critical opinions were not so common in the group
characterized by high levels of aggressive behaviour (23,7% of opinions).
Gifted students reflected on the aims they wanted to achieve more frequently, and
they were more particular about what they wanted out of life to make it complete.
They gave priority to attaining their planned aims such as taking a degree at a
renowned university, having a thorough knowledge of the surroundings, experiencing
lofty sentiments, improving others' lives, penetrating the secrets of the universe and
the truth about God (one of the girls summed it up like this: "fighting one's way
through life against the stream in a way, but effectively and onwards"). They also
mentioned finding satisfaction, expecting the best (optimism) but not at the cost of
other people (sensitivity), and in accordance with accepted values and rules ("living
up to high ideals," one of the students said) (52.6% of opinions).
According to gifted students and aggressive students of low self-actualization,
among the factors hindering full self-actualization are: unfavourable conditions for
full personality development at home (lack of support and help from the family) and
at school ("slaughters" carried out by teachers - the students' phrase), limited contacts
with students of the same age outside school because of excessive school
responsibilities, too little time for pursuing their own interests and "domination of
emotion over reason" shown by excessive impulsiveness in behaviour. In the
aggressive group, there were critical opinions concerning only excessive dependence
upon parents hindering full self-actualization, being under strong family pressure to
do well in school, parents taking no notice of their child's real abilities, conflicts
between parents and children (18.8% of opinions). In respect of other features
associated with self-actualization there were no differences among the students under
examination.
As expected, the relationship between self-actualization and locus of control was
statistically significant. The high level of generalized LOC indicating a general
tendency to accept responsibility was typical of self-actualizing people, and signified
internal locus of control ( 2 = 3.93; df=1; p = 0.05). Of course, the scales S and F
(LOC for successes and failures) were correlated with generalized LOC, and related

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higher self-actualization to a tendency towards internal locus of control (for S,

2 = 4.97; df= 1; p < 0.05, correlation coefficient = 0.38; for F 2 = 4.00; df=1;
p = 0.05; 0 = 0.32).
Self-acceptance did not differentiate among the students with different levels of
self-actualization to a significant extent (2 = 0.02; df-1; ns). The assumption that
self-actualizing people show fewer signals of poor emotional adaptability, i.e.,
anxiety, was not confirmed. The results obtained from the scale ISCL, measuring in
one of its subscales the level of anxiety as a relatively constant personality trait, were
alarmingly high among most of the students. On the 7th sten level 42.4% of results
were present, and 31.8% on the 8-9th sten level - 74.2% altogether showed deep and
very deep anxiety. The groups were not differentiated in respect of this trait. The last
personality trait studied was need for stimulation and tendency to seek experiences
(the results in the scale ES of Zuckerman's Test of Interests and Preferences). As had
been expected, the students of higher self-actualization showed higher aspiration to
have experiences, to feel excitement, and to find beauty in new forms ( 2 = 6.24;
df=1; p< 0,05; 0 = 0.33).

DISCUSSION
The students in this study showed a tendency towards self-actualization, full
development, and looking at themselves in perspective. Although the observed
differences in self-actualization favouring gifted students did not reach the level of
statistical significance, it is possible to argue (with appropriate reservations) that they
result from visible successes of an intellectual nature (success in competitions) and
better adaptability to the school situation (Panek, 1977). At the same time, the success
enjoyed by gifted students was not enough to bring full self-acceptance. Aggression
(as the result of frustrated desires) resulting in a great many conflicts for students from
the second group and leading to failures in interpersonal contacts was not associated
with lower self-actualization, in spite of a lower level of success in these students.
Students in both groups showed a high level of self-criticism leading, in the case of
gifted students, to low acceptance of those traits of personality and characteristics of
behaviour that interfere with the efficiency of self-actualization. One of the most
important personality factors guiding the behaviour of the students in this study with
various levels of self-actualization turned out to be a sense of effective control over
events and themselves. This trait shows whether and to what extent students regard
themselves as in control of their own activities and able to bring about changes
themselves (Kofta, 1979; Sek, 1991). Students with internal locus of control are more
often intelligent young people who are responsible, effective in action, and more
strongly self-actualizing (see Krasowicz, Kurzyp & Wojnarska, 1990).
The result giving rise to concern is the high and very high level of anxiety among
the students. This also became obvious in interviews in the form of misgivings about

57

the future, doubt about the chances of carrying out planned tasks under unstable
political conditions and concern about financial difficulties in a great many families.
Such deep anxiety is sure to hinder the process of self-actualization (see Maslow,
1986). The urgent need for social support on the part of the family and school as well
as for seeking effective dialogue with young people is apparent.

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