The Relationship between Moral Maturity and Sense and Behaviors of Responsibility in Gifted Children

Abstract

The main objective of the present study is to investigate the relationship between moral maturity and sense and behaviors of responsibility in gifted children. The secondary objective of the study is to compare the levels of moral maturity, sense of responsibility and behaviors of responsibility of gifted students (GS) and those of students with average intelligence level (SWAIL). The relational survey model has been employed in the study. The data was collected from 200 SWAIL attending the 6^th and 7^th grades in primary education schools in Ankara and 200 GS attending ‘Science and Art Centers’ (Turkish: BILSEM). The Scale for the Moral Maturity and the Sense and Behaviors of Responsibility was used as the data collection tool. In determining the differences between variables, the Independent samples t-Test was used for the variables which demonstrate normal distribution depending on the Kolmogorov Smirnov coefficients being insignificant at the p<.05 level. The correlation analysis was used in order to determine the correlations between the variables. At the end of the study, GS were found to be more mature in moral terms and to have a higher sense of responsibility compared to SWAIL. In the study, a statistical significant positive correlation (p<.01) was observed between moral maturity and sense and behaviors of responsibility in GS. In addition, a positive correlation (p<.01) was determined between the sense of responsibility and the behaviors of responsibility.