What is the High Intellectual Potential (HIP)? – Guide

What are the characteristics of HIP ?

As I told you in the introduction, the brain of a person to High Intellectual Potential is built differently. But more precisely, what it means to be HIP ?

The HIP have better neural connections

Neurons communicate with each other via axons. These are kinds of cables that allow to pass information from one neuron to another.

These axons are protected by myelin, which has the role of speeding up and improving the transmission of information via l-axone.

In gifted individuals, there is a higher rate of myelinization of the brain (source). That means there's more myelin in the brain of the HIP, and therefore that neurons communicate better between them (and faster).

The two hemispheres of the brain HIP communicate better

The two hemispheres of our brain are separated by the callous body.

This callous body is normally rather impermeable: it leaves information wrong from one hemisphere to another.

This is less the case for HIP (source). 

For example, by transferring MRIs to gifted children (from EIP It was found that the different areas of the brain are more active than in neurotypical children.

Both types of High Intellectual Potential

By digging further into scientific research, we realize that philo-cognitives (other small name for the gifted):

• Have better academic performance (sources 1 and 2), contrary to the legend which links precocity and school failure ;
• Better paid once HIP adult in the world of work (source) ;
• Are happier in their lives (source) ;
• Live longer and healthier (source). 

Obviously, there are not just disadvantages to be HIP Hey!

But then why do we often see this type of articles around people at High Intellectual Potential ?

These content are mainly based on knowledge Clinical of this neuroatypical profile (to be distinguished from knowledge Scientific of which I have just mentioned above).

To know that it is HIP, you have to take an IQ test with a psychologist. And to plan to go to a psychologist, you usually have to go wrong at some point.

General public content on the HIP, mainly relayed by books on the HIP as Too smart to be happy or Adult Surdoubedare created by psychologists who, by definition, only see in consultation some of the gifted. Those who go wrong for one reason or another.

The contributions of zebra clinical research

Be careful, I'm not saying that everything is to be thrown into clinical research. On the contrary, it is very useful because it allows us better understand a HIP. One discovers how the "super brain" can harm and that it can be difficult to living with a HIP. These are the disorders of HIP.

Here are the main points for which the work of many psychologists has been important and which make it possible to create what might be called the syndrome HIP :

• The HIP a thought in tree, i.e. each idea would make him think of several other ideas (in a treelike way). Note that this point is undermined by science, which believes that we cannot think of many things at the same time. It would be a linear thought (like everyone else) but much faster.
• By trying to conform to the norms of society, the atypical person develops a false self. It is a concept developed by the British psychologist Donald Winnicott that could be seen as a social mask. According to the psychologist, this could lead to depression.
• Because of its hypersensitivity (yy will return a little lower) and its high analytical capacity, the Gifted a what might seem like a extra-lucidity.
• The latent inhibition deficit is a problem that many gifted people encounter because they have difficulty focusing on one thing at a time. Their brains don't know how to prioritize the information they receive. This may sometimes look like an attention disorder or even an ADHD.
• The HIP and injustice are very related because gifted people hate injustice.
• People High Intellectual Potential are perfectionists, and often suffer from a strong feeling different with others (this is very true in female HIP). In addition, often on HIP has relational difficulties.
• The Love behaviour of the gifted adult are more intense, with a tendency to sapiosexuality.
• Adult with high potential and boredom are very related. This is also true for Early childhood and may be the source of school difficulties (child) HIP boredom and therefore does something else).
• Stress is often very present because the gifted analysis of everything, raises many questions and has difficulty resting. The link between HIP and sleep is still little known, but it would deserve to be plunged because, personally, many people come to me and say " I can't sleep, I think too much ».

All this parallel meaning of what a profile is HIP Not to be forgotten, far from there. It shows, for some, signs of superior intelligence and would allow to recognize a HIP.