Characteristics of cognition of adolescents with different signs of giftedness in the visual arts

Introduction. Insufficient attention is paid to the study of the peculiarities of cognitive processes, individual strategies and methods of cognitive activity. The article presents the problem of correlation between the characteristics of the motivational and operational components of the cognitive sphere highlighting the aptitude for fine arts. The purpose of the article is to reveal the qualitatively singular manifestations of giftedness in the cognitive sphere of adolescents who possess quite definite signs of penchant for arts. Theoretical analysis revealed the characteristics of the cognitive sphere which can be associated with artistic giftedness: cognitive activity, the ability to convey the idea, to build a composition, to analyze and synthesize, to possess a personal cognitive style. Materials and Methods. The features of creative activity are analyzed by the method of expert assessments. On the basis of expert estimates, groups of adolescents with different degrees of manifestation of giftedness in the sphere of visual arts were identified. Comparative analysis revealed significant differences in the characteristics of the cognitive sphere. Results. А tendency in the development of various ways of implementing creative efforts was revealed: from structuring separate details to building expressive compositional complexes. The authors managed to demonstrate a correlation between the level of giftedness and cognitive activity, the sense of symmetry, the maturity of cognitive styles, the ability to operate abstract symbols, the originality of artistic items. Qualitative changes in visual-figurative and abstract-symbolic thinking are noted. Conclusions. Actualization and support of a gifted child,s cognitive activity in combination with the development of operational components in his cognitive sphere, in the process of psycho-pedagogical support, can help to reveal the potential of a teenager gifted in the sphere of visual arts.