Korean Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Academic Brilliance

Abstract

This is a replication of a study designed by Tannenbaum (1962) and repeated by Cramond and Martin (1987) measuring U.S. attitudes toward intelligence by having respondents rate 8 hypothetical students who varied in their combinations of athleticism, effort, and academic ability. This study investigated 132 Korean preservice and in-service teachers’ attitudes on the same measure. Both Korean teacher groups favored athleticism and nonstudiousness over academic brilliance and showed a gender bias by designating their preferred characters as boys more often. The least favored character was the academically brilliant, studious, nonathletic student—often considered traditionally gifted—and usually designated as a girl. The anti-intellectualism, sport-mindedness, and gender bias in the present study’s Korean participants was similar to that found in the American samples. These results suggest a need for better teacher training and understanding of gifted students. This study is important because it reminds us of future and current teachers’ views of gifted students, especially in Korea, where gifted education is now being initiated. Also, it demonstrates the ubiquitous nature of anti-intellectualism, even in a country considered to value academics.