OVER AND OUT: AN INNOVATIVE LOOK AT OVEREXCITABILITIES USING OUT-OF-THE-BOX STRATEGIES TAGT Annual Professional Development Conference, Carol M. Raymond, M.Ed. and Mariah Johnson, scholar ~ E.A. Young Academy

AN OVERVIEW OF OVEREXCITABILITIES

OVEREXCITABILITIES What do you think of when you hear the word “Overexcitability”?

OVEREXCITABILITIES Polish Psychologist Kazmierz Dabrowski introduced the concept of overexcitabilities 1964 in his Theory of Positive Disintegration Just as aptitude is heightened in gifted individual, Dabrowski theorized that five areas of experiencing life were also heightened: Intellectual, Imaginational, Sensual, Emotional and Psychomotor

OVEREXCITABILITIES May experience all five or none – that is perfectly normal! It is more about the EXTENT of the experience AWARENESS (tend to me more aware of stimuli) INTENSITY (daily experiences will be more intense) RANGE (higher highs and lower lows)

PSYCHOMOTOR I have lots of energy. Photo by Glyn Lowe Photo works

PSYCHOMOTOR People often tell me I talk too fast (and sometimes too much!) Photo by Sandy Redding

PSYCHOMOTOR I love to play fast games and sports. Photo by marlon.net

PSYCHOMOTOR I have troubles sitting still for long periods of time. Photo by Tambako the Jaguar

PSYCHOMOTOR I have some nervous habits (nail biting, hair twirling, etc.) and like to fidget with things. Photo by Jay Aremac

EMOTIONAL I have a large range of emotions and feelings. Photo by Tambako the Jaguar

EMOTIONAL When I am upset, I often feel it in my body with a tense stomach, blushing/flushing, a pounding heart and/or sweaty palms. Photo by 2-Dog-Farm

EMOTIONAL I make strong emotional ties to others (both people and animals). Photo by Alex E. Proimos

EMOTIONAL I have empathy for others. Photo by Leonard John Matthews

EMOTIONAL I am hard on myself and often remember failures/trials for years after they occur. Photo by keso

SENSUAL I am sensitive to certain textures (tags in the back of my shirt, seams on socks, certain fabrics). Photo by sevenblock

SENSUAL The creative arts (music, visual arts, literature) produce strong emotions within me. Photo by Emily's mind

SENSUAL I am sensitive to lights, sounds, and smells. (This may be either strong positive OR negative reactions). Photo by Express Monorail

SENSUAL When shopping for clothes, I often touch the fabric as I walk by. Photo by kthread

SENSUAL I enjoy being the center of attention. Photo by Cydcor

IMAGINATIONA L I often express my thoughts and feelings in metaphors. Photo by ssri

IMAGINATIONA L I have elaborate dreams. Photo by sorundalasse

IMAGINATIONA L I sometimes embellish the truth to make experiences sound more dramatic when retelling events. Photo by insidethemagic

IMAGINATIONA L I visualize things well. I often think in images instead of words and ideas. Photo by Cut to Pieces

IMAGINATIONA L I am very creative. (This may exhibit itself in drama, art, music or writing). Photo by gfpeck

INTELLECTUAL I frequently ask WHY because I want to know HOW things work. Photo by Tsahi Levent-Levi

INTELLECTUAL I love solving problems. Photo by ePublicist

INTELLECTUAL I love to analyze situations. Photo by Alice Popkorn

INTELLECTUAL I enjoy thinking about the way that I (and others) think about things. Photo by davidyuweb

INTELLECTUAL I enjoy logic puzzles/problems and discussions about logic and/or philosophy. Photo by rodaniel

THE INTELLECTUAL OE OVEREXCITABILITIES

INTELLECTUAL OE Although this sounds a lot like “intelligence” it is not exactly the same thing! People with an intellectual OE have a DRIVE to understand It isn’t about the CAPACITY to learn, but the DESIRE to learn They ask questions, make observations, and constantly want to learn more about the world around them