Buildy-Boys: a portrait

This thesis used a multiple case study methodology to create a portrait of what may be a unique cognitive profile. Ten parents' descriptions of the traits, developmental characteristics and educational experiences of their children who are passionate about and prococious at complex constructive activity were compared to descriptions of the childhoods of engineers who do exemplary work in their field. Common characteristics included: gender, lack of pretend play, lack of interest in narrative, strong interest in computers and strategic games, academic competency, math and science subject preferences, intense focus on tasks of interest, and possibly, a subtle lack of social focus and conflict avoidance. I discuss how this collection of descriptions may relate to and possibly illustrate theories related to play, giftedness and cognitive style. Educational implications and directions for future research are suggested.