Ivana Bianchi, Carla Canestrari*, Anna Maria Roncoroni, Roberto Burro, Erika Branchini and Ugo Savardi The effects of modulating contrast in verbal irony as a cue for giftedness https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2017-0028 Abstract: This study adds to the existing literature on the ability to under- stand irony of typically developing versus gifted students (aged 12–15). In addition to the canonical condition of polarized statements applied to oppo- sitely polarized situations, we also considered the case of intermediate state- ments and situations. The results showed a significant difference between the two groups of participants. Both groups recognized an ironic interpretation in the more usual condition of a polarized statement applied to a clearly oppositely polarized situation and they also grasped the idea that the bigger the contrast, the more ironic the message. However, gifted students demon- strated greater mastery, with regard to both polarized and intermediate statements. They also demonstrated greater ability compared with their non-gifted peers in the task which required them to explain the “rule” under- lying the conditions which applied to the comments they had judged as ironic and to then produce ironic stories demonstrating the specificity of irony (not to be confused with generic humor). Keywords: verbal irony, giftedness, contrast, opposites, intermediates, perceptual structure of dimensions *Corresponding author: Carla Canestrari, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism, University of Macerata, P.le Luigi Bertelli 1, 62100 Macerata, Italy, E-mail: carla.canestrari@unimc.it Ivana Bianchi, Department of Humanities, University of Macerata, via Garibaldi 20, 62100 Macerata, Italy, E-mail: ivana.bianchi@unimc.it Anna Maria Roncoroni, President of the Italian Association for Gifted and Talented students, Member of the General Committee of the European Council for High Ability, Piazza Alessi 1/12, Genova 16128, Italy, E-mail: gifted@roncoroni.eu Roberto Burro: E-mail: roberto.burro@univr.it, Erika Branchini: E-mail: erika.branchini@univr.it, Ugo Savardi: E-mail: ugo.savardi@univr.it, Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Lungadige Porta Vittoria 27, 37129 Verona, Italy Humor 2017; aop Authenticated | carla.canestrari@unimc.it author's copy Download Date | 8/12/17 10:40 AM