An Experience of Meaning on Screens: A Phenomenological Study of YouTube Videos on High Abilities or Giftedness
Name: WILLIANS ARAUJO DOS SANTOS
Publication date: 10/02/2026
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| HIRAN PINEL | Examinador Interno |
| JUCÉLIA LINHARES GRANEMANN DE MEDEIROS | Examinador Externo |
| VITOR GOMES | Presidente |
Summary: This study aims to understand the different types of content on giftedness or high abilities (HA/G) circulating on YouTube, based on the premise that a comprehensive immersion in the discourses present on this platform enables not only the mapping of trends and narratives, but also reflection on their effects on the formation of social perceptions regarding HA/G. Methodologically, the study adopts a phenomenological approach. In terms of theoretical grounding, it draws on the concepts of Existential Involvement and Reflective Distancing, derived from the book Phenomenological Psychology: Foundations, Method, and Research by Yolanda Cintrão Forghieri (2022), as well as on the attitudes that enable an elucidation of lived experience (eidetic), namely observation, description, and understanding, as discussed in the studies of Maria Amélia Barcelos Fraga and Vitor Gomes (2023) in the work Phenomenology and Giftedness/High Abilities: Public Policies, Methodology, and Research. As instruments for understanding the phenomenon, the research employs a field diary and the Meaning Version (MV). In its literature review, the project presents the state of knowledge on the topic over the past six years, based on a search conducted in the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. In addition, historical and political aspects related to HA/G are addressed. Finally, this research reaffirms the importance of investigating representations of HA/G circulating on YouTube not merely as reflections of hegemonic discourses, but as expressions of lived experiences, tensioned between specialized knowledge, popular perceptions, and subjectivities in enunciation. By adopting phenomenology, the investigation enables a deeper listening to these experiences, recognizing both the potential and the limits of digital language in the constitution of meanings about giftedness. Thus, the study contributes to broadening perspectives on HA/G, pointing to the need for more humanistic and existential approaches that foster recognition of each subject’s singularity, as well as to strengthening the academic record of this population, which is essential for the implementation of inclusive educational policies sensitive to diversity.
