Are you a “zebra”? What this term says about giftedness

What does being a “zebra” mean?

Jeanne Siaud-Facchin introduced the term as another way of describing High Potential, giftedness or intellectual precocity. The image is evocative: every zebra has its own stripes, blending into the landscape while remaining unmistakably individual. The word therefore emphasises the experience of feeling different, a sometimes atypical personality, and an individual way of thinking, being and acting.

I also like the image of an animal that has never truly been domesticated: it evokes the fiercely independent thinking described by many gifted people.

HIP, HEP and the word “zebra”

Originally, the word “zebra” was mainly used to describe people with High Intellectual Potential (HIP). It can also be used for people with High Emotional Potential (HEP), as it refers to a distinctive way of functioning, a sense of being different and an atypical way of experiencing the world. HIP means very high cognitive intelligence. HEP means very high emotional intelligence, which can be identified through scientifically valid assessment within an emotional and personality assessment.

Should everyone who feels different be called a “zebra”?

No. Using the word too broadly can blur the distinctions between giftedness, high sensitivity, Asperger Syndrome and “new age” ideas such as the indigo child. Feeling different deserves to be understood, rather than automatically turned into a label.

Frequently asked questions