What behavior is the best indicator that a student may be gifted in general intellectual ability?

Processing information in complex ways is a strong indicator of a student's giftedness in general intellectual ability. Gifted students often have the ability to think critically and analyze information at a level that surpasses their peers. This means they can connect disparate ideas, recognize patterns, and understand abstract concepts more readily than others.

In contrast, while demonstrating extra effort can indicate motivation or a strong work ethic, it doesn't necessarily reflect advanced cognitive abilities. Retaining information and details is important, yet it primarily shows memory skills rather than deep analytical thinking. Showing interest in learning new information is a positive trait but does not specifically denote the exceptional capacity to process that information in sophisticated manners. Therefore, the ability to process information in complex ways truly highlights the core of gifted intellectual capability.