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The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) is a prospective longitudinal survey study of persons (mostly in the United States) identified by scores of 700 or higher on a section of the
SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and Test score, scoring have changed several times. For much of its history, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test ...
Reasoning Test before age 13. It is one of the longest-running longitudinal studies of gifted youth. Study scholars have used its data to assess hypotheses about talent development and occupational preferences.


History

SMPY was founded by
Julian Stanley Julian Cecil Stanley (July 9, 1918 – August 12, 2005) was an American psychologist. He was an advocate of accelerated education for academically gifted children. He founded the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY), as we ...
in 1971 at
Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...
, with funding from the
Spencer Foundation The Spencer Foundation was established in 1962 by Lyle M. Spencer. This foundation makes grants to support research in areas of education that are widely construed. It is currently led by Na'ilah Suad Nasir. Founder Lyle M. Spencer was the f ...
. In 1986, the study headquarters moved to
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
, where Camilla Benbow led the study until 1990. Since that year, the study has been led by Benbow and David Lubinski. In 1998, the study headquarters moved to
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...
.


Study ascertainment

SMPY is the longest-running longitudinal study of gifted children in the United States. Subjects are identified by high scores on the SAT Reasoning Test, which they take at or before the age of 13 years. Eligibility is contingent on scoring at least 700 out of a possible 800 standard score points on the test (with prorated eligibility for higher scores up to age 13 years and 10 months). Participation in SMPY is voluntary for students who attain eligible scores. After the first year, Stanley decided to include students with exceptional scores in either the mathematics or verbal test sections, for inclusion in what is called the
Study of Exceptional Talent The Julian C. Stanley Study of Exceptional Talent (SET) is an outgrowth of the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) at Johns Hopkins University. Founded in 1971 by Professor Julian Stanley, SMPY pioneered the concept of above-grade-le ...
, the name SMPY was retained for the follow-up surveys. Follow-up surveys were sent to study participants after five, ten, twenty, and thirty-five years. Benbow and Lubinski and their colleagues used the data to explore individual differences among intellectually able individuals. The study population is divided into several subgroups.


Findings

The survey responses suggest that the gifted have different educational needs and accomplish more in school and work than moderately gifted. Talented students have differing abilities, interests, and lifestyle preferences, although they typically express similar levels of intellectual satisfaction and achieve advanced educational credentials at similar rates. Sex differences other investigators have found on the things-people dimension in normative populations appear in education and work among the study population. SMPY found that talented individuals tend to pursue careers that draw upon their cognitive strengths. Highly able youth with notably stronger mathematical than verbal ability often study and work in science and engineering, whereas adolescents with better verbal scores frequently went into the humanities, arts, social science, or law. Individuals with comparable mathematical and verbal ability did not follow such clear-cut trajectories, although many males with the "high-flat" ability profile pursued educational and vocational pursuits in science.


See also

* The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) *
Study of Exceptional Talent The Julian C. Stanley Study of Exceptional Talent (SET) is an outgrowth of the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) at Johns Hopkins University. Founded in 1971 by Professor Julian Stanley, SMPY pioneered the concept of above-grade-le ...
(SET) *
Talent Identification Program The Duke University Talent Identification Program (commonly referred to as "Duke TIP") was a gifted education program based at Duke University. Founded in 1980 as one of the first pre-collegiate studies programs offered by an American university, ...
(TIP)


References


Bibliography

* See for review. * * {{Cite book , last=Hunt , first=Earl , title=Human Intelligence , publisher=Cambridge University Press , location=Cambridge , isbn=978-0-521-70781-7 , year=2011 , page=346 , chapter 10
"What Use is Intelligence?"


External links


Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth website

Forty Years Later: What Happens to Mathematically Precocious Youth Identified at Age 12?
video of 30 April 2014 presentation by David Lubinski at the University of Minnesota department of psychology colloquium series
SMPY bibliography
Gifted education Vanderbilt University Cohort studies Longitudinal studies