Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth
Encyclopedia
The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) is a study project and was founded by Dr Julian Stanley
in 1971 at the Johns Hopkins University
. In 1986, it moved to Iowa State University
, where it was headed by Dr Camilla Benbow until 1990, and from then on by Dr Benbow and Dr David Lubinski
. In 1998, it moved again, this time to Vanderbilt University
.
SMPY is the longest-running longitudinal study of gifted children in history. Subjects are identified by high scores in the SAT
, perhaps the most extensively normed psychometric test in existence, which they take at or before the age of 13. There are several groups of subjects: those who score in the top 1%, the top 0.5%, and the top 0.01%. (This latter group is one in ten thousand, which makes SMPY perhaps the only reliable study of profoundly gifted youth.) Although after the first year, Stanley decided to include students with exceptional scores in either the mathematics or verbal tests, the name SMPY was retained. Extensive follow-ups were done after five, ten, twenty and 35 years enabling the formation and testing of various hypotheses on the predictive ability of high childhood scores, the different career trajectories of those who excel in the verbal section and those who are superior in mathematics, and sex differences in math ability. Studies were made also of the top (one in 10 thousand) cohort, leading to intriguing conclusions concerning profoundly gifted children and adults.
Julian Stanley
Dr. Julian Cecil Stanley was a psychologist, an educator, and an advocate of accelerated education for academically gifted children...
in 1971 at the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. In 1986, it moved to Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, where it was headed by Dr Camilla Benbow until 1990, and from then on by Dr Benbow and Dr David Lubinski
David Lubinski
David J. Lubinski is an American psychology professor known for his work in applied research, psychometrics, and individual differences.He earned his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1981 and 1987 respectively. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Illinois at...
. In 1998, it moved again, this time to Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
.
SMPY is the longest-running longitudinal study of gifted children in history. Subjects are identified by high scores in the SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
, perhaps the most extensively normed psychometric test in existence, which they take at or before the age of 13. There are several groups of subjects: those who score in the top 1%, the top 0.5%, and the top 0.01%. (This latter group is one in ten thousand, which makes SMPY perhaps the only reliable study of profoundly gifted youth.) Although after the first year, Stanley decided to include students with exceptional scores in either the mathematics or verbal tests, the name SMPY was retained. Extensive follow-ups were done after five, ten, twenty and 35 years enabling the formation and testing of various hypotheses on the predictive ability of high childhood scores, the different career trajectories of those who excel in the verbal section and those who are superior in mathematics, and sex differences in math ability. Studies were made also of the top (one in 10 thousand) cohort, leading to intriguing conclusions concerning profoundly gifted children and adults.