Gifted Children From 35-Year-Old Study Revisited - Study Emphasizes Need For Tailoring Educational Opportunities To Gifted Youth

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 02 Jan 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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An article published in Perspectives on Psychological Science looks back on the first 35 years of a planned 50-year Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY). SMPY, a longitudinal study, follows over 5,000 mathematically and/or verbally precocious students in order to characterize the key factors that lead to creative work and/or high academic achievement, primarily in mathematics and the sciences. 


 The SMPY review finds that, in addition to mathematical talent, a child’s spatial ability, investigative interests and theoretical values all play an important role in the development of scientific expertise. Special educational opportunities also contribute significantly to the enhancement of natural talent. David Lubinski, co-author of the Perspectives review, notes that “appropriate measures of specific abilities do have the potential to uncover a wide range of talent among diverse groups and can facilitate a more precise tailoring of educational opportunities.”

  While mathematically gifted males and females earn the same proportion of advanced educational credentials, there are differences in their educational and occupational pursuits that are in part due to sex differences in interests and ability pattern: Females are more likely to pursue careers in medicine, law, or the biological and social sciences relative to engineering and the physical sciences, whereas the opposite is true for males.

  In order to identify those individuals who have the most potential for careers in math and science, the study stresses the need to assess individual differences in the top 1% of cognitive abilities. Even within this small group, the article’s authors note, the differences in ability are vast.

  Of particular importance is the lack of evidence for an “ability threshold,” a benchmark of mental ability where developmental practices no longer make a difference. “Youths with more ability were increasingly likely to demonstrate exceptional educational, creative and work related performance,” notes Camilla P. Benbow, co-author of the review.

Perspectives on Psychological Science publishes an eclectic mix of articles that are enjoyable to read and thought-provoking, and at the same time present the latest important advances in psychology. The goal of Perspectives is for cutting-edge science to be communicated in a lively and interesting way that is understandable by all psychologists.  Perspectives is an exciting new development because of the diverse types of articles published, and because it encompasses the entire field of psychology. Not only are the diverse areas of psychology covered in the journal, but related areas in other behavioral and social sciences and neuroscience are included as well. For more information, please visit blackwell-synergy.com/loi/ppsc

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