Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth

The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY), described in this entry, is a large-scale longitudinal project devoted to understanding the characteristics and needs of talented individuals—as children and adults—and the determinants of their varying paths of development and achievement throughout the life span. (Indeed, “SMPY” is something of a misnomer because the project has always focused on abilities in mathematics and science and has come to include verbal and spatial abilities, as well. Nevertheless, the project's name was maintained for the sake of consistency.) SMPY was begun in 1971 by Julian C. Stanley at Johns Hopkins University and is currently directed by Camilla P. Benbow and David Lubinski at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. When completed, the study will span 50 years and include 5,000 ...