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Related Experiment Videos

Tracking exceptional human capital over two decades.

David Lubinski1, Camilla P Benbow, Rose Mary Webb

  • 1Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. david.lubinski@vanderbilt.edu

Psychological Science
|March 2, 2006
PubMed
Summary
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Intellectually precocious youth identified early achieve exceptional career success and life satisfaction comparable to top graduate students. Early cognitive ability predicts high accomplishment in science and technology careers.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Intellectual precocity is a rare trait associated with high cognitive ability.
  • Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding the developmental trajectories of gifted individuals.
  • The information age demands innovation in science and technology, highlighting the importance of identifying and nurturing talent.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the long-term creative, occupational, and life accomplishments of intellectually precocious youth with those of high-achieving graduate students.
  • To determine if early identification of high cognitive ability predicts later success in demanding scientific and technological careers.
  • To assess career and life satisfaction in relation to early cognitive potential and later accomplishments.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Longitudinal tracking of talent-search participants (identified before age 13 based on top 0.01% cognitive ability) over 20 years.
  • Comparison of accomplishments with a cohort of graduate students in top-ranked U.S. STEM programs (tracked over 10 years).
  • Assessment of creative, occupational, and life accomplishments, including career and life satisfaction.

Main Results:

  • By their mid-30s, both groups demonstrated comparable and exceptional success, including securing top tenure-track positions.
  • Both groups reported high levels of career and life satisfaction.
  • Early identification of high cognitive ability through college entrance exams indicated extraordinary potential for innovation.

Conclusions:

  • Exceptional cognitive ability identified in youth predicts substantial long-term success and satisfaction in demanding careers.
  • Intellectually precocious individuals are well-positioned for leadership roles in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
  • Early cognitive assessment serves as a valuable tool for identifying potential for future innovation in the information age.