Research and Genius

In 1968 Julian Stanley, a researcher in psychometrics (the study of cognitive performance) met a young man named Joseph Bates. Bates was twelve at the time and his parents, finding him bored in school, enrolled him a computer science course at Johns Hopkins University. That alone did not cure his boredom and he began teaching graduate students a programming language. Stanley then had him take the SAT along with other tests. He ended up scoring higher than required for admission at Johns Hopkins. At this point, Stanley made an effort to find a high school where the boy could take advanced math courses. Unfortunately, it did not work out. He later convinced the dean of Johns Hopkins to allow Bates to take courses there. Bates soon enrolled as an undergraduate.  

It appears that children with “genius,” minds are more common than we realize. In addition, there seems to be a genetic propensity to this phenomenon.  High achievers tend to run in families.  But, more research needs to be done on the genetic component   There is the argument that those with more economic privilege are more likely to achieve higher degrees or contribute because they have the additional advantages and access to a better education.  One of my original questions was if it was genetic. This may not necessarily be the case. Though he is obviously an intelligent boy, his parents seemed to be average, otherwise they would have dealt with it differently. This also brings to attention the fact that this all began back in 1968. That was almost fifty years ago and in the time since, many geniuses have emerged, creating Facebook, Google, and other innovative technologies.

After his encounter with Bates, Mr. Stanley created the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY). This study transformed and continues to transform the education system in the United States. It is currently the longest running survey, lasting for forty-five years and counting, tracking the careers and accomplishments of five thousand individuals. Many of these individuals became high-achieving scientists. The study has also generated four hundred books, many papers, and helped increase understanding on how to develop Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), focused talent.

The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth is an ongoing study. This causes one to wonder whether it will last long enough to tell us anything significant. Though it has already begun to, will it have an impact on how history unfolds in the future? This also calls into question the United States education system, where the main focus is not on developing genius, but rather helping low performing students to improve. “There is an enduring misperception among educators that gifted kids are bright enough to succeed on their own and that we should focus more on low-performing students” (Clynes, 46). The important factor in this discussion is that precocious youth cannot do it on their own, despite popular belief. They require nurture and help, just as the average, or below average student does.

Stanley wanted to find the highest potential STEM students and boost the chance that they would succeed. His goal was to not only study their minds, but nurture their vast intellect. What he learned is that the precociously gifted tend to be more influential. Many innovators, in various fields, are those who were identified at a young age as having, “unique cognitive abilities.” They were supported through programs like the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, that Mr. Stanley started in 1980 in correlation with SMPY. The center was open to students who scored in the top one percent of college entrance exams. Many highly accomplished people have passed through the center, a few being Mark Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin.

“Whether we like it or not, these people really do control our society,” says Jonathan Wei with Duke Talent Identification Program. He has combined data from SMPY and eleven other sources, demonstrating the correlation between early cognitive ability and adult achievement. He says that the students to test in the top one percent happen to become the scientists, academics, Fortune 500 CEOs, federal judges, senators, and billionaires.

This research shows that, unlike popular belief, hard work and practice are not the only factors to determine success. SMPY shows us that, “[E]arly cognitive ability has more effect on achievement than either deliberate practice or environmental factors such as socioeconomic status” (Clynes, 43). However, this is not all a perfect system, the downfall of identifying talented students, through talent searches and standardized tests, is that it raises the question of whether it is the right thing to do. This is especially troubling in areas where there are poor or rural students.

In conclusion, I believe that genius is a significant part of the makeup of our society. Not only do they create and envision our technology, but also push us forward. As for the ethics of such things, I suppose that is for the reader to decide.

Why this topic?

I chose this topic simply because I find it rather interesting. Having read a lot about the brain in recent years, it was hard to decide between mental illness and genius. Mental illness is usually a problem with the brain, sometimes having to do with chemicals in the brain. At times, medication can fix this, but these illnesses can be debilitating. That is why I chose to focus on genius for my blog.

I saw a small video once explaining that many famous or successful people, often rather different than the average joe, had unique brains, describing men like Albert Einstein, whose brain had a unique structure, where a center for memory was in a different spot from most. It also showed that many of these people had a sharp memory, one much like that of an autistic person.

I also know that Mark Zuckerburg, the creator Facebook is among the list of Genius's  as well as Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga,) A co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, and mathematician Terence Tao. They were all part of a program through John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. The interesting thing about Genius is the fact that brilliant children are often born to average people and if given the right tools to nurture their intellect, often become the people to truly change the world.

I would like to know specifically why their brains are different. Why they get scholarships into Ivy League Universities, create insanely successful technology companies, or complete mathematics on a college entrance exam for material they have never learned. Why Albert Einstein would get lost in thought on a train and miss his stop, later requiring that he have his train stop pinned to him. Why their brains work differently? Why can't I do that? Perhaps I am smart, but not like they are. Or maybe why it happens at such a young age. Many of us never will reach such heights intellectually, while they are born with a magnificent brain and can teach graduate students how to program, because they are bored in the classes they are taking, at the college. And is there truly a social issue for children that attend college at say age twelve, or ten? Will it stunt or mess up their social development?

In an article I recently read, it said that many countries are focusing on helping educate the lowest performing students better, while the smarter more "genius" students are left to hopefully find their potential. Why is that? According to the article, people believe that the students can be successful on their own, but what scientists know and hope others continue to realize, is that these students requiring nurturing. This allows them to access programs and classes at a higher level. And is there a link to memory and autism like I previously mentioned? What about the rest of us, how does a genius child affect his or her siblings, their parents, or extended family.

When you think about it, really there are many sides to the issue. Is it ethical to allow a child to surpass her classmates or intern at a young age in a science lab? What about other areas. I mentioned Lady Gaga and reading that she was a genius made me realize and consider that smart people are not just good at Math, Science, and Technology, but can be insanely good at music, leadership, or politics.

As for how I will go about learning, I guess I will follow my curiosity. Right now I will definitely look into the link between autism and memory in relation to genius. Perhaps I will also look at the different geniuses present in our society, or the way to nurture and help these people. To legitimately find the knowledge, my first two sources will be, of course, be the internet and books, followed by magazines, like Scientific American Mind, and youtube even. I'm confident there are a few related TED talks. The goal would be to compare and contrast what each source says and how they are different and to draw up my own conclusions.

In conclusion, my hope with this blog is to learn as much as I can about genius and how that relates to the world at large. There are of course implications of having such brilliant minds around. I think the most important thing is to seek to understand genius and why it is important, what these people add to society, and why they are key to the continuation and growth of our society.