Year: 2023
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Often intelligence is described as relatively stable over most of the life course. To a certain extent this is true if we focus on differential stability (stability of individual differences), but less so if we focus on absolute stability (absolute change of a group). In fact, individuals change considerably over the course of a lifetime. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the development of higher order forms of intelligence over the life course. The absolute life span intelligence development is investigated by combining the Scandinavian norm material from three different intelligence tests developed by the American psychologist David Wechsler, WPPSI (test for preschool children), WISC (test for school children) and WAIS (test for adults). Results show that intelligence increases in the preschool years and continue to do so in the early school years but becomes increasingly stable as a person approaches 15 years of age. From early adulthood to late midlife (50-60), intelligence is relatively stable, but after the age of 70, intelligence decreases markedly. In old age the variation in intelligence increases which means that the difference between individuals with low intelligence and high intelligence becomes even more pronounced as time goes by.
Institution: Aarhus University
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4412325721