Adulthood: Cognitive DevelopmentAge 25 +What is adult IQ, and how does expertise develop?

What is intelligence?Spearman’s “G”

◦General intelligence◦One basic trait◦Inferred from vocabulary, memory, &

reasoning

How is age related to intelligence?IQ – Once thought to decline after

age 20Now only thought to decline at

age 60, 70, 80Seattle longitudinal study

◦Intellectual functioning in older adults increases if they do paid work that is intellectually stimulating.

What are the components of intelligence?

What are two clusters (types) of intelligence?Fluid intelligence

◦Quick and flexible◦Provides easy learning◦Good working memory & abstract thought◦Decreases during adulthood

Can be temporarily counteracted by crystallized intelligence

Crystallized intelligence◦Accumulated learning◦Vocabulary - Language◦ Increases during adulthood

Fluid & Crystallized intelligence

Do you remember?What is Spearman’s “G”?What is the difference between

fluid and crystallized intelligence?◦Which declines with age?◦How can this decline be temporarily

counteracted?

What are Sternberg’s types of intelligence?Analytic intelligence

◦Book smarts Remembering things in high school and

collegeCreative intelligence

◦Flexible◦Imaginative thinking◦Not standard or conventional

Practical intelligence◦Street smarts

How does age effect intelligence?

What do you gain and lose with age?

How can selective optimization & compensation help adults?People select what they want to

focus on ◦E.g. Pediatric nursing (Selection)

People compensate for aging or other difficulties◦E.g. Wear glasses or increase type

size on computer (Compensation)Build their nursing expertise

(Optimization)

Expert Cognition (Thinking)How do experts think?

What is a selective expert?Everyone has more skill and

knowledge than others in what they are interested in

What determines who is an expert?E.g. Brain surgeonMore skilled and knowledgeable

than novices

How do experts think?Intuitive

◦Rely on past experience◦More intuitive, less Stereotypical◦Knows when to bend formal procedures and

rules◦E.g. “Gut feeling” that this is what to do

Automatic◦Thinking without deliberate, conscious thought

E.g. Driving◦Process most tasks automatically

Saving conscious thought for unfamiliar challenges

How do experts think?Cont.Strategic

◦Better strategies handling unexpected problems

Flexible◦Being creative and flexible when

needed.Example = “The miracle on the

Hudson” Flight

What is the relationship between expertise and age?Expertise needs time, training,

ability and practice to developExpertise can sometimes

overcome the effects of ageExperienced adults often use

selective optimization with compensation

Do you remember?What are Sternberg’s three types

of intelligence?How can adults use their

intellectual strengths to compensate for declining abilities?

What is intuitive and automatic thinking?