|
There are many myths regarding seniors and their intelligence.
Supposedly, the old can't do their work as well as the young, and
neither can they learn new things (Kart & Kinney, 2001). There are
many facts that point to the idea of gerontophobia; "a fear of and
negative attitude toward the aged" (Kart & Kinney, 2001). There are
general disapproval of the old and job discrimination as a result
("Social", 1984). It is essential, especially at this point where the
population of the elderly (65+ of age) is hitting a peak of over 35
million and growing rapidly (Kart & Kinney, 2001), to quickly
debunk these myths and start facing the facts of aging and
intelligence.
Intelligence
As more and more people became aware that the generally observed
intellectual debilitation with age was not inevitable, gerontologists
have been trying to designate a clear definition to the word
"intelligence" so as to be able to clearly measure and study
intelligence in association with aging. Spearman's G factor, Thurston's
PMA, and Cattel's fluid mechanics vs. crystallized pragmatics theories
are three prominent theories which have shaped the field of gerontology
and aging.
Spearman's G factor
Spearman's discovery of the "g factor," now somewhat obsolete, was
the basis for any study of intelligence in the early 1900's. Spearman,
through numerous tests and gathering empirical data, observed a
correlation between each person's various test results which seemed to
be able to determine the intellectual level of the person: he dubbed
the reason for the correlation, an unknown factor, the "g factor"
(Jansen, 1999).
Spearman credited every human's intelligence with his/her unique g
factor. However, as later experiments proved more than one factor was
responsible for a person's intelligence, he proposed the idea of
"groupfactors", where factors other then g were attributed to
intelligence (Jansen, 1999). Spearman's theory on intelligence was
based mostly on the biological and physical structure of the "human
engine"; the brain. He hoped for a discovery which would link his g
factor to specific physical properties of the brain (Jansen, 1999),
which would then enable him to explain the apparent intellectual
debilitation in the elderly with concrete factors such as "brain size,
brain evoked potentials, nerve conduction velocity, and the brain's
glucose metabolic rate during cognitive activity" (Jansen, 1999).
Thurston's Primary Mental AbilitiesInnumerable numbers of scientific
research on intelligence was performed with Spearman's g factor as the
basis. In 1938, Thurston, unwilling to attribute the entirety of human
intelligence on a single factor, announced seven Primary Mental
Abilities (PMA) with which to measure intelligence; verbal
comprehension, verbal fluency, inductive reasoning, spatial
visualization, number, memory, and perceptual speed ("Intelligence,"
n.d.). Through testing an individual's ability in each of these areas,
Thurston stated that one could successfully contrive the level of
intelligence of that person.
Much research based on Thurston's theory indicates that there is
general stability in intellectual functions until the age of 60.
Between the ages of 60 and 80, there is a slight decline in mental
abilities, which becomes more substantial after the age of 80.
Catell's Fluid Mechanics vs. Crystallized Pragmatics
In 1936, Catell distinguished two different categories of
intelligence- fluid mechanics and crystallized pragmatics. Fluid
mechanics refers to "inductive and deductive reasoning" where a person
is faced with novel problems to solve using creativity and inventive
techniques, whereas crystallized pragmatics refers to "knowledge in all
kinds of domains", intelligence already acquired through early
experiences and education ("Theoretical," n.d.).
Catell found that loss in fluid mechanics was more inclined and that
crystallized pragmatics was more likely to remain intact as people age
("Theoretical," n.d.). Furthermore, Catell proposed a developmental
linkage between the two abilities, stating in his investment theory of
intelligence that fluid mechanics later develop into crystallized
pragmatics, as new skills become common knowledge with use
("Theoretical," n.d.).
Intellectual Debilitation
It is undeniable that there is apparent intellectual debilitation in
the elderly. However, one cannot be quick to jump to the conclusion
that inevitable decline in intelligence comes with age. There are many
outside factors which can be attributed to the slowing down of the
mental facilities, and just as many ways to prevent them.
Outside Factors to Mental Debilitation
One of the major factors which contribute to mental debilitation in
the elderly is poor health. Physical debilitation brings along many
other factors such as medication, which may impair mental functions,
loss of ability to focus, and depression, which discourages elderly
from being productive ("Social", 1984). As people age, positive
mentality is vital as feelings of uselessness, fear of death, and lack
of productivity could lead them into apathy and termination of usage of
intellectual capabilities; lack of use results in mental debilitation
(Kart & Kinney, 2001).
The elderly may also do poorly on tests because they take their
times in answering questions to avoid risks and mistakes on
standardized tests which are timed. Some questions are left unanswered
because they "tend to sacrifice speed for accuracy" ("Social", 1984).
But this is an indication of a longer response period; not mental
debilitation (Crawford, 2004).
The senior population have also been "out of touch" with educational
experiences and may lack a motivation to learn. They have lived with
all the necessary knowledge required and are being tested with
inappropriate material ("Social", 1984). Given hints and ideas to solve
problems, the elderly have shown they were able to solve problems much
more quickly and accurately ("Social", 1984).
Another popular theory attributed to mental debilitation in the
later years is called the "terminal drop" (Woolf, 1998). According to
this theory, a person's intelligence level drops dramatically in the
last five years of his/her life. Studies have shown that elderly people
who have shown significance decrease in standardized test scores died
several years later (Woolf, 1998). The age for which the terminal drop
is displayed is diverse in each individual as everyone's mortality rate
is different.
There are many other factors which attribute to slower response and
learning in the elderly. However, there needs to remain a clear
distinction in mental debilitation and slowing down of response.
Prevention of Intellectual Debilitation
As previously stated, intellectual debilitation is not inevitable.
Scientists have found that it is possible to prevent intellectual
debilitation and keep mental functions at an optimum ("Social", 1984).
In experiments, a majority of the elderly tested were able to regain
their mental functioning levels of decades ago after going through
training in various areas of intellectual skills ("Social", 1984).
Pfeiffer's (1977) model of successful aging suggests replacing lost
items and roles, learning to do with less, and the ever-popular "use it
or lose it" (Kart & Kinney, 2001). As many experiment results
indicated loss of knowledge is largely due to lack of use, Pfeiffer
suggested seniors to constantly be exercising their minds and keeping
their brain alert.
Balte and Balte's (1990) model of successful aging suggests
selective optimization, in which a person chooses one area of interest
to hone his/her skill in. This keeps the person more focused and able
to deal with losses that come with age.
The elderly are encouraged to keep active in their societies,
volunteering and working while interacting with other members of the
community. Keeping active allows the elderly to continue exercising
their minds and knowledge to keep them from forgetting or getting
slower in responses.
Debunking the Myth
With the new availability of senior housing, pensions, and
retirements, many elderly are taking the advantage of relaxing later
years and enjoying their last years. This new trend of retirement seems
to be a problem to the work force, as employers are facing lack of
skilled and willing workers ("Overview", 2005). Jobs in which age and
experience are necessary are lacking the aged and experienced workers.
The fact that employees are facing labor shortage in skilled and
experienced persons successfully debunks the quite popular belief which
states that the elderly are useless.
Besides the expertise which the aged worker brings to the workplace,
there are other factors which make the elderly a valuable part of the
work force. Older workers "bring significant benefits to the workplace,
including flexibility in scheduling, low absenteeism, high motivation,
and mentoring of younger workers" (Kart & Kinney, 2001). They are
also more apt to work harder because of increased necessity of money
("Overview", 2005).
Conclusion
New and improved test results point to the fact that mental
debilitation is not inevitable and can actually be improved even after
taking place. Gerontophobia and ageism is popular because of lack of
knowledge the general population has about the truths of aging and
intelligence. As popular myths and stereotypes can be easily debunked
by empirical data and research, it is important to get the facts out in
the open and become aware of the true status of the elderly in the
country.
References
Crawford, D. L., (2004). The Role of Aging in Adult Learning:
Implications for Instructors in Higher Education. Retrieved March 28,
2005 from http://www.newhorizons.org/lifelong/higher_ed/crawford.htm
Intelligence. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2005 from http://www.psych.sjsu.edu/~mvselst/courses/psyc235/lecture/chapter14intelligence.htm
Jansen. A.R., (1999) The G Factor: the Science of Mental Abilit, Psycologuy. Retrieved March 18, 2005 from http://psycprints.ecs.soton.ac.uk/archive/00000658/#html
Kart, C. S., & Kinney, J. M. (2001). Psychological Aspects of
Aging. In K. Hanson (Ed.), The Realities of Aging: An Introduction to
Gerontology (140-182). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Overview of the Aging Workforce Challenges: Analysis. (2005). Retrieved March 28, 2005 from http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/lp/spila/wlb/aw/09overview_analysis.shtml#2
Social Gerontology Part I: Aging and Intelligence. (1984). Current Comments, 7, pg. 97-107. Retrieved March 28, 2005 from http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v7p097y1984.pdf
Theoretical Background: Psychometric Approaches. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2005 from http://www.diss.fu-berlin.de/2004/98/THEORETICAL_BACKGROUND.pdf
Woolf, L. M., (1998). Theoretical Perspectives Relevant to Developmental Psychology. Retrieved March 28, 2005 from http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/designs.html
|
(0 vote)