Synonyms
General cognitive ability; General intelligence (g); General mental ability; Intelligence
Definition
Intelligence has been described as a “very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience” (Gottfredson 1997, p. 13). This “general intelligence” is conceptualized as the peak of a hierarchy describing the positive associations that exist among all cognitive abilities; it is the common variance among broad cognitive domains – for example memory, executive function, processing speed – though important domain-specific variance remains. There are characteristic age-related changes in intelligence, such that performance on tests of cognitive ability generally decline with age. However, longitudinal research suggests cognitive abilities show marked stability across midlife, with some aspects of intelligence being less susceptible to...
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Gow, A.J. (2017). Intelligence and Aging. In: Pachana, N.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_261
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_261
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