Psychologists' Self-Perceptions of their Intellectual Aging

Abstract

The major purpose of the present study was to extend the available information base on intellectual aging by collecting self-report data from a sample of 100 psychologists ranging in age from 45 to 64 years. Respondents were asked to rate changes in six intellectual functions on a 5-point scale and to answer yes-no questions about concordance of present changes with past expectations and about health problems affecting intellectual functioning. Results showed that perceived changes positive and negative were occurring in a large proportion of psychologists and that a number of these changes violated beliefs previously held by the respondents. The importance of combining phenomenological and objective research perspectives was discussed.