Psychological Wisdom Research: Commonalities and Differences in a Growing Field Annual Review of Psychology

Vol. 62: 215-241 (January 2011) Ursula M. Staudinger1 and Judith Glck2 Wisdom represents a fruitful topic for psychological investigations for at least two reasons. First, the study of wisdom emphasizes the search for the continued optimization and the further cultural evolution of the human condition. Second, it exemplifies the collaboration of cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes. The growth and scope of psychological wisdom research over the past few decades demonstrate that it is possible to investigate this complex construct with empirical rigor. Since the 1970s, five main areas have been established: lay definitions of wisdom, conceptualizing and measuring wisdom, understanding the development of wisdom, investigating the plasticity of wisdom, and applying psychological knowledge about wisdom in life contexts.

Aging, irony, and wisdom: On the narrative psychology of later life

William L. Randall theory psychology april 2013 vol23 no.2 164-183 This paper introduces the idea that aging inclines us naturally toward an ironic stance on life. The conscious cultivation of that stance through some form of narrative reflection is linked to the development of wisdom, where wisdom is understood in terms of deepened knowledge of the stories of our lives. Such reflection heightens our awareness of the inherently ironic nature of our inner worlda complex, quasi-literary world toward which we occupy multiple points of view. In exploring these ideas, the concept of narrative foreclosure is discussed, as is that of positive aging.

Wisdom and Ego-Identity for Korean and American Late Adolescents

Bang, H & Montgomery, D. (2013). Wisdom and Ego-Identity for Korean and American Late Adolescents. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology July 2013 vol. 44 no. 5 807-831. Abstract: Overcoming identity crises during adolescence may help adolescents understand the world around them. Although adolescents may have developmental potential for wisdom, little is known about the direct relationship between wisdom and ego-identity or any cross-cultural effects. Wisdom dimensions (cognitive, affective, and reflective) and ego-identity statuses (achievement, moratorium, foreclosure, and diffusion) among 639 Korean and American late adolescents (aged 18 to 22) were

investigated. The findings suggest that (a) age contributes to reflective wisdom, (b) identity achievement associates with wisdom among Korean but not among American adolescents, and (c) foreclosure and diffusion statuses are negatively associated with wisdom. This highlights school curriculum trends and emphasizes reflective wisdom for holistic adolescent development. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution.

Reasoning about social conflicts improves into old age

Igor Grossmanna,1, Jinkyung Naa, Michael E. W. Varnuma, Denise C. Parkb, Shinobu Kitayamaa, and Richard E. Nisbetta,1 Author Affiliations

Contributed by Richard E. Nisbett, February 23, 2010 (sent for review February 2, 2010) It is well documented that aging is associated with cognitive declines in many domains. Yet it is a common lay belief that some aspects of thinking improve into old age. Specifically, older people are believed to show better competencies for reasoning about social dilemmas and conflicts. Moreover, the idea of aging-related gains in wisdom is consistent with views of the aging mind in developmental psychology. However, to date research has provided little evidence corroborating this assumption. We addressed this question in two studies, using a representative community sample. We asked participants to read stories about intergroup conflicts and interpersonal conflicts and predict how these conflicts would unfold. We show that relative to young and middle-aged people, older people make more use of higher-order reasoning schemes that emphasize the need for multiple perspectives, allow for compromise, and recognize the limits of knowledge. Our coding scheme was validated by a group of professional counselors and wisdom researchers. Social reasoning improves with age despite a decline in fluid intelligence. The results suggest that it might be advisable to assign older individuals to key social roles involving legal decisions, counseling, and intergroup negotiations. Furthermore, given the abundance of research on negative effects of aging, this study may help to encourage clinicians to emphasize the inherent strengths associated with aging.

Intelligence
Ian J. Deary Annual Review of Psychology Vol. 63 (2012): 453-482 Abstract Full Text PDF (255 KB) This review Psychological Wisdom Research: Commonalities and Differences in a Growing Field Ursula M. Staudinger, Judith Glck Annual Review of Psychology. Volume 62, Page 215-241, 2011 THIS REVIEW IS CITED BY

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Who Knows Who Is Wise? Self and Peer Ratings of Wisdom

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Defining and Assessing Wisdom: A Review of the Literature

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Wisdom through adversity: Learning and growing in the wake of an error

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