Age dedifferentiation hypothesis Evidence from the WAIS III

Juan-Espinosa, Manuel; Garcı́a, Luis F.; Escorial, Sergio; Rebollo, Irene; Colom, Roberto; Abad, Francisco

doi:10.1016/s0160-2896(02)00092-2

Cited by 64 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…We tested this hypothesis in our sample by dividing the subject sample into young and old subjects (median-split) but found no support for the hypothesis (percentage explained variance: young subjects, 36.0%; old subjects, 30.6%). This lack of support for the age de-differentiation hypothesis is consistent with earlier work (40,41).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Distributed neural system for general intelligence revealed by lesion mapping

Gläscher

Rudrauf

Colom

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

264

192

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General intelligence (g) captures the performance variance shared across cognitive tasks and correlates with real-world success. Yet it remains debated whether g reflects the combined performance of brain systems involved in these tasks or draws on specialized systems mediating their interactions. Here we investigated the neural substrates of g in 241 patients with focal brain damage using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping. A hierarchical factor analysis across multiple cognitive tasks was used to derive a robust measure of g. Statistically significant associations were found between g and damage to a remarkably circumscribed albeit distributed network in frontal and parietal cortex, critically including white matter association tracts and frontopolar cortex. We suggest that general intelligence draws on connections between regions that integrate verbal, visuospatial, working memory, and executive processes.lesion patients | voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping | Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale | white matter

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Distributed neural system for general intelligence revealed by lesion mapping

Gläscher

Rudrauf

Colom

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

264

192

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…With respect to covariance dedifferentiation in old age, more recent empirical evidence have generally bolstered the early findings (e.g., Hultsch, Hertzog, Dixon, & Small, 1998;Li et al, in press;Mitrushina & Satz, 1991;Schaie, Maitland, Willis, & Intrieri, 1998;see Li & Lindenberger, 1999 for an overview), but some prominent exceptions are also available (e.g., Juan-Espinosa et al, 2002;Park et al, 2002). At least to some extent, the somewhat mixed evidence may emanate from methodological problems surrounding the empirical testing of the dedifferentiation hypothesis and the comparison of results across studies, including factors such as sample composition, unsuitable age groups, and restriction in range (e.g., Deary et al, 1996).…”

Section: Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 95%

Development of Intellectual Abilities in Old Age: From Age Gradients to Individuals

Lövdén¹,

Lindenberger²

2005

Handbook of Understanding and Measuring Intelligence

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According to two-component theories, intellectual development across the lifespan is based on dynamic interactions between biology-driven fluid abilities (broad Gf, or the mechanics of cognition) and culture-driven crystallized abilities (broad Gc, or the pragmatics of cognition).In this chapter, we advocate a stronger reliance on intra-individual patterns and changes to overcome some of the conceptual and methodological problems associated with the investigation of interactions between the mechanics and the pragmatics in adulthood and old age. First, evidence about cross-sectional and longitudinal gradients of the pragmatics and mechanics during adulthood and old age is summarized. Second, we note that an improved understanding of these gradients requires efforts to decompose time/age into constituent components such as senescence, retest effects, terminal decline, cohort differences, and selective attrition. Third, the dedifferentiation hypothesis of intelligence in old age is framed in terms of mechanics/pragmatics interactions, and recent attempts to directly model these interactions using advanced structural equation modeling techniques are described. Fourth, we argue that the study of interindividual differences in a developmental context is often used to investigate substantive hypotheses that are ultimately located at the level of intraindividual patterns of changes. Therefore, interindividual-difference methods need to be complemented by the study of intraindividual variability, patterns, and changes. Intraindividual data would enable researchers to assess the amount and correlates of sample heterogeneity in patterns of performance and change, and to gauge the validity of interindividual-difference methods. The chapter ends with a discussion of methods for the study of intraindividual patterns of change. 3The present chapter has two main objectives: (a) to summarize psychometric theorizing and evidence about intelligence in adulthood and old age, and (b) to promote a person-centered (idiographic) approach to the psychometric study of adult intellectual development. Both objectives can be framed in the context of two-component models of lifespan cognition. These models posit that lifespan development of intellectual abilities reflects two fundamental and dynamically interacting influences, the biological and the cultural. Historical examples of such models can be found in Tetens' (1777) differentiation between relative and absolute mental capabilities and in Hebb's (1949) distinction between intellectual power and intellectual products (Hebb, 1949). Typical contemporary examples include the theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence (i.e., Gf-Gc theory;Cattell, 1971;Horn, 1982;Horn & Cattell, 1966, 1967, the PPIK theory (Ackerman, 1996), and the decomposition of cognition into the mechanics and the pragmatics (Baltes, 1987;Baltes, Lindenberger, & Staudinger, 1998). Though the scope, terminology, and details vary considerably across the different versions, they all share fundamental assumpti...

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“…The age-differentiation hypothesis posits that abilities become more differentiated from early childhood until full maturity (e.g., Garrett, 1946), and then become increasingly dedifferentiated for the remainder of the life-span (e.g., Balinsky, 1941). Although research has tended to support the cognitive-differentiation hypothesis, evidence for the age-differentiation hypothesis has been mixed (e.g., Juan-Espinoza et al, 2002).…”

Section: Differentiation Of Abilities As a Function Of Neuroticismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is important to note that these shortcomings do not apply to research done on other differentiation hypotheses in the domain of cognitive ability (e.g.,Juan-Espinoza et al, 2002).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%