Psychological Wisdom Research: Commonalities and Differences in a Growing Field

Abstract

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.

Assessing wisdom-related competence in the context of medical education

“…We hypothesized that 1.1. the participants showed a moderate general level of wisdom-related competence -similar to research on moral reasoning (Colby & Kohlberg, 1987) and similar to previous wisdom research in other fields (Staudinger & Baltes, 1996a), 1.2. the students' scores in wisdom-relevant dimensions (which are necessary but not sufficient for wisdom-related competence) were significantly higher than in wisdom-specific dimensions (which characterise wisdom in a narrower sense) -in accordance with results of the Berlin Wisdom Group (Staudinger & Baltes, 1996a), 1.3. the interviewees scored significantly higher in knowledge dimensions than in attitude dimensions -according to findings of wisdom research in other domains (Staudinger & Baltes, 1996b;Staudinger & Glück, 2011).…”

The Quiet Ego Scale: Measuring the Compassionate Self-Identity

“…These results suggest that our approach to capturing what four quiet ego characteristics have in common in the QES may be useful for researchers interested in the quiet ego as a construct. Future research will be needed to establish more conclusively the extent to which QES could add predictive validity to important real-world and behavioral outcomes (e.g., how one responds to the self and others during times of stress) and how it might compliment other contemporary research areas that explore related ideas to the ideas presented here including hypo-egoic processes (Leary et al 2010), compassionate and self-image goals (Crocker and Canevello 2008), authenticity (Kernis and Goldman 2006), humility (Exline 2008;Kesebir 2014, on humility as an ego quieting construct; Tangney 2000), self-transcendence (Levenson et al 2005;Reed 2003), and personal wisdom (Staudinger and Glueck 2011).…”

An empirical approach to wisdom processes

“…In the following paragraphs I will review the most popular theoretical models, focusing on the theory that will be used aș framework. The empirical study of wisdom is dated in 1970, when efforts were aimed at defining wisdom, seeking development of measurement tools and applying knowledge acquired about wisdom in various fields of life (Staudinger and Glück, 2011).…”