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Intelligence, Expertise, and Cognitive Adaptation in Adulthood — Summary of Chapter 21 from The Developing Person Chapter 21 of The Developing Person Through the Life Span offers a nuanced perspective on adult cognition, challenging traditional beliefs about age-related decline in intelligence. This chapter highlights how intelligence evolves, the distinct roles of fluid and crystallized abilities, and the value of expertise. It also introduces concepts like selective optimization with compensation , which help explain how adults maintain cognitive performance over time. 🎥 Watch the full chapter summary above and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more podcast-style breakdowns of leading psychology textbooks. How Intelligence Changes in Adulthood In the past, intelligence was assumed to decline steadily with age. However, longitudinal research like the Seattle Longitudinal Study has shown that many adults maintain or even improve certain intellectual abilities over ti...

Adult Cognition, Moral Growth, and Higher Education — Summary of Chapter 18 from The Developing Person Chapter 18 of The Developing Person Through the Life Span explores the deepening of cognition, the maturation of moral reasoning, and the transformative effects of higher education during emerging adulthood. As individuals transition into their 20s, they enter a phase of life where logic, emotion, ethics, and real-world application begin to intertwine. This blog summarizes the key insights from this chapter, making it an essential resource for psychology students and anyone interested in adult development. 🎥 Watch the video summary above and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more podcast-style textbook breakdowns by chapter. Postformal and Dialectical Thought While Piaget’s formal operational stage ends in adolescence, cognitive growth continues into adulthood. Postformal thought characterizes adult thinking as more practical, flexible, and integrative of emotion an...