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.
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