Worried about turning 60? That's when many of us peak

Research my colleague and I have recently published in the Intelligence journal shows there is very good reason to be excited: For many of us, overall psychological functioning actually peaks when we are between 55 and 60 years old.

- Gilles E. Gignac

For many people, overall psychological functioning actually peaks when they are between 55 and 60 years old, said the writer, citing his research. The findings may help explain why many of the most demanding leadership roles in business, politics and public life are often held by people in their 50s and early 60s. ST FILE PHOTO

And this highlights why people in this age range may be at their best for complex problem-solving and leadership in the workforce.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEAKS

There is plenty of research showing that humans reach their physical peak in their mid-20s to early 30s.

A large body of research also shows that people’s raw intellectual abilities — that is, their capacity to reason, remember and process information quickly — typically start to decline from the mid-20s onwards.

This pattern is reflected in the real world. Athletes tend to reach their career peak before 30. Mathematicians often make their most significant contributions by their mid-30s. Chess champions are rarely at the top of their game after 40.

Yet, when we look beyond raw processing power, a different picture emerges.

FROM REASONING TO EMOTIONAL STABILITY

In our study, we focused on well-established psychological traits beyond reasoning ability that can be measured accurately, represent enduring characteristics rather than temporary states, have well-documented age trajectories, and are known to predict real-world performance.