The author reviews cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on the status of intelligence in the aging, and finds conflicting conclusions: (1) intelligence does decline as persons grow older; (2) only some aspects decline while others improve; and (3) intelligence does not decline. Certain factors are adduced to suggest that such…

Concludes "that the one seemingly serious effort of Baltes and Schaie to contest the points of the Horn-Donaldson criticisms only brings us around to the same sad conclusion: that no matter how one looks at the Schaie data, it suggests that, on the average, there is age decline in many important abilities of intelligence." (Author/JM)

Intended as a nontechnical review of current scientific knowledge in the field, this essay considers the nature of primary and secondary intellectual abilities, plus the major features of, and the development of individual differences in, the skills and capacities constituting intelligence. Part of a theme issue on intelligence. (Author/SJL)