#cognitivedevelopment — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #cognitivedevelopment, aggregated by home.social.
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DATE: July 5, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: When do humans reach their psychological peak? A new study points to late midlife
Human cognitive and personality functioning reaches its overall peak in late midlife, aligning with the ages people typically achieve major career milestones and leadership roles. A new analysis integrates multiple psychological traits to reveal that while raw processing speed declines early in adulthood, other abilities and mature personality traits continue to grow for decades. The study was published in the journal Intelligence.
Physical strength and certain functions of the brain, like processing speed, are known to peak when a person is in their 20s. Elite athletes usually perform at their absolute best before age 35. Yet in modern societies, people often reach the peak of their careers, earn their highest wages, and achieve the most occupational prestige between the ages of 50 and 60.
Gilles E. Gignac, a researcher at the University of Western Australia, and Marcin Zajenkowski, a researcher at the University of Warsaw, wanted to understand this discrepancy. They suspected that high-level achievement demands more than just a fast brain. Their research aimed to combine a broad array of psychological traits to estimate the age when humans reach their ultimate functional capacity.
To do this, the researchers reviewed published data across nine distinct categories of mental and emotional functioning. These involved conventional cognitive abilities, the “Big Five” personality traits, emotional intelligence, financial literacy, and moral reasoning. They also gathered data on people’s resistance to cognitive biases, cognitive flexibility, cognitive empathy, and motivation to solve complex problems.
The researchers separated these traits into two general categories. The first category included cognitive abilities, which represent maximum performance. Gignac defines human intelligence in the paper as an individual’s “maximal capacity to achieve a novel goal successfully using perceptual-cognitive processes.” The second category included personality traits, which represent typical performance, or how a person normally thinks and behaves in everyday situations.
Traditional cognitive abilities show diverging patterns as people age. Fluid intelligence, which includes raw reasoning skills and memory span, peaks in early adulthood and falls steadily afterward. Crystallized intelligence, which relies on accumulated knowledge and vocabulary, continues to improve over the adult lifespan and often remains high into a person’s 60s.
Personality traits also change as people mature. Conscientiousness involves being organized, disciplined, and goal-oriented. Emotional stability involves managing stress, staying calm under pressure, and showing resilience. Both of these traits generally increase from early adulthood through middle age, making older adults more reliable and composed than younger adults.
The researchers noted that other applied skills continue moving upward through midlife. Emotional intelligence, which is the ability to read and manage emotions in oneself and others, peaks around the mid-40s. Financial literacy, representing an understanding of complex money concepts, climbs steadily and reaches its highest levels in the late 60s to early 70s.
Moral reasoning capacity also expands in later life. This involves the ability to evaluate ethical dilemmas using principled thinking. Older adults consistently show a greater capacity to handle complex social information and justify decisions based on fairness and justice.
Another trait that improves over time is a person’s resistance to the sunk cost fallacy. This represents an individual’s ability to abandon a failing project despite having already invested time or money into it. Older adults are much better at prioritizing future outcomes over past investments than younger adults.
On the downside, some cognitive functions do decline aside from raw processing speed. Cognitive flexibility, measured by a person’s ability to infer and adapt to changing rules, drops as people age. Cognitive empathy, the ability to read subtle mental states from facial expressions, stays relatively stable through midlife but decreases after age 65.
A trait called “need for cognition” also diminishes in older age. This trait measures a person’s internal drive to seek out severe mental challenges. As people grow older, they often show less motivation to expend intense intellectual effort just for the fun of it.
To compare all these different traits directly, the researchers converted the original study scores into standardized metrics called T-scores. This statistical tool puts different types of tests onto a single, comparable scale. They extracted the necessary numbers from existing large datasets, some of which included large samples of more than 10,000 individuals.
Using these standardized scores, the authors built a Cognitive-Personality Functioning Index. They tested two different versions of this index to see how different assumptions might alter the results.
The first version was a conventional model. It placed 55 percent of the total weight on traditional intelligence tests and 45 percent of the weight on core personality traits. This model showed a modest upward trend through a person’s 20s and 30s, followed by a steeper rise to a peak near age 60. After age 60, scores dropped steadily, with 85-year-olds scoring far below the level of 18-year-olds.
The second version was a comprehensive model. It assigned less weight to raw intelligence and core personality, leaving room to include experience-based skills like emotional intelligence, financial literacy, moral reasoning, and cognitive flexibility. This model showed a steep initial increase from age 18 to 35, followed by a slower rise to a peak between age 55 and 60.
Under the comprehensive model, functioning dropped relatively sharply after age 65. However, older adults at age 85 scored at roughly the same level as young adults at age 18. Both age groups possessed the same overall amount of functional capacity, but their point totals arose from very different strengths and weaknesses.
The study links these findings to practical realities in the workplace and in government. The authors suggest that the period between 55 and 60 represents a high point in psychological readiness for making consequential choices. They proposed that individuals best suited for high-stakes decision-making roles are unlikely to be younger than 40 or older than 65.
This research has specific implications for debates about aging politicians and federal judges. The paper highlights the potential risks of lifetime judicial appointments and the cognitive vulnerabilities of aging heads of state. Once individuals pass age 65, the integrated mixture of cognitive and emotional functioning begins a distinct downward trend.
The researchers noted several boundaries regarding their conclusions. The analysis relied heavily on cross-sectional data. This research technique compares different people of different ages at the same moment in time. This method can sometimes confuse the effects of natural aging with generational differences, unlike longitudinal data that tracks the exact same people over decades.
Additionally, the original datasets were drawn largely from Western, industrialized populations. Age-related changes in personality and cognition can differ across environments. Future investigations might perform similar analyses on non-Western populations to see if the midlife performance peak happens universally.
The study, “Humans peak in midlife: A combined cognitive and personality trait perspective,” was authored by Gilles E. Gignac and Marcin Zajenkowski.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MidlifePeak #CognitiveDevelopment #PersonalityTraits #EmotionalIntelligence #CrystallizedIntelligence #MoralReasoning #FinancialLiteracy #Conscientiousness #SunkCostEffect #AgingAndDecisionMaking
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DATE: July 5, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: When do humans reach their psychological peak? A new study points to late midlife
Human cognitive and personality functioning reaches its overall peak in late midlife, aligning with the ages people typically achieve major career milestones and leadership roles. A new analysis integrates multiple psychological traits to reveal that while raw processing speed declines early in adulthood, other abilities and mature personality traits continue to grow for decades. The study was published in the journal Intelligence.
Physical strength and certain functions of the brain, like processing speed, are known to peak when a person is in their 20s. Elite athletes usually perform at their absolute best before age 35. Yet in modern societies, people often reach the peak of their careers, earn their highest wages, and achieve the most occupational prestige between the ages of 50 and 60.
Gilles E. Gignac, a researcher at the University of Western Australia, and Marcin Zajenkowski, a researcher at the University of Warsaw, wanted to understand this discrepancy. They suspected that high-level achievement demands more than just a fast brain. Their research aimed to combine a broad array of psychological traits to estimate the age when humans reach their ultimate functional capacity.
To do this, the researchers reviewed published data across nine distinct categories of mental and emotional functioning. These involved conventional cognitive abilities, the “Big Five” personality traits, emotional intelligence, financial literacy, and moral reasoning. They also gathered data on people’s resistance to cognitive biases, cognitive flexibility, cognitive empathy, and motivation to solve complex problems.
The researchers separated these traits into two general categories. The first category included cognitive abilities, which represent maximum performance. Gignac defines human intelligence in the paper as an individual’s “maximal capacity to achieve a novel goal successfully using perceptual-cognitive processes.” The second category included personality traits, which represent typical performance, or how a person normally thinks and behaves in everyday situations.
Traditional cognitive abilities show diverging patterns as people age. Fluid intelligence, which includes raw reasoning skills and memory span, peaks in early adulthood and falls steadily afterward. Crystallized intelligence, which relies on accumulated knowledge and vocabulary, continues to improve over the adult lifespan and often remains high into a person’s 60s.
Personality traits also change as people mature. Conscientiousness involves being organized, disciplined, and goal-oriented. Emotional stability involves managing stress, staying calm under pressure, and showing resilience. Both of these traits generally increase from early adulthood through middle age, making older adults more reliable and composed than younger adults.
The researchers noted that other applied skills continue moving upward through midlife. Emotional intelligence, which is the ability to read and manage emotions in oneself and others, peaks around the mid-40s. Financial literacy, representing an understanding of complex money concepts, climbs steadily and reaches its highest levels in the late 60s to early 70s.
Moral reasoning capacity also expands in later life. This involves the ability to evaluate ethical dilemmas using principled thinking. Older adults consistently show a greater capacity to handle complex social information and justify decisions based on fairness and justice.
Another trait that improves over time is a person’s resistance to the sunk cost fallacy. This represents an individual’s ability to abandon a failing project despite having already invested time or money into it. Older adults are much better at prioritizing future outcomes over past investments than younger adults.
On the downside, some cognitive functions do decline aside from raw processing speed. Cognitive flexibility, measured by a person’s ability to infer and adapt to changing rules, drops as people age. Cognitive empathy, the ability to read subtle mental states from facial expressions, stays relatively stable through midlife but decreases after age 65.
A trait called “need for cognition” also diminishes in older age. This trait measures a person’s internal drive to seek out severe mental challenges. As people grow older, they often show less motivation to expend intense intellectual effort just for the fun of it.
To compare all these different traits directly, the researchers converted the original study scores into standardized metrics called T-scores. This statistical tool puts different types of tests onto a single, comparable scale. They extracted the necessary numbers from existing large datasets, some of which included large samples of more than 10,000 individuals.
Using these standardized scores, the authors built a Cognitive-Personality Functioning Index. They tested two different versions of this index to see how different assumptions might alter the results.
The first version was a conventional model. It placed 55 percent of the total weight on traditional intelligence tests and 45 percent of the weight on core personality traits. This model showed a modest upward trend through a person’s 20s and 30s, followed by a steeper rise to a peak near age 60. After age 60, scores dropped steadily, with 85-year-olds scoring far below the level of 18-year-olds.
The second version was a comprehensive model. It assigned less weight to raw intelligence and core personality, leaving room to include experience-based skills like emotional intelligence, financial literacy, moral reasoning, and cognitive flexibility. This model showed a steep initial increase from age 18 to 35, followed by a slower rise to a peak between age 55 and 60.
Under the comprehensive model, functioning dropped relatively sharply after age 65. However, older adults at age 85 scored at roughly the same level as young adults at age 18. Both age groups possessed the same overall amount of functional capacity, but their point totals arose from very different strengths and weaknesses.
The study links these findings to practical realities in the workplace and in government. The authors suggest that the period between 55 and 60 represents a high point in psychological readiness for making consequential choices. They proposed that individuals best suited for high-stakes decision-making roles are unlikely to be younger than 40 or older than 65.
This research has specific implications for debates about aging politicians and federal judges. The paper highlights the potential risks of lifetime judicial appointments and the cognitive vulnerabilities of aging heads of state. Once individuals pass age 65, the integrated mixture of cognitive and emotional functioning begins a distinct downward trend.
The researchers noted several boundaries regarding their conclusions. The analysis relied heavily on cross-sectional data. This research technique compares different people of different ages at the same moment in time. This method can sometimes confuse the effects of natural aging with generational differences, unlike longitudinal data that tracks the exact same people over decades.
Additionally, the original datasets were drawn largely from Western, industrialized populations. Age-related changes in personality and cognition can differ across environments. Future investigations might perform similar analyses on non-Western populations to see if the midlife performance peak happens universally.
The study, “Humans peak in midlife: A combined cognitive and personality trait perspective,” was authored by Gilles E. Gignac and Marcin Zajenkowski.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MidlifePeak #CognitiveDevelopment #PersonalityTraits #EmotionalIntelligence #CrystallizedIntelligence #MoralReasoning #FinancialLiteracy #Conscientiousness #SunkCostEffect #AgingAndDecisionMaking
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DATE: July 5, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: When do humans reach their psychological peak? A new study points to late midlife
Human cognitive and personality functioning reaches its overall peak in late midlife, aligning with the ages people typically achieve major career milestones and leadership roles. A new analysis integrates multiple psychological traits to reveal that while raw processing speed declines early in adulthood, other abilities and mature personality traits continue to grow for decades. The study was published in the journal Intelligence.
Physical strength and certain functions of the brain, like processing speed, are known to peak when a person is in their 20s. Elite athletes usually perform at their absolute best before age 35. Yet in modern societies, people often reach the peak of their careers, earn their highest wages, and achieve the most occupational prestige between the ages of 50 and 60.
Gilles E. Gignac, a researcher at the University of Western Australia, and Marcin Zajenkowski, a researcher at the University of Warsaw, wanted to understand this discrepancy. They suspected that high-level achievement demands more than just a fast brain. Their research aimed to combine a broad array of psychological traits to estimate the age when humans reach their ultimate functional capacity.
To do this, the researchers reviewed published data across nine distinct categories of mental and emotional functioning. These involved conventional cognitive abilities, the “Big Five” personality traits, emotional intelligence, financial literacy, and moral reasoning. They also gathered data on people’s resistance to cognitive biases, cognitive flexibility, cognitive empathy, and motivation to solve complex problems.
The researchers separated these traits into two general categories. The first category included cognitive abilities, which represent maximum performance. Gignac defines human intelligence in the paper as an individual’s “maximal capacity to achieve a novel goal successfully using perceptual-cognitive processes.” The second category included personality traits, which represent typical performance, or how a person normally thinks and behaves in everyday situations.
Traditional cognitive abilities show diverging patterns as people age. Fluid intelligence, which includes raw reasoning skills and memory span, peaks in early adulthood and falls steadily afterward. Crystallized intelligence, which relies on accumulated knowledge and vocabulary, continues to improve over the adult lifespan and often remains high into a person’s 60s.
Personality traits also change as people mature. Conscientiousness involves being organized, disciplined, and goal-oriented. Emotional stability involves managing stress, staying calm under pressure, and showing resilience. Both of these traits generally increase from early adulthood through middle age, making older adults more reliable and composed than younger adults.
The researchers noted that other applied skills continue moving upward through midlife. Emotional intelligence, which is the ability to read and manage emotions in oneself and others, peaks around the mid-40s. Financial literacy, representing an understanding of complex money concepts, climbs steadily and reaches its highest levels in the late 60s to early 70s.
Moral reasoning capacity also expands in later life. This involves the ability to evaluate ethical dilemmas using principled thinking. Older adults consistently show a greater capacity to handle complex social information and justify decisions based on fairness and justice.
Another trait that improves over time is a person’s resistance to the sunk cost fallacy. This represents an individual’s ability to abandon a failing project despite having already invested time or money into it. Older adults are much better at prioritizing future outcomes over past investments than younger adults.
On the downside, some cognitive functions do decline aside from raw processing speed. Cognitive flexibility, measured by a person’s ability to infer and adapt to changing rules, drops as people age. Cognitive empathy, the ability to read subtle mental states from facial expressions, stays relatively stable through midlife but decreases after age 65.
A trait called “need for cognition” also diminishes in older age. This trait measures a person’s internal drive to seek out severe mental challenges. As people grow older, they often show less motivation to expend intense intellectual effort just for the fun of it.
To compare all these different traits directly, the researchers converted the original study scores into standardized metrics called T-scores. This statistical tool puts different types of tests onto a single, comparable scale. They extracted the necessary numbers from existing large datasets, some of which included large samples of more than 10,000 individuals.
Using these standardized scores, the authors built a Cognitive-Personality Functioning Index. They tested two different versions of this index to see how different assumptions might alter the results.
The first version was a conventional model. It placed 55 percent of the total weight on traditional intelligence tests and 45 percent of the weight on core personality traits. This model showed a modest upward trend through a person’s 20s and 30s, followed by a steeper rise to a peak near age 60. After age 60, scores dropped steadily, with 85-year-olds scoring far below the level of 18-year-olds.
The second version was a comprehensive model. It assigned less weight to raw intelligence and core personality, leaving room to include experience-based skills like emotional intelligence, financial literacy, moral reasoning, and cognitive flexibility. This model showed a steep initial increase from age 18 to 35, followed by a slower rise to a peak between age 55 and 60.
Under the comprehensive model, functioning dropped relatively sharply after age 65. However, older adults at age 85 scored at roughly the same level as young adults at age 18. Both age groups possessed the same overall amount of functional capacity, but their point totals arose from very different strengths and weaknesses.
The study links these findings to practical realities in the workplace and in government. The authors suggest that the period between 55 and 60 represents a high point in psychological readiness for making consequential choices. They proposed that individuals best suited for high-stakes decision-making roles are unlikely to be younger than 40 or older than 65.
This research has specific implications for debates about aging politicians and federal judges. The paper highlights the potential risks of lifetime judicial appointments and the cognitive vulnerabilities of aging heads of state. Once individuals pass age 65, the integrated mixture of cognitive and emotional functioning begins a distinct downward trend.
The researchers noted several boundaries regarding their conclusions. The analysis relied heavily on cross-sectional data. This research technique compares different people of different ages at the same moment in time. This method can sometimes confuse the effects of natural aging with generational differences, unlike longitudinal data that tracks the exact same people over decades.
Additionally, the original datasets were drawn largely from Western, industrialized populations. Age-related changes in personality and cognition can differ across environments. Future investigations might perform similar analyses on non-Western populations to see if the midlife performance peak happens universally.
The study, “Humans peak in midlife: A combined cognitive and personality trait perspective,” was authored by Gilles E. Gignac and Marcin Zajenkowski.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MidlifePeak #CognitiveDevelopment #PersonalityTraits #EmotionalIntelligence #CrystallizedIntelligence #MoralReasoning #FinancialLiteracy #Conscientiousness #SunkCostEffect #AgingAndDecisionMaking
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https://www.europesays.com/dk/119614/ Gen Z is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents but Denmark has a solution #CognitiveCapabilities #CognitiveDevelopment #CognitiveNeuroscientist #Danmark #Denmark #GenZ #Generation #JaredCooneyHorvath #parents
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Childhood Beliefs: When the Moon Follows You
Di masa kanak-kanak, penulis percaya bahwa bulan mengikutinya, menciptakan rasa kedekatan dengan alam semesta. Seiring bertambah dewasa, penulis menyadari absurditas keyakinan tersebut, namun tetap merindukan perasaan keindahan dan makna. Dalam perjalanan hidup, penulis berusaha mencari kembali pengalaman itu, menyadari bahwa kebenaran bisa kehilangan rasa personal.https://legawa.com/2026/06/27/childhood-beliefs-when-the-moon-follows-you/
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Childhood Beliefs: When the Moon Follows You
Di masa kanak-kanak, penulis percaya bahwa bulan mengikutinya, menciptakan rasa kedekatan dengan alam semesta. Seiring bertambah dewasa, penulis menyadari absurditas keyakinan tersebut, namun tetap merindukan perasaan keindahan dan makna. Dalam perjalanan hidup, penulis berusaha mencari kembali pengalaman itu, menyadari bahwa kebenaran bisa kehilangan rasa personal.https://legawa.com/2026/06/27/childhood-beliefs-when-the-moon-follows-you/
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Childhood Beliefs: When the Moon Follows You
Di masa kanak-kanak, penulis percaya bahwa bulan mengikutinya, menciptakan rasa kedekatan dengan alam semesta. Seiring bertambah dewasa, penulis menyadari absurditas keyakinan tersebut, namun tetap merindukan perasaan keindahan dan makna. Dalam perjalanan hidup, penulis berusaha mencari kembali pengalaman itu, menyadari bahwa kebenaran bisa kehilangan rasa personal.https://legawa.com/2026/06/27/childhood-beliefs-when-the-moon-follows-you/
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Childhood Beliefs: When the Moon Follows You
Di masa kanak-kanak, penulis percaya bahwa bulan mengikutinya, menciptakan rasa kedekatan dengan alam semesta. Seiring bertambah dewasa, penulis menyadari absurditas keyakinan tersebut, namun tetap merindukan perasaan keindahan dan makna. Dalam perjalanan hidup, penulis berusaha mencari kembali pengalaman itu, menyadari bahwa kebenaran bisa kehilangan rasa personal.https://legawa.com/2026/06/27/childhood-beliefs-when-the-moon-follows-you/
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Childhood Beliefs: When the Moon Follows You
Di masa kanak-kanak, penulis percaya bahwa bulan mengikutinya, menciptakan rasa kedekatan dengan alam semesta. Seiring bertambah dewasa, penulis menyadari absurditas keyakinan tersebut, namun tetap merindukan perasaan keindahan dan makna. Dalam perjalanan hidup, penulis berusaha mencari kembali pengalaman itu, menyadari bahwa kebenaran bisa kehilangan rasa personal.https://legawa.com/2026/06/27/childhood-beliefs-when-the-moon-follows-you/
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DATE: June 25, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Differences in birthweight between twins predict later intelligence test scores
A recent study suggests that a higher relative birthweight provides evidence for better cognitive performance in children and young adults, even when comparing twins who share the same genetic and environmental backgrounds. Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the research indicates that conditions in the womb can have long-lasting effects on how a person’s brain develops. These findings point to the importance of early prenatal growth for outcomes spanning the first three decades of life.
Past studies indicate that babies born with specific risk factors tend to have lower cognitive test scores later in life. Two common risk factors are a low birthweight and a smaller head circumference. A lower relative birthweight means a baby is smaller than expected for the specific number of weeks they spent developing in the womb. This early physical size is often used as a marker for how well a fetus was nourished during pregnancy.
“There are many studies comparing babies of differing birthweights or head circumferences with later developmental outcomes,” said study author Robert Eves, a postdoctoral researcher at Bielefeld University. “However, these studies usually compare babies from vastly different families who are different on lots of other important factors, such as genetics and family factors (e.g., poverty levels).”
Because family income, neighborhood safety, and parental education play a role in childhood brain development, comparing children from vastly different backgrounds makes it hard to isolate the exact cause of later cognitive differences. To get around this problem, scientists look at twins. Twins share the same environment in the womb and grow up in the same household. Identical twins also share the exact same genetic code.
“We therefore wanted to test whether birthweight and head circumference differences between twins are important for later cognitive performance,” Eves said. “This is interesting because differences in birthweight or head circumference between twins are thought to come about due to differences in how the placenta works for each baby, rather than genetic factors.”
By looking at these specific differences between twins, researchers can more accurately see how conditions in the womb might independently shape long-term cognitive development. The authors wanted to test whether differences in birthweight and head circumference between twins actually predicted later differences in their intelligence test scores. They also looked at whether this relationship might fade as children grow older. Another goal was to see if head size might act as a better proxy for brain development than general body weight.
To answer these questions, the research team analyzed data from the German TwinLife study. This is an ongoing project tracking the psychological and social development of same-sex twins over time. The specific sample for this analysis included 4,196 individuals, making up exactly 2,098 twin pairs at the first wave of testing. These pairs included both identical twins and fraternal twins, representing a wide variety of ages and backgrounds.
The scientists used official medical health records to find each twin’s exact birthweight in grams and head circumference in centimeters. They then adjusted these numbers based on the baby’s biological sex and exactly how many weeks they spent in the womb. To do this, they used an international growth chart that identifies the average size of a baby at every single week of gestation.
Standardizing the scores allows the authors to see if a baby was smaller or larger than average for their specific stage of development. Comparing a baby born at 32 weeks to one born at 40 weeks is not an equal comparison. Using relative scores helps the researchers measure the actual deviation from a baby’s natural growth potential.
Cognitive performance was measured using a standardized intelligence assessment called the Culture Fair Test. This specific assessment does not rely on language or mathematical skills. Instead, it asks participants to solve visual puzzles, classify shapes, and complete complex pattern matrices. The tests were given at two different time points separated by about six years.
The median age for the first wave of testing was 12 years old. The median age for the second wave of testing was 18 years old, though some participants were older. The researchers adjusted the test scores to account for the varying ages of the participants at the time they took the assessment.
The authors found that within twin pairs, differences in relative birthweight were associated with differences in cognitive performance during the first wave of testing. Specifically, the twin born with a higher relative birthweight tended to score slightly higher on the visual intelligence tests. This association was present for both identical and fraternal twins.
Regarding the study’s main takeaway, Eves said, “That being the smaller twin is associated with lower cognitive performance 12 years later. However, this was only found regarding birthweight but not for head circumference, which I did find surprising.”
Because the positive effect of a higher birthweight was seen even in genetically identical twins, it suggests that shared genetics and family environments do not completely explain the link between birthweight and cognition. The physical environment inside the womb appears to have an independent impact on long-term brain function.
“This provides evidence that conditions in the womb are important for our later development,” Eves told PsyPost. “It also suggests that interventions that improve prenatal health may have a plethora of both short-term and long-term benefits.”
The researchers also looked at whether this effect changed as the twins grew older. They analyzed a smaller group of twins who completed the cognitive tests at both the first and second waves. In this smaller group, the association between birthweight and cognitive scores was no longer statistically significant. The authors noted that this lack of significance might simply be due to the reduced number of participants available for the long-term analysis.
When looking at head circumference, the scientists did not find any significant association with later cognitive performance at any age. The difference in head size between twins did not predict who would score higher on the intelligence tests. The researchers noted that measuring head circumference at birth is routine in pediatric care as a presumed indicator of brain growth. However, based on these results, general birthweight might be a more reliable metric for predicting long-term cognitive outcomes.
The scientists also checked for complex mathematical relationships in the data. They found that the impact of birthweight differences depends heavily on the overall size of the twins. If both twins were born with a relatively high birthweight, the gap between them mattered much less for their later cognitive scores. The cognitive advantage of being the heavier twin seems to diminish once a certain healthy weight threshold is reached.
There was also evidence that birthweight differences might be more impactful for twins born earlier in a pregnancy. When looking at the longitudinal data, the researchers found an interaction between birthweight and gestational age. If the twins were born very prematurely, a difference in their birthweights tended to predict a noticeably larger gap in their later cognitive performance. Being born small for gestational age appears to carry a higher risk when the baby is also born prematurely.
While the study included a large number of participants, there are some potential misinterpretations and limitations to consider. One major issue was missing data. About 60 percent of the participants did not have their head circumference recorded at birth in the available medical records. This substantial lack of information reduces the statistical power of the analysis and makes it harder to draw firm conclusions about how early head size relates to brain development.
Additionally, the study did not have detailed information about the specific nature of the pregnancies. For example, the researchers did not know whether the identical twins shared a single placenta or had separate ones. Twins sharing a single placenta often experience unequal blood flow, which directly causes discrepancies in their birthweights. Having this specific medical detail would help researchers better understand exactly why one twin grew larger than the other.
It is also important to remember that twins generally weigh less than single babies born at the exact same stage of pregnancy. Because of this natural size difference, it is difficult to know if the findings apply exactly the same way to singletons. Single babies often reach much higher birthweights, which might result in different cognitive associations than those seen in twin populations.
Future research could focus on gathering more complete medical records at birth. Tracking exact placental arrangements and ensuring consistent measurements of head circumference would help scientists better understand these early developmental pathways. By pooling data from multiple twin studies across different countries, researchers could build even larger datasets.
Larger samples would provide the mathematical power needed to confirm whether the cognitive benefits of a higher birthweight eventually fade in later adulthood. Continued research in this area can help doctors identify which infants might benefit the most from early educational support or targeted health interventions. Promoting better prenatal conditions could offer lifelong cognitive benefits for vulnerable infants.
The study, “Anthropometric differences between twins at birth and their association with later cognitive performance,” was authored by Robert Eves, Marco Deppe, Christian Kandler, Bastian Mönkediek, and Sakari Lemola.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #TwinBirthWeight #CognitiveDevelopment #PrenatalHealth #BirthWeightMatters #TwinsStudy #CognitionInTwins #EarlyBrainDevelopment #GestationalAge #HeadCircumference #LongTermCognition
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DATE: June 25, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Differences in birthweight between twins predict later intelligence test scores
A recent study suggests that a higher relative birthweight provides evidence for better cognitive performance in children and young adults, even when comparing twins who share the same genetic and environmental backgrounds. Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the research indicates that conditions in the womb can have long-lasting effects on how a person’s brain develops. These findings point to the importance of early prenatal growth for outcomes spanning the first three decades of life.
Past studies indicate that babies born with specific risk factors tend to have lower cognitive test scores later in life. Two common risk factors are a low birthweight and a smaller head circumference. A lower relative birthweight means a baby is smaller than expected for the specific number of weeks they spent developing in the womb. This early physical size is often used as a marker for how well a fetus was nourished during pregnancy.
“There are many studies comparing babies of differing birthweights or head circumferences with later developmental outcomes,” said study author Robert Eves, a postdoctoral researcher at Bielefeld University. “However, these studies usually compare babies from vastly different families who are different on lots of other important factors, such as genetics and family factors (e.g., poverty levels).”
Because family income, neighborhood safety, and parental education play a role in childhood brain development, comparing children from vastly different backgrounds makes it hard to isolate the exact cause of later cognitive differences. To get around this problem, scientists look at twins. Twins share the same environment in the womb and grow up in the same household. Identical twins also share the exact same genetic code.
“We therefore wanted to test whether birthweight and head circumference differences between twins are important for later cognitive performance,” Eves said. “This is interesting because differences in birthweight or head circumference between twins are thought to come about due to differences in how the placenta works for each baby, rather than genetic factors.”
By looking at these specific differences between twins, researchers can more accurately see how conditions in the womb might independently shape long-term cognitive development. The authors wanted to test whether differences in birthweight and head circumference between twins actually predicted later differences in their intelligence test scores. They also looked at whether this relationship might fade as children grow older. Another goal was to see if head size might act as a better proxy for brain development than general body weight.
To answer these questions, the research team analyzed data from the German TwinLife study. This is an ongoing project tracking the psychological and social development of same-sex twins over time. The specific sample for this analysis included 4,196 individuals, making up exactly 2,098 twin pairs at the first wave of testing. These pairs included both identical twins and fraternal twins, representing a wide variety of ages and backgrounds.
The scientists used official medical health records to find each twin’s exact birthweight in grams and head circumference in centimeters. They then adjusted these numbers based on the baby’s biological sex and exactly how many weeks they spent in the womb. To do this, they used an international growth chart that identifies the average size of a baby at every single week of gestation.
Standardizing the scores allows the authors to see if a baby was smaller or larger than average for their specific stage of development. Comparing a baby born at 32 weeks to one born at 40 weeks is not an equal comparison. Using relative scores helps the researchers measure the actual deviation from a baby’s natural growth potential.
Cognitive performance was measured using a standardized intelligence assessment called the Culture Fair Test. This specific assessment does not rely on language or mathematical skills. Instead, it asks participants to solve visual puzzles, classify shapes, and complete complex pattern matrices. The tests were given at two different time points separated by about six years.
The median age for the first wave of testing was 12 years old. The median age for the second wave of testing was 18 years old, though some participants were older. The researchers adjusted the test scores to account for the varying ages of the participants at the time they took the assessment.
The authors found that within twin pairs, differences in relative birthweight were associated with differences in cognitive performance during the first wave of testing. Specifically, the twin born with a higher relative birthweight tended to score slightly higher on the visual intelligence tests. This association was present for both identical and fraternal twins.
Regarding the study’s main takeaway, Eves said, “That being the smaller twin is associated with lower cognitive performance 12 years later. However, this was only found regarding birthweight but not for head circumference, which I did find surprising.”
Because the positive effect of a higher birthweight was seen even in genetically identical twins, it suggests that shared genetics and family environments do not completely explain the link between birthweight and cognition. The physical environment inside the womb appears to have an independent impact on long-term brain function.
“This provides evidence that conditions in the womb are important for our later development,” Eves told PsyPost. “It also suggests that interventions that improve prenatal health may have a plethora of both short-term and long-term benefits.”
The researchers also looked at whether this effect changed as the twins grew older. They analyzed a smaller group of twins who completed the cognitive tests at both the first and second waves. In this smaller group, the association between birthweight and cognitive scores was no longer statistically significant. The authors noted that this lack of significance might simply be due to the reduced number of participants available for the long-term analysis.
When looking at head circumference, the scientists did not find any significant association with later cognitive performance at any age. The difference in head size between twins did not predict who would score higher on the intelligence tests. The researchers noted that measuring head circumference at birth is routine in pediatric care as a presumed indicator of brain growth. However, based on these results, general birthweight might be a more reliable metric for predicting long-term cognitive outcomes.
The scientists also checked for complex mathematical relationships in the data. They found that the impact of birthweight differences depends heavily on the overall size of the twins. If both twins were born with a relatively high birthweight, the gap between them mattered much less for their later cognitive scores. The cognitive advantage of being the heavier twin seems to diminish once a certain healthy weight threshold is reached.
There was also evidence that birthweight differences might be more impactful for twins born earlier in a pregnancy. When looking at the longitudinal data, the researchers found an interaction between birthweight and gestational age. If the twins were born very prematurely, a difference in their birthweights tended to predict a noticeably larger gap in their later cognitive performance. Being born small for gestational age appears to carry a higher risk when the baby is also born prematurely.
While the study included a large number of participants, there are some potential misinterpretations and limitations to consider. One major issue was missing data. About 60 percent of the participants did not have their head circumference recorded at birth in the available medical records. This substantial lack of information reduces the statistical power of the analysis and makes it harder to draw firm conclusions about how early head size relates to brain development.
Additionally, the study did not have detailed information about the specific nature of the pregnancies. For example, the researchers did not know whether the identical twins shared a single placenta or had separate ones. Twins sharing a single placenta often experience unequal blood flow, which directly causes discrepancies in their birthweights. Having this specific medical detail would help researchers better understand exactly why one twin grew larger than the other.
It is also important to remember that twins generally weigh less than single babies born at the exact same stage of pregnancy. Because of this natural size difference, it is difficult to know if the findings apply exactly the same way to singletons. Single babies often reach much higher birthweights, which might result in different cognitive associations than those seen in twin populations.
Future research could focus on gathering more complete medical records at birth. Tracking exact placental arrangements and ensuring consistent measurements of head circumference would help scientists better understand these early developmental pathways. By pooling data from multiple twin studies across different countries, researchers could build even larger datasets.
Larger samples would provide the mathematical power needed to confirm whether the cognitive benefits of a higher birthweight eventually fade in later adulthood. Continued research in this area can help doctors identify which infants might benefit the most from early educational support or targeted health interventions. Promoting better prenatal conditions could offer lifelong cognitive benefits for vulnerable infants.
The study, “Anthropometric differences between twins at birth and their association with later cognitive performance,” was authored by Robert Eves, Marco Deppe, Christian Kandler, Bastian Mönkediek, and Sakari Lemola.
-------------------------------------------------
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #TwinBirthWeight #CognitiveDevelopment #PrenatalHealth #BirthWeightMatters #TwinsStudy #CognitionInTwins #EarlyBrainDevelopment #GestationalAge #HeadCircumference #LongTermCognition
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DATE: June 25, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Differences in birthweight between twins predict later intelligence test scores
A recent study suggests that a higher relative birthweight provides evidence for better cognitive performance in children and young adults, even when comparing twins who share the same genetic and environmental backgrounds. Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the research indicates that conditions in the womb can have long-lasting effects on how a person’s brain develops. These findings point to the importance of early prenatal growth for outcomes spanning the first three decades of life.
Past studies indicate that babies born with specific risk factors tend to have lower cognitive test scores later in life. Two common risk factors are a low birthweight and a smaller head circumference. A lower relative birthweight means a baby is smaller than expected for the specific number of weeks they spent developing in the womb. This early physical size is often used as a marker for how well a fetus was nourished during pregnancy.
“There are many studies comparing babies of differing birthweights or head circumferences with later developmental outcomes,” said study author Robert Eves, a postdoctoral researcher at Bielefeld University. “However, these studies usually compare babies from vastly different families who are different on lots of other important factors, such as genetics and family factors (e.g., poverty levels).”
Because family income, neighborhood safety, and parental education play a role in childhood brain development, comparing children from vastly different backgrounds makes it hard to isolate the exact cause of later cognitive differences. To get around this problem, scientists look at twins. Twins share the same environment in the womb and grow up in the same household. Identical twins also share the exact same genetic code.
“We therefore wanted to test whether birthweight and head circumference differences between twins are important for later cognitive performance,” Eves said. “This is interesting because differences in birthweight or head circumference between twins are thought to come about due to differences in how the placenta works for each baby, rather than genetic factors.”
By looking at these specific differences between twins, researchers can more accurately see how conditions in the womb might independently shape long-term cognitive development. The authors wanted to test whether differences in birthweight and head circumference between twins actually predicted later differences in their intelligence test scores. They also looked at whether this relationship might fade as children grow older. Another goal was to see if head size might act as a better proxy for brain development than general body weight.
To answer these questions, the research team analyzed data from the German TwinLife study. This is an ongoing project tracking the psychological and social development of same-sex twins over time. The specific sample for this analysis included 4,196 individuals, making up exactly 2,098 twin pairs at the first wave of testing. These pairs included both identical twins and fraternal twins, representing a wide variety of ages and backgrounds.
The scientists used official medical health records to find each twin’s exact birthweight in grams and head circumference in centimeters. They then adjusted these numbers based on the baby’s biological sex and exactly how many weeks they spent in the womb. To do this, they used an international growth chart that identifies the average size of a baby at every single week of gestation.
Standardizing the scores allows the authors to see if a baby was smaller or larger than average for their specific stage of development. Comparing a baby born at 32 weeks to one born at 40 weeks is not an equal comparison. Using relative scores helps the researchers measure the actual deviation from a baby’s natural growth potential.
Cognitive performance was measured using a standardized intelligence assessment called the Culture Fair Test. This specific assessment does not rely on language or mathematical skills. Instead, it asks participants to solve visual puzzles, classify shapes, and complete complex pattern matrices. The tests were given at two different time points separated by about six years.
The median age for the first wave of testing was 12 years old. The median age for the second wave of testing was 18 years old, though some participants were older. The researchers adjusted the test scores to account for the varying ages of the participants at the time they took the assessment.
The authors found that within twin pairs, differences in relative birthweight were associated with differences in cognitive performance during the first wave of testing. Specifically, the twin born with a higher relative birthweight tended to score slightly higher on the visual intelligence tests. This association was present for both identical and fraternal twins.
Regarding the study’s main takeaway, Eves said, “That being the smaller twin is associated with lower cognitive performance 12 years later. However, this was only found regarding birthweight but not for head circumference, which I did find surprising.”
Because the positive effect of a higher birthweight was seen even in genetically identical twins, it suggests that shared genetics and family environments do not completely explain the link between birthweight and cognition. The physical environment inside the womb appears to have an independent impact on long-term brain function.
“This provides evidence that conditions in the womb are important for our later development,” Eves told PsyPost. “It also suggests that interventions that improve prenatal health may have a plethora of both short-term and long-term benefits.”
The researchers also looked at whether this effect changed as the twins grew older. They analyzed a smaller group of twins who completed the cognitive tests at both the first and second waves. In this smaller group, the association between birthweight and cognitive scores was no longer statistically significant. The authors noted that this lack of significance might simply be due to the reduced number of participants available for the long-term analysis.
When looking at head circumference, the scientists did not find any significant association with later cognitive performance at any age. The difference in head size between twins did not predict who would score higher on the intelligence tests. The researchers noted that measuring head circumference at birth is routine in pediatric care as a presumed indicator of brain growth. However, based on these results, general birthweight might be a more reliable metric for predicting long-term cognitive outcomes.
The scientists also checked for complex mathematical relationships in the data. They found that the impact of birthweight differences depends heavily on the overall size of the twins. If both twins were born with a relatively high birthweight, the gap between them mattered much less for their later cognitive scores. The cognitive advantage of being the heavier twin seems to diminish once a certain healthy weight threshold is reached.
There was also evidence that birthweight differences might be more impactful for twins born earlier in a pregnancy. When looking at the longitudinal data, the researchers found an interaction between birthweight and gestational age. If the twins were born very prematurely, a difference in their birthweights tended to predict a noticeably larger gap in their later cognitive performance. Being born small for gestational age appears to carry a higher risk when the baby is also born prematurely.
While the study included a large number of participants, there are some potential misinterpretations and limitations to consider. One major issue was missing data. About 60 percent of the participants did not have their head circumference recorded at birth in the available medical records. This substantial lack of information reduces the statistical power of the analysis and makes it harder to draw firm conclusions about how early head size relates to brain development.
Additionally, the study did not have detailed information about the specific nature of the pregnancies. For example, the researchers did not know whether the identical twins shared a single placenta or had separate ones. Twins sharing a single placenta often experience unequal blood flow, which directly causes discrepancies in their birthweights. Having this specific medical detail would help researchers better understand exactly why one twin grew larger than the other.
It is also important to remember that twins generally weigh less than single babies born at the exact same stage of pregnancy. Because of this natural size difference, it is difficult to know if the findings apply exactly the same way to singletons. Single babies often reach much higher birthweights, which might result in different cognitive associations than those seen in twin populations.
Future research could focus on gathering more complete medical records at birth. Tracking exact placental arrangements and ensuring consistent measurements of head circumference would help scientists better understand these early developmental pathways. By pooling data from multiple twin studies across different countries, researchers could build even larger datasets.
Larger samples would provide the mathematical power needed to confirm whether the cognitive benefits of a higher birthweight eventually fade in later adulthood. Continued research in this area can help doctors identify which infants might benefit the most from early educational support or targeted health interventions. Promoting better prenatal conditions could offer lifelong cognitive benefits for vulnerable infants.
The study, “Anthropometric differences between twins at birth and their association with later cognitive performance,” was authored by Robert Eves, Marco Deppe, Christian Kandler, Bastian Mönkediek, and Sakari Lemola.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #TwinBirthWeight #CognitiveDevelopment #PrenatalHealth #BirthWeightMatters #TwinsStudy #CognitionInTwins #EarlyBrainDevelopment #GestationalAge #HeadCircumference #LongTermCognition
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The First Universe We Ever Knew
There is something humbling about studying human development — as if each chapter is less a lesson and more a reminder that we are all, in some way, still forming. The science offers its clean definitions and tidy theories, but beneath them runs a deeper current, one that feels almost mythic: the story of how a person becomes. Somewhere in the background, a quiet truth hums:we are always mid‑sentence in our own becoming. We like to imagine development as a straight ascent, a staircase […]https://thereflectivemind9.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/the-first-universe-we-ever-knew/
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The First Universe We Ever Knew
There is something humbling about studying human development — as if each chapter is less a lesson and more a reminder that we are all, in some way, still forming. The science offers its clean definitions and tidy theories, but beneath them runs a deeper current, one that feels almost mythic: the story of how a person becomes. Somewhere in the background, a quiet truth hums:we are always mid‑sentence in our own becoming. We like to imagine development as a straight ascent, a staircase […]https://thereflectivemind9.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/the-first-universe-we-ever-knew/
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The First Universe We Ever Knew
There is something humbling about studying human development — as if each chapter is less a lesson and more a reminder that we are all, in some way, still forming. The science offers its clean definitions and tidy theories, but beneath them runs a deeper current, one that feels almost mythic: the story of how a person becomes. Somewhere in the background, a quiet truth hums:we are always mid‑sentence in our own becoming. We like to imagine development as a straight ascent, a staircase […]https://thereflectivemind9.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/the-first-universe-we-ever-knew/
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The First Universe We Ever Knew
There is something humbling about studying human development — as if each chapter is less a lesson and more a reminder that we are all, in some way, still forming. The science offers its clean definitions and tidy theories, but beneath them runs a deeper current, one that feels almost mythic: the story of how a person becomes. Somewhere in the background, a quiet truth hums:we are always mid‑sentence in our own becoming. We like to imagine development as a straight ascent, a staircase […]https://thereflectivemind9.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/the-first-universe-we-ever-knew/
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The First Universe We Ever Knew
There is something humbling about studying human development — as if each chapter is less a lesson and more a reminder that we are all, in some way, still forming. The science offers its clean definitions and tidy theories, but beneath them runs a deeper current, one that feels almost mythic: the story of how a person becomes. Somewhere in the background, a quiet truth hums:we are always mid‑sentence in our own becoming. We like to imagine development as a straight ascent, a staircase […]https://thereflectivemind9.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/the-first-universe-we-ever-knew/
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DATE: May 14, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: From childhood to adulthood, musicians show small but reliable advantages in sustained attention
Learning a musical instrument may sharpen attention and vigilance from childhood through adulthood, according to new research published in the British Journal of Psychology.
Researchers have long debated whether mentally demanding activities—such as playing chess, learning a language, or practising a musical instrument—can enhance general cognitive abilities, such as attention and vigilance, which naturally develop with age. Musical training has been seen as a promising candidate because it requires sustained focus, complex coordination, and multitasking.
However, much of the earlier evidence comparing musicians and non-musicians is difficult to interpret. These groups often differ in background factors like education, socioeconomic status, and personality, making it difficult to determine whether observed differences can be attributed to musical training itself, or instead reflect the pre‑existing characteristics of individuals who are more likely to pursue music.
A research team led by Rafael Román-Caballero of the University of Granada in Spain sought to address this selection bias. The scientists recruited 420 participants between the ages of 8 and 34, drawing from two independent groups—one of Spanish children and adolescents, and one of university-age adults.
Using a rigorous statistical method, the researchers paired each musician with a non-musician who closely matched them on a broad range of personal characteristics, including socioeconomic background, physical activity, video game habits, cognitive hobbies, and personality traits. After filtering the data, they were left with a final sample of 268 perfectly matched participants.
Participants completed a computerized attention task called the ANTI-Vea, which measures several distinct aspects of attention. Most notably, it measures “executive vigilance” (how well a person detects rare events buried among distracting information) and “arousal vigilance” (the ability to sustain alertness and react quickly to sudden stimuli over long periods).
The findings revealed consistent advantages for musically trained individuals across nearly every measure tested. Regardless of their age, musicians responded roughly 36 milliseconds faster on average than their non-musician counterparts—a small but reliable difference that held across the entire age range studied. They were also less prone to lapses in attention—often described as “zoning out”—and showed more stable response times on tasks designed to assess sustained vigilance.
Because the researchers studied a wide age range, they noticed two distinct patterns in how these advantages developed. First, they observed a “threshold effect”; some advantages (like faster reaction times) were present even in the youngest 8-year-old musicians, suggesting that simply starting music lessons and reaching a certain threshold of practice might boost attention.
Second, they observed a “dosage effect,” where some advantages grew more pronounced with age. For example, the ability to filter out irrelevant distracting information—a skill known as executive control—demonstrated a more rapid improvement across the teenage years and into adulthood among those with musical training. This suggests that longer exposure to music may compound its benefits over time.
Román-Caballero and team concluded that their study “provides new evidence that formal musical training is associated with superior attention and vigilance across development. The thorough control of confounding variables in the design was intended to provide a closer estimate of the differences between musicians and nonmusicians in isolation from other factors.”
The researchers caution, however, that the observed effects were relatively small and more modest than those reported in earlier, less rigorously controlled studies. Moreover, because the research measured only a single point in time, rather than following the same individuals over many years, it cannot establish a definitive causal relationship between musical training and attentional advantages.
The study, “Attention and vigilance advantages related to formal musical training across childhood, adolescence and young adulthood,” was authored by Rafael Román-Caballero, Laura Trujillo, Paulina del Carmen Martín-Sánchez, Elisa Martín-Arévalo, and Juan Lupiáñez.
-------------------------------------------------
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MusicalTraining #AttentionBoost #CognitiveDevelopment #ExecutiveVigilance #ArousalVigilance #MusiciansVsNonMusicians #AntiVeaAttention #SustainedAttention #DosageEffect #ThresholdEffect
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TEENS AND POTENTIAL COGNITIVE STALL
A study of 11,000 teens found that starting cannabis use early is linked to slower progress in memory, attention, and thinking speed.
#TeenHealth, #CannabisResearch, #CognitiveDevelopment, #THCeffects, #AdolescentBrain
https://newsletter.tf/teens-cannabis-slower-thinking-memory-attention/
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New research shows that teens who use cannabis experience slower cognitive development compared to those who don't.
#TeenHealth, #CannabisResearch, #CognitiveDevelopment, #THCeffects, #AdolescentBrain
https://newsletter.tf/teens-cannabis-slower-thinking-memory-attention/ -
How to Foster Problem-Solving Skills in Your Baby: A Science-Backed Guide for Parents
Science-backed guide for parents: Discover how to nurture your baby's problem-solving skills from infancy. Learn practical strategies, from responsive parenting to creative play, that build a foundation for lifelong learning and resilience. Start fostering critical thinking today. -
How to Foster Problem-Solving Skills in Your Baby: A Science-Backed Guide for Parents
Science-backed guide for parents: Discover how to nurture your baby's problem-solving skills from infancy. Learn practical strategies, from responsive parenting to creative play, that build a foundation for lifelong learning and resilience. Start fostering critical thinking today. -
How to Foster Problem-Solving Skills in Your Baby: A Science-Backed Guide for Parents
Science-backed guide for parents: Discover how to nurture your baby's problem-solving skills from infancy. Learn practical strategies, from responsive parenting to creative play, that build a foundation for lifelong learning and resilience. Start fostering critical thinking today. -
How to Foster Problem-Solving Skills in Your Baby: A Science-Backed Guide for Parents
Science-backed guide for parents: Discover how to nurture your baby's problem-solving skills from infancy. Learn practical strategies, from responsive parenting to creative play, that build a foundation for lifelong learning and resilience. Start fostering critical thinking today. -
How to Foster Problem-Solving Skills in Your Baby: A Science-Backed Guide for Parents
Science-backed guide for parents: Discover how to nurture your baby's problem-solving skills from infancy. Learn practical strategies, from responsive parenting to creative play, that build a foundation for lifelong learning and resilience. Start fostering critical thinking today. -
Child neurologist explains the reason children lie, and it's surprisingly wholesome
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/child-lying-is-developmental-milestone
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When you're an expert, you already have the mental models to evaluate AI output critically. You know when it's wrong. You can spot the shortcuts. You engage with it as a thinking partner.
When you're a beginner? You lack the knowledge to assess accuracy. You don't know what "good enough" looks like. AI becomes a crutch instead of a tool.
The cognitive work you skip is the work that builds expertise.
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To every #parent, #educator, #techintegrator, and #schooladministrator of #primaryschools and #secondaryschools : I highly recommend the book “The Digital Delusion” by Jared Cooney Horvath. He takes off the rose tinted glasses on our views and hype of #educationaltechnology —how it has affected our children’s #cognitivedevelopment from #literacy to #CriticalThinking and what we can do about it moving forward https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jared-cooney-horvath_%F0%9D%97%A7%F0%9D%97%B5%F0%9D%97%B2-%F0%9D%97%97%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%97%B4%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%98%81%F0%9D%97%AE%F0%9D%97%B9-%F0%9D%97%97%F0%9D%97%B2%F0%9D%97%B9%F0%9D%98%82%F0%9D%98%80%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%97%BC%F0%9D%97%BB-is-activity-7403636159559434241-64JK
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Vioedu vừa ra mắt sân chơi tư duy mới "Sao Nhí Thông Minh" dành riêng cho các bé từ 3-5 tuổi.
Thông qua ứng dụng VioKids, sân chơi được thiết kế theo phương pháp "học mà chơi", giúp biến thời gian trẻ sử dụng thiết bị công nghệ thành những giờ học tập an toàn, bổ ích, nắm bắt đúng "thời kỳ vàng" để phát triển tư duy cho con.
#Vioedu #VioKids #SaoNhíThôngMinh #GiaoDucSom #MamNon #HocMaChoi #PhatTrienTuDuy
#EdTech #EarlyEducation #Preschool #LearnThroughPlay #CognitiveDevelopment #Vietnamhttps
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New MIT study suggests prolonged ChatGPT use might harm critical thinking. https://jpmellojr.blogspot.com/2025/06/chatgpt-use-may-diminish-critical.html #ChatGPT #CriticalThinking #MIT #Education #CognitiveDevelopment
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Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised guides the Education for Life Program, integrating cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning for a holistic approach. It supports open-source, adaptable education through curriculum, teaching strategies, learning tools, and classroom design for lifelong learning.
https://onecommunityglobal.org/blooms-taxonomy/
#BloomsTaxonomy #EducationForLife #HolisticLearning #OpenSource #LifelongLearning #TeachingStrategies #CognitiveDevelopment #LearningTools #InnovativeEducation
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Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised guides the Education for Life Program, integrating cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning for a holistic approach. It supports open-source, adaptable education through curriculum, teaching strategies, learning tools, and classroom design for lifelong learning.
https://onecommunityglobal.org/blooms-taxonomy/
#BloomsTaxonomy #EducationForLife #HolisticLearning #OpenSource #LifelongLearning #TeachingStrategies #CognitiveDevelopment #LearningTools #InnovativeEducation
-
Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised guides the Education for Life Program, integrating cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning for a holistic approach. It supports open-source, adaptable education through curriculum, teaching strategies, learning tools, and classroom design for lifelong learning.
https://onecommunityglobal.org/blooms-taxonomy/
#BloomsTaxonomy #EducationForLife #HolisticLearning #OpenSource #LifelongLearning #TeachingStrategies #CognitiveDevelopment #LearningTools #InnovativeEducation
-
Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised guides the Education for Life Program, integrating cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning for a holistic approach. It supports open-source, adaptable education through curriculum, teaching strategies, learning tools, and classroom design for lifelong learning.
https://onecommunityglobal.org/blooms-taxonomy/
#BloomsTaxonomy #EducationForLife #HolisticLearning #OpenSource #LifelongLearning #TeachingStrategies #CognitiveDevelopment #LearningTools #InnovativeEducation
-
Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised guides the Education for Life Program, integrating cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning for a holistic approach. It supports open-source, adaptable education through curriculum, teaching strategies, learning tools, and classroom design for lifelong learning.
https://onecommunityglobal.org/blooms-taxonomy/
#BloomsTaxonomy #EducationForLife #HolisticLearning #OpenSource #LifelongLearning #TeachingStrategies #CognitiveDevelopment #LearningTools #InnovativeEducation
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Childhood neglect linked to slower working memory development, study finds https://www.psypost.org/childhood-neglect-linked-to-slower-working-memory-development-study-finds/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #ChildhoodNeglect #CognitiveDevelopment #WorkingMemory #ExecutiveFunction #PsychologyResearch
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Childhood neglect linked to slower working memory development, study finds https://www.psypost.org/childhood-neglect-linked-to-slower-working-memory-development-study-finds/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #ChildhoodNeglect #CognitiveDevelopment #WorkingMemory #ExecutiveFunction #PsychologyResearch
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Childhood neglect linked to slower working memory development, study finds https://www.psypost.org/childhood-neglect-linked-to-slower-working-memory-development-study-finds/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #ChildhoodNeglect #CognitiveDevelopment #WorkingMemory #ExecutiveFunction #PsychologyResearch
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Childhood neglect linked to slower working memory development, study finds https://www.psypost.org/childhood-neglect-linked-to-slower-working-memory-development-study-finds/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #ChildhoodNeglect #CognitiveDevelopment #WorkingMemory #ExecutiveFunction #PsychologyResearch
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🧠 Neuroscience, Game Design, and Design Thinking:
Games influence not just how we entertain ourselves but also how we think, feel, and interact with the world.
As game design continues to evolve, neuroscience
offers insights into how games can influence socio-cognitive development—from executive functions to social cognition and emotional regulation. When paired with design thinking, the potential for innovation in game design education becomes truly exciting.Games are not just immersive worlds—they are powerful tools for influencing the brain's learning circuits. Research shows that well-designed games can:
- Enhance working memory and cognitive flexibility by creating environments that challenge players to think on their feet.
- Improve decision-making and problem-solving skills through adaptive feedback loops.
- Promote social learning by simulating complex social scenarios that engage mirror neurons, helping players develop empathy and social awareness.This is where design thinking plays a pivotal role in game design. By embedding a neuroscience and cognitive science-informed approach into the design thinking process, we can empower future designers to create games that not only entertain but also foster cognitive development. Using techniques such as rapid prototyping, empathy mapping, and iterative feedback, designers can craft games that target key neural circuits involved in attention, memory, and empathy.
Using design thinking principles to create games that address real-world challenges, from mental health (rehabilitation as well) to social interaction, based on neural and cognitive mechanisms is really fascinating!
#NeuroscienceInGames #CognitiveDevelopment #GameDesignEducation #DesignThinking #Neuroplasticity #GameDesign #CognitiveScience
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🧠 Neuroscience, Game Design, and Design Thinking:
Games influence not just how we entertain ourselves but also how we think, feel, and interact with the world.
As game design continues to evolve, neuroscience
offers insights into how games can influence socio-cognitive development—from executive functions to social cognition and emotional regulation. When paired with design thinking, the potential for innovation in game design education becomes truly exciting.Games are not just immersive worlds—they are powerful tools for influencing the brain's learning circuits. Research shows that well-designed games can:
- Enhance working memory and cognitive flexibility by creating environments that challenge players to think on their feet.
- Improve decision-making and problem-solving skills through adaptive feedback loops.
- Promote social learning by simulating complex social scenarios that engage mirror neurons, helping players develop empathy and social awareness.This is where design thinking plays a pivotal role in game design. By embedding a neuroscience and cognitive science-informed approach into the design thinking process, we can empower future designers to create games that not only entertain but also foster cognitive development. Using techniques such as rapid prototyping, empathy mapping, and iterative feedback, designers can craft games that target key neural circuits involved in attention, memory, and empathy.
Using design thinking principles to create games that address real-world challenges, from mental health (rehabilitation as well) to social interaction, based on neural and cognitive mechanisms is really fascinating!
#NeuroscienceInGames #CognitiveDevelopment #GameDesignEducation #DesignThinking #Neuroplasticity #GameDesign #CognitiveScience
-
🧠 Neuroscience, Game Design, and Design Thinking:
Games influence not just how we entertain ourselves but also how we think, feel, and interact with the world.
As game design continues to evolve, neuroscience
offers insights into how games can influence socio-cognitive development—from executive functions to social cognition and emotional regulation. When paired with design thinking, the potential for innovation in game design education becomes truly exciting.Games are not just immersive worlds—they are powerful tools for influencing the brain's learning circuits. Research shows that well-designed games can:
- Enhance working memory and cognitive flexibility by creating environments that challenge players to think on their feet.
- Improve decision-making and problem-solving skills through adaptive feedback loops.
- Promote social learning by simulating complex social scenarios that engage mirror neurons, helping players develop empathy and social awareness.This is where design thinking plays a pivotal role in game design. By embedding a neuroscience and cognitive science-informed approach into the design thinking process, we can empower future designers to create games that not only entertain but also foster cognitive development. Using techniques such as rapid prototyping, empathy mapping, and iterative feedback, designers can craft games that target key neural circuits involved in attention, memory, and empathy.
Using design thinking principles to create games that address real-world challenges, from mental health (rehabilitation as well) to social interaction, based on neural and cognitive mechanisms is really fascinating!
#NeuroscienceInGames #CognitiveDevelopment #GameDesignEducation #DesignThinking #Neuroplasticity #GameDesign #CognitiveScience
-
🧠 Neuroscience, Game Design, and Design Thinking:
Games influence not just how we entertain ourselves but also how we think, feel, and interact with the world.
As game design continues to evolve, neuroscience
offers insights into how games can influence socio-cognitive development—from executive functions to social cognition and emotional regulation. When paired with design thinking, the potential for innovation in game design education becomes truly exciting.Games are not just immersive worlds—they are powerful tools for influencing the brain's learning circuits. Research shows that well-designed games can:
- Enhance working memory and cognitive flexibility by creating environments that challenge players to think on their feet.
- Improve decision-making and problem-solving skills through adaptive feedback loops.
- Promote social learning by simulating complex social scenarios that engage mirror neurons, helping players develop empathy and social awareness.This is where design thinking plays a pivotal role in game design. By embedding a neuroscience and cognitive science-informed approach into the design thinking process, we can empower future designers to create games that not only entertain but also foster cognitive development. Using techniques such as rapid prototyping, empathy mapping, and iterative feedback, designers can craft games that target key neural circuits involved in attention, memory, and empathy.
Using design thinking principles to create games that address real-world challenges, from mental health (rehabilitation as well) to social interaction, based on neural and cognitive mechanisms is really fascinating!
#NeuroscienceInGames #CognitiveDevelopment #GameDesignEducation #DesignThinking #Neuroplasticity #GameDesign #CognitiveScience
-
🧠 Neuroscience, Game Design, and Design Thinking:
Games influence not just how we entertain ourselves but also how we think, feel, and interact with the world.
As game design continues to evolve, neuroscience
offers insights into how games can influence socio-cognitive development—from executive functions to social cognition and emotional regulation. When paired with design thinking, the potential for innovation in game design education becomes truly exciting.Games are not just immersive worlds—they are powerful tools for influencing the brain's learning circuits. Research shows that well-designed games can:
- Enhance working memory and cognitive flexibility by creating environments that challenge players to think on their feet.
- Improve decision-making and problem-solving skills through adaptive feedback loops.
- Promote social learning by simulating complex social scenarios that engage mirror neurons, helping players develop empathy and social awareness.This is where design thinking plays a pivotal role in game design. By embedding a neuroscience and cognitive science-informed approach into the design thinking process, we can empower future designers to create games that not only entertain but also foster cognitive development. Using techniques such as rapid prototyping, empathy mapping, and iterative feedback, designers can craft games that target key neural circuits involved in attention, memory, and empathy.
Using design thinking principles to create games that address real-world challenges, from mental health (rehabilitation as well) to social interaction, based on neural and cognitive mechanisms is really fascinating!
#NeuroscienceInGames #CognitiveDevelopment #GameDesignEducation #DesignThinking #Neuroplasticity #GameDesign #CognitiveScience
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1) An older article but one I enjoy every time it resurfaces: Mister Rogers’ Nine Rules for Speaking to Children, or how his careful phrasing (“Freddish”) spoke to young audiences
"Rogers understood and acknowledged the unique power and privilege of his role ... Rogers wanted us to know, says Greenwald, “that the inner life of children was deadly serious to them,” and thus deserving of care and recognition."
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/mr-rogers-nine-rules-for-speaking-to-children-1977.html
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1) An older article but one I enjoy every time it resurfaces: Mister Rogers’ Nine Rules for Speaking to Children, or how his careful phrasing (“Freddish”) spoke to young audiences
"Rogers understood and acknowledged the unique power and privilege of his role ... Rogers wanted us to know, says Greenwald, “that the inner life of children was deadly serious to them,” and thus deserving of care and recognition."
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/mr-rogers-nine-rules-for-speaking-to-children-1977.html
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1) An older article but one I enjoy every time it resurfaces: Mister Rogers’ Nine Rules for Speaking to Children, or how his careful phrasing (“Freddish”) spoke to young audiences
"Rogers understood and acknowledged the unique power and privilege of his role ... Rogers wanted us to know, says Greenwald, “that the inner life of children was deadly serious to them,” and thus deserving of care and recognition."
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/mr-rogers-nine-rules-for-speaking-to-children-1977.html
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1) An older article but one I enjoy every time it resurfaces: Mister Rogers’ Nine Rules for Speaking to Children, or how his careful phrasing (“Freddish”) spoke to young audiences
"Rogers understood and acknowledged the unique power and privilege of his role ... Rogers wanted us to know, says Greenwald, “that the inner life of children was deadly serious to them,” and thus deserving of care and recognition."
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/mr-rogers-nine-rules-for-speaking-to-children-1977.html
-
1) An older article but one I enjoy every time it resurfaces: Mister Rogers’ Nine Rules for Speaking to Children, or how his careful phrasing (“Freddish”) spoke to young audiences
"Rogers understood and acknowledged the unique power and privilege of his role ... Rogers wanted us to know, says Greenwald, “that the inner life of children was deadly serious to them,” and thus deserving of care and recognition."
https://www.openculture.com/2019/05/mr-rogers-nine-rules-for-speaking-to-children-1977.html
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New paper from the #DevelopmentalPsychology side of the Kuhlmeier lab
The widespread adoption of new methods for testing children does not typically occur over a matter of months. Yet, the pandemic created a sudden need among many research groups to use online testing. We report results from a survey of researchers on experiences with online testing and discuss challenges, limitations, and opportunities.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1160203
#CognitiveDevelopment #Cognition
#OpenScience
#ResearchMethods -
New paper from the #DevelopmentalPsychology side of the Kuhlmeier lab
The widespread adoption of new methods for testing children does not typically occur over a matter of months. Yet, the pandemic created a sudden need among many research groups to use online testing. We report results from a survey of researchers on experiences with online testing and discuss challenges, limitations, and opportunities.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1160203
#CognitiveDevelopment #Cognition
#OpenScience
#ResearchMethods -
New paper from the #DevelopmentalPsychology side of the Kuhlmeier lab
The widespread adoption of new methods for testing children does not typically occur over a matter of months. Yet, the pandemic created a sudden need among many research groups to use online testing. We report results from a survey of researchers on experiences with online testing and discuss challenges, limitations, and opportunities.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1160203
#CognitiveDevelopment #Cognition
#OpenScience
#ResearchMethods -
New paper from the #DevelopmentalPsychology side of the Kuhlmeier lab
The widespread adoption of new methods for testing children does not typically occur over a matter of months. Yet, the pandemic created a sudden need among many research groups to use online testing. We report results from a survey of researchers on experiences with online testing and discuss challenges, limitations, and opportunities.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1160203
#CognitiveDevelopment #Cognition
#OpenScience
#ResearchMethods -
New paper from the #DevelopmentalPsychology side of the Kuhlmeier lab
The widespread adoption of new methods for testing children does not typically occur over a matter of months. Yet, the pandemic created a sudden need among many research groups to use online testing. We report results from a survey of researchers on experiences with online testing and discuss challenges, limitations, and opportunities.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1160203
#CognitiveDevelopment #Cognition
#OpenScience
#ResearchMethods -
Are you ready for an agilists’ crash course in neuroscience and neurobiology?🧠 Watch this video: https://youtu.be/VgT3AqKhI6U
You’ll learn how to adapt the concepts and tools from neuroscience and psychotherapy in a manner appropriate for our roles as agile coaches and scrum masters, in order to help your team.
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Are you ready for an agilists’ crash course in neuroscience and neurobiology?🧠 Watch this video: https://youtu.be/VgT3AqKhI6U
You’ll learn how to adapt the concepts and tools from neuroscience and psychotherapy in a manner appropriate for our roles as agile coaches and scrum masters, in order to help your team.
