imately one half of one percent per year from the early twenties through age 45, and that a truly steep decline set in at about age 55. 8
Even the earlier studies, however, recognized that deterioration in learning capacity was highly individual. As an example, a superior intellect would be expected to remain as intelligent as the average individual ever was, when he or she reached their mid seventies (Pinter, 1984).
Notable exceptions to the widely accepted beliefs that learning and creative activity diminished with age have always existed. Most people, including psychologists and psychiatrists, however, tended to think of these individuals as just that exceptions (Meer, 1986). Contemporary studies, however, indicate that the capacity to learn does not necessarily diminish with age (Bower, 1986; Horn, & Meer, 1987; Meer, 1986).
In fact, these contemporary studies indicate that the capacity to learn is likely to diminish with age, only if it is not used. Thus,
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