The wisest characters in books and films—like Gandalf from “The Lord of the Rings” or Dumbledore from “Harry Potter”—are often portrayed as having many years under their belts. However, modern researchers challenge the common belief that wisdom comes with age. Irish writer Oscar Wilde once remarked that while wisdom does come with age, he added, “Sometimes age just comes alone.”
While this can be true, mere aging isn’t enough to guarantee wisdom, according to scientists from the University of Klagenfurt in Austria.
What the Researchers Found
Dr. Judith Glück, a psychologist who led the study, along with her colleagues, analyzed a range of previous research linking older age with wisdom.
The analysis revealed that “the statistical connection between wisdom and chronological age is not strong,” despite widespread assumptions and cultural stereotypes.
According to the researchers, the question of where wisdom comes from is much more nuanced. “Aging alone or accumulating life experience is not sufficient to become wiser,” Dr. Glück wrote in an article published in Current Opinion in Psychology. While many associate wisdom with old age, truly becoming wise requires more than just getting older.
Dr. Glück believes that “there is no universal trajectory for the development of wisdom.” In other words, people around the world do not automatically become wise once they reach a certain age, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Life experience is a more likely foundation for gaining wisdom. However, even that is not enough. According to Judith Glück, the accumulation of wisdom depends on an individual’s unique combination of life experiences and “intrapersonal and interpersonal resources.” How people evaluate their life experiences and what they take away from them may be more crucial for developing wisdom than the experiences themselves.
The authors of the new analysis suggest that key characteristics of wisdom include empathy (the ability to feel compassion for those who are suffering) and “spiritual self-transcendence.” The ability to solve problems such as loneliness (especially in later life) can also be considered a sign of wisdom.
Dr. Glück noted that wisdom can even decline with age, as some of its “components diminish.” For example, the ability to solve complex problems or manage emotions in stressful situations may decrease.
What Other Scientists Say
Research by Dr. Carolyn Aldwin from Oregon State University showed that it is not the years lived that lead to wisdom, but rather the challenges faced. Thus, if a person has not encountered difficulties in life, they are less likely to gain wisdom in old age.
However, several studies in recent years have found a correlation between older age and wisdom. For instance, in 2013, researchers from the University of California discovered that older adults tend to be more patient and better at managing their finances. And what is that, if not wisdom?