Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence

This is my 50th Substack! Read to the end for a bonus

Some older people (I use that term loosely) shake their heads and grumble about the younger generation. About teenagers that don’t show up on time for a barista job, about college students who don’t listen to directions, about “kids these days.”

I have yet to outgrow the need to fuel with coffee. (Photo by Chloe Leis on Unsplash)

But my personal experience with young people has been very different. While at the USGS, I was constantly awed by the talent of our fresh-out-of-college scientists. And by their eagerness and openness to learn and to put in their best effort for the team. I was equally amazed at their ability to pick up quickly on statistics and they had an incredible aptitude for anything digital.

At times, I felt a little behind the curve. But I had a lot of knowledge about how to run a science project from beginning to end. I understood the nuances of getting your research in specific journals. And I had connections to secure funding.

In the book, Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, Arthur Brooks describes the difference between the intelligence of young people and that of more mature people as a difference in fluid versus crystallized intelligence.

Fluid intelligence peaks in your twenties or early thirties and is the ability to quickly learn, adapt, and create.

Crystallized intelligence is the ability to use the wisdom you’ve gained through experience, education, and practice.

Neither type of intelligence is superior.

Early in our careers (and lives), we are in the process of building. We have the energy to and brain power to tackle new concepts, fueled by late nights and coffee. Our working memories are like high-speed computers that can easily switch between tasks.

Late in our careers, we increasingly synthesize and edit. We don’t need raw smarts; we use deep knowledge based on experience. We may grapple with learning another new computer model, but we can quickly use our years of wisdom to handle a complex team situation or answer questions in front of an audience.

In retrospect, my transition from researcher to author of science books, may have been a natural progression. I feel I can apply broad knowledge and synthesize many ideas from a long career. I also feel it is time to give back, to share my knowledge, and keep the coffee but skip the late nights.

So cheers to all the “kids these days” and those of us who have crystallized!

To celebrate my 50^th Substack, here is a 15% off code for my list of STEM-themed children’s books when you enter BSO15 at checkout. HURRY! This code expires April 1. The list includes my newest book, A Speedy Little Cheetah on the Big Blue Earth. What is Bookshop? It is an alternative online bookseller that supports local bookshops. My site supports Overbooked, a new brick and mortar bookshop coming this spring to downtown Fargo, North Dakota.