College Of Doctoral Studies Literature Review Resources ✓ Solved

College Of Doctoral Studiesliterature Review Resourcesnumberarticle In

College Of Doctoral Studiesliterature Review Resourcesnumberarticle In

Analyze the significance of cognitive abilities and personality traits across different contexts by reviewing recent literature. Discuss how stability and change in these traits and abilities influence aging, health, education, decision-making, and behavioral outcomes. Explore the role of environmental and social factors in shaping cognitive development and performance. Your review should synthesize findings from multiple studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between cognition, personality, and environmental influences in various life domains.

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

The interplay of cognitive abilities and personality traits is fundamental to understanding human development across the lifespan. Recent research underscores the importance of these traits not only as static characteristics but also as dynamic constructs subject to stability and change. Exploring their influence across aging, health, education, decision-making, and behavior reveals insights into how individuals adapt to various life challenges and environments. This review synthesizes pertinent literature to elucidate how cognitive and personality development interacts with social and environmental factors, shaping outcomes in multiple domains.

Cognitive Abilities and Personality Stability and Change in Aging

Aschwanden, Martin, and Allemand (2017) examined fluctuations in cognitive abilities and personality traits over four years among older adults. Their findings indicated that these traits are predominantly stable, with subtle changes such as increased neuroticism and decreased processing speed. Notably, greater stability was observed in verbal knowledge and conscientiousness, emphasizing the resilience of certain traits in old age. Understanding this stability aids in predicting aging outcomes and designing interventions that maintain cognitive and psychological well-being (Aschwanden et al., 2017).

The Role of Cognitive Ability in Health and Socioeconomic Disparities

Bridger and Daly (2017) investigated how early-life cognitive ability buffers the impact of childhood socioeconomic disadvantage on adult health. Their longitudinal study concluded that higher childhood cognitive skills can mitigate health inequalities related to social disadvantages, decreasing psychological distress and mortality risk in adulthood. These findings highlight the protective role of cognitive abilities against social determinants of health, informing policies aimed at early cognitive development as a means of promoting health equity (Bridger & Daly, 2017).

Historical Perspectives on Cognitive Abilities

Elshout (1995) traced the evolution of cognitive ability research, highlighting contributions by Piaget, Kohlberg, Vygotsky, and Sully. The article emphasizes the progressive understanding of cognition from early developmental stages to more complex adult capabilities. It critically assesses how foundational theories have shaped current perspectives and anticipates future directions, including emphasis on developmental changes and cultural influences. Recognizing this history contextualizes contemporary research and fosters a nuanced appreciation of cognitive abilities (Elshout, 1995).

Intelligence and Creativity: Humor Production as a Cognitive Function

Christensen et al. (2018) explored the relationship between intelligence and humor production, demonstrating that general cognitive abilities—fluid reasoning, vocabulary, and retrieval—predict humor generation. This research underscores intelligence's role in creative and social functioning, suggesting that cognitive flexibility and knowledge contribute substantially to humor, an essential aspect of social cohesion and well-being (Christensen et al., 2018).

Personality, Intelligence, and Socioeconomic Outcomes

Damian, Su, Shanahan, Trautwein, and Roberts (2015) examined how personality traits and intelligence interact with socioeconomic background to predict adult status. Their findings reveal that while high cognitive ability and conscientiousness can compensate for lower parental socioeconomic status, their effects are complex and moderated by social context. These insights emphasize the importance of individual differences in determining educational and occupational achievement, informing targeted educational strategies (Damian et al., 2015).

Moderating Effects of Cognitive Ability on Adverse Life Events

Flouri, Mavroveli, and Panourgia (2013) analyzed how general cognitive ability moderates the impact of adverse life events on emotional and behavioral problems. Their results suggest that higher cognitive functioning provides resilience, reducing the risk of psychological issues following stressful experiences. This underscores the significance of cognitive skills in emotional regulation and mental health interventions (Flouri et al., 2013).

The Link Between Intelligence and Workplace Performance

Furnham (2016) reviewed empirical studies linking intelligence and cognitive abilities to workplace success. The review highlights that higher intelligence correlates positively with job performance, problem-solving, and adaptability. Challenging environments that stimulate cognitive development foster better work-related skills, supporting the argument for early and continuous cognitive training (Furnham, 2016).

Cognitive Abilities in Decision-Making Processes

Jackson, Kleitman, Stankov, and Howie (2017) investigated how cognitive abilities influence judgment and decision-making. They found individual differences in monitoring and control processes driven by cognitive capacity significantly affect decision quality. The research underscores the importance of cognitive assessments in predicting decision-making behaviors across various contexts (Jackson et al., 2017).

Early Development of Cognitive Abilities in Infants

Lacerda, Hofsten, and Heimann (2011) described how cognitive functions emerge during infancy. Their synthesis highlights the progressive acquisition of skills such as language and object permanence, drawing from multiple developmental theories. Understanding early cognition informs educational practices and interventions that promote optimal development (Lacerda et al., 2011).

Environmental Influences on Cognitive Development

Sternberg and Grigorenko (2001) emphasized that environment plays a crucial role in shaping cognitive abilities. Improved educational settings, enriched home environments, and socio-economic support accelerate cognitive growth, affecting academic achievement and life outcomes. These findings advocate for policies aimed at environmental enhancements to foster cognitive development from childhood (Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2001).

Long-term Impacts of Behavior and Traits in Educational and Occupational Success

Spengler, Damian, and Roberts (2018) examined how student behavior influences life success decades later. Their study demonstrated that positive behaviors in adolescence predict higher educational attainment and occupational prestige, independent of intelligence and socioeconomic background. This highlights behavioral interventions during schooling as crucial for long-term success (Spengler et al., 2018).

Gender Differences in Cognitive Abilities

Reilly (2012) reviewed research on sex and gender differences in cognition. The book discusses biological and social factors influencing cognitive variability and emphasizes the need for critical evaluation of scientific biases. Recognizing gender differences aids in developing equitable educational and workplace policies (Reilly, 2012).

Conclusion

The reviewed literature delineates a complex interactions between cognitive abilities, personality, and environmental factors. While traits exhibit stability over time, they are also subject to developmental and contextual influences. Understanding these dynamics facilitates the design of interventions and policies that enhance cognitive and psychological resilience, promote equitable opportunities, and improve life outcomes across diverse populations.

References

  • Aschwanden, D., Martin, M., & Allemand, M. (2017). Cognitive Abilities and Personality Traits in Old Age Across Four Years: More Stability Than Change. Journal of Research In Personality. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2017.08.002
  • Bridger, E., & Daly, M. (2017). Does cognitive ability buffer the link between childhood disadvantage and adult health? Health Psychology, 36(10).
  • Elshout, J. (1995). J.B. Carroll, Human cognitive abilities. A survey of factor-analytic studies. Acta Psychologica, 3, 261.
  • Christensen, A., Silvia, P. J., Nusbaum, E. C., & Beaty, R. E. (2018). Clever People: Intelligence and Humor Production Ability. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.1037/aca
  • Damian, R. I., Su, R., Shanahan, M., Trautwein, U., & Roberts, B. W. (2015). Can Personality Traits and Intelligence Compensate for Background Disadvantage? Predicting Status Attainment in Adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
  • Flouri, E., Mavroveli, S., & Panourgia, C. (2013). The Role of General Cognitive Ability in Moderating the Relation of Adverse Life Events to Emotional and Behavioral Problems. British Journal of Psychology, (1).
  • Furnham, A. (2016). Intelligence and Cognitive Abilities at Work. Oxford Handbooks Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/.003.0002
  • Gustafsson, J.-E., Rosen, M., Yang-Hansen, K., & Wolff, U. (2017). Cognitive abilities and educational outcomes: A Festschrift in honour of Jan-Eric Gustafsson. Cham: Springer.
  • Jackson, S. A., Kleitman, S., Stankov, L., & Howie, P. (2017). Individual Differences in Decision Making Depend on Cognitive Abilities, Monitoring and Control. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 30(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/bdm.1939
  • Lacerda, F., Hofsten, C., & Heimann, M. (2011). Emerging cognitive abilities in early infancy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Sternberg, R. J., & Grigorenko, E. L. (2001). Environmental Effects on Cognitive Abilities. Mahwah: Taylor and Francis.
  • Reilly, D. (2012). Exploring the science behind sex and gender differences in cognitive abilities. Sex Roles.
  • Spengler, M., Damian, R. I., & Roberts, B. (2018). How you behave in school predicts life success above and beyond family background, broad traits, and cognitive ability. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 114(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp
  • Rocha, N. F., Fonseca, D. A., Marques, A. B., Rocha, S. A., & Hoaken, P. (2015). Cognitive function is associated with prison behaviour among women in prison but not with subjective perception of adjustment to prison. Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health, 25(5), 389.

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