Perceived Intellectual Performance Change over Seven Years

Actual and perceived change in intellectual performance over seven years was examined in a sample of 837 participants in the Seattle Longitudinal Study who took five subtests of Thurstone's Primary Mental Abilities (PMA) test in 1977 and 1984. In 1984 participants rated perceived change in intellectual performance from 1977 to 1984. Participants were categorized, based on their actual performance, into those who maintained earlier performance level, significantly increased their performance, or declined in performance. A typology linking actual and perceived change in performance was created: Realists (those who accurately estimated change in their performance); Optimists (those who oveestimated positive change); and Pessimists (those who overestimated negative change). Classification of participants varied across abilities. Women were more likely to be pessimists on Spatial Orientation than men. Older individuals were more likely to be pessimists on Verbal Meaning and Inductive Reasoning Abilities and to be realists on Number ability compared to younger participants.