The notion that older people become less cognitively adept arose from misinterpretations of research evidence comparing younger and older people's performance on the same IQ test, using cross-sectional methods.

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Cross-sectional research design compares different groups of people at a single point in time. The misinterpretation of research evidence occurred because cross-sectional studies comparing younger and older people's performance on the same IQ test do not account for the effect of age on cognitive decline. Longitudinal studies show that while cognitive abilities may decline with age, they are more stable than previously thought, and old age is not necessarily a time of cognitive decline for everyone.

The Notion That Older People Become Less Cognitively Adept Arose