NZ
AU
UK
USA
Other countries
Does Human Capacity Peak in Our 20s or Mid-Career?
Spoiler: It’s likely later than you think.
While conventional wisdom holds that fluid intelligence—skills like reasoning and processing speed—peaks around age 20, real-world achievements such as career success and leadership often come much later. A recent study integrates data across key psychological traits to pinpoint when overall human functioning truly peaks.
Key Findings:
-
The 'Midlife Apex': The Cognitive-Personality Functioning Index (CPFI)—a composite measure of various traits—reaches its highest point in late midlife, between ages 55 and 60.
-
Beyond Fluid Intelligence: Although fluid abilities decline early, other vital traits continue to develop or peak later in life. These include:
-
Crystallized Intelligence (accumulated knowledge)
-
Emotional Stability
-
Moral Reasoning
-
Conscientiousness
Most of these peak during midlife.
-
High-Stakes Role Readiness: The study suggests that individuals best equipped for complex, high-responsibility roles, including Accounting Partners, are typically between 40 and 65 years old.
What This Means for your Hiring and Talent Strategy
The findings from this study have significant implications for how businesses approach hiring, especially for roles requiring judgment, leadership, and complex decision-making.
-
Rethinking Age Bias: Many companies unconsciously favor younger candidates, assuming sharper cognitive skills equate to better performance. However, this research shows that key traits—like emotional stability, conscientiousness, and moral reasoning—peak much later, often in the 50s and 60s. Ignoring older candidates may mean overlooking top-tier talent.
-
Strategic Role Alignment: For high-stakes positions such as executives, strategists, and policy leaders, the ideal age range is likely between 40 and 65. These individuals bring a blend of experience, maturity, and peak psychological functioning that younger candidates may not yet possess.
-
Retention Over Replacement: Rather than cycling out older employees, businesses should consider investing in their continued development. These workers may be entering their most capable years, especially in roles that rely on accumulated knowledge and sound judgment.
-
Inclusive Hiring Practices: Companies that embrace age-diverse teams can benefit from a broader range of strengths—fluid intelligence from younger employees and crystallized intelligence and emotional depth from older ones.
-
Leadership Pipeline Planning: Organizations should design leadership development programs that extend into midlife, recognizing that peak leadership potential may not emerge until well past the 40s.
Source: Gignac et al (2025): https://lnkd.in/eabZmCDP
Steve Evans | Steve founded Accountests alongside a career using his expertise in candidate testing and assessment to support employers to attract, recruit, and develop talent.
