But this could well be because this type of test was more familiar to the younger participants, who were therefore likely to do better.
This interpretation of the findings is perhaps borne out by another series of tests administered by Denney and Palmer.
These ‘real world’ tests related to practical applications of reasoning, such as how to deal with faulty purchases,
flooding in the basement,
or a child returning late from school.
On these practical tests,
middle-aged people scored significantly higher than young adults.
In other research,
Denney and Pearce (1989) found that the number of solutions people generate in response
to everyday practical problems peaks in middle age.