人生中最聪明的年龄可能是 55 岁到 60 岁——而不是 20 多岁。诸如处理速度和记忆力等认知能力通常在人生早期就达到巅峰。运动员通常在30岁之前达到巅峰，数学家在35岁左右取得重大突破，而国际象棋冠军很少能在40岁以后仍然保持统治地位。然而，一项新的研究表明，整体心理功能（包括人格特质、判断力和情商）的巅峰时期要晚得多，在 55 岁到 60 岁之间。一项分析了人一生中 16 个关键特征的研究发现，责任心在 65 岁左右达到顶峰，情绪稳定性在 75 岁左右达到最高点，道德推理能力在老年时期加深，避免认知偏差的能力可能会在 70 多岁或 80 多岁时有所提高。当这些特质综合成一个单一指标时，表明人在50岁后期思维最为平衡，兼具经验、情绪稳定和良好的判断力。这或许可以解释为什么许多顶尖的领导者和思想家在中年时期取得了最大的成就。【“担心60岁？科学研究表明，这其实是许多人的巅峰时期。”——《对话》，2025年10月14日】The smartest age in life may be 55 to 60 – not in your 20s.Raw cognitive abilities, such as processing speed and memory, often peak early in life. Athletes typically hit their prime before 30, mathematicians make major breakthroughs by their mid-30s, and chess champions rarely stay dominant past 40. However, a new research reveals that overall psychological functioning—including personality traits, judgment, and emotional intelligence—peaks much later, between ages 55 and 60. A study analyzing 16 key traits across the lifespan found that conscientiousness peaks around 65, emotional stability reaches its height near 75, moral reasoning deepens in older age, and the ability to avoid cognitive biases may improve into the 70s or 80s. When combined into a single index, these traits suggest the mind is most balanced in the late 50s, blending experience, emotional steadiness, and sound judgment. This may explain why many top leaders and thinkers achieve their greatest impact in midlife.["Worried about turning 60? Science says that’s when many of us actually peak." The Conversation, 14 Oct 2025]
