Crystallized Intelligence Why Aging Effects It and How to Improve It

What is Crystallized Intelligence?

According to Study.com, crystallized intelligence can be defined as, "...the ability to use learned knowledge and experience." So, what does this REALLY mean? This type of intelligence is in stark contrast to fluid intelligence, which is defined as the "...ability solve new problems, use knowledge in new situations, and identify patterns". Applying these two definitions, we can deduce that crystallized intelligence is using intelligence that we have learned from certain experiences, like sitting in a classroom and using knowledge that you've already learned to continue learning, such as learning a foreign language.

So, for example, if you were trying to learn Japanese, how would you "crystallize" knowledge in order to effectively learn the language? According to Answers.com, there are certain tactics that you can try!

Here are some ways to increase to assist with crystallizing information:

-Flash cards. Flash cards help to test the memory, and utilizing the cards daily helps to crystallize the information. Flash cards assist with memorization and strengthening automatic recall.

-Mnemonic devices: Mnemonic devices work by assigning a mental cue to a letter or number. For example, "Never Eat Soggy Wheat" is a useful mnemonic device to remember the cardinal directions (North, South, East, West). Making up a mnemonic device to remember information helps to instill this information in to your brain for future use.

-Puzzles: Doing puzzles while you are trying to learn a tough subject can help to commit that information to memory. Examples are doing a Rubik's cube, a word search, a crossword puzzle, or a sudoku puzzle, or even a computer game that requires intense concentration.

-Diet: there are certain foods that are known to increase brainpower. Foods that are strong in amino acids are "brain foods" - foods like cheese, milk and peanuts. In addition, omega fatty acids increase brainpower; these are foods like salmon, sardines, fish oil supplements, nuts and seeds, soybeans, and leafy greens. You can even find foods that are fortified with omega fatty acids, like butter and milk.

-Sleep: your body doesn't function well when it is sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation has a lot of negative effects, and a lack of converting fluid intelligence to crystallized intelligence is just one of those effects.

What does this all boil down to? Both types of intelligence that we discussed are important for continual development. Each type of intelligence indirectly affects the other; with that in mind, it's important for us to take care of ourselves by keeping our minds sharp, getting enough sleep, and eating a proper diet.