The Science of Wisdom in a Polarized World: Knowns and Unknowns

Abstract

Interest in wisdom in the cognitive sciences, psychology, and education has been paralleled by conceptual confusions about its nature and assessment. To clarify these issues and promote consensus in the field, wisdom researchers met in Toronto in July of 2019, resolving disputes through discussion. Guided by a survey of scientists who study wisdom-related constructs, we established a common wisdom model, observing that empirical approaches to wisdom converge on the morally-grounded application of metacognition to reasoning and problem-solving. After outlining the function of relevant metacognitive and moral processes, we critically evaluate existing empirical approaches to measurement and offer recommendations for best practices. In the subsequent sections, we use the common wisdom model to selectively review evidence about the role of individual differences for development and manifestation of wisdom, approaches to wisdom development and training, as well as cultural, subcultural, and social-contextual differences. We conclude by discussing wisdom’s conceptual overlap with a host of other constructs and outline unresolved conceptual and methodological challenges.

KEYWORDS:

• Intellectual humility
• metacognition
• moral psychology
• perspective-taking
• wisdom

Acknowledgements

We are greatly indebted to the Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, for hosting the Task Force meeting. Mane Kara-Yakoubian and Emil Harvey provided valuable assistance for the qualitative coding of open-ended survey responses, and Mane Kara-Yakoubian assisted with the graphic design of Figure 3.

Data availability

All data and statistical analyses that support the findings of this study are publicly available on Open Science Framework website with identifier https://osf.io/c37yh/.

Notes

1 Despite overall consensus, Task Force members also showed minor divergence in opinions about specific nuances of moral grounding (see “Points of Divergence” on OSF at https://osf.io/c37yh).

Additional information

Funding

The present research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Grant [435-2019-0161], Early Researcher Award [ER16-12-169] from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Templeton Pathways to Character Award (all to the first author).