[Dynamics of cognitive abilities in the course of active lifespan]

Behavioral effects of cognitive aging and the meaning of experience are compared. Relating the process of aging to biological and functional decay does not do justice to the accumulation of knowledge and abilities over the active lifespan. Human development is a continuous process of growth and decline. It accounts for both gain and loss of cognitive abilities. From this perspective human capacities are not static but composed of a changing set of abilities which grow and decline over the life span. Despite decreasing capacity with age, reserve capacity may be sufficient to cope with normal task demands. Finally, it is illustrated how experience of older workers may contribute to the design of training programs.