ABSTRACT
Almost two centuries of empirical research has firmly established the relation between age and creative productivity. Most typically, creative output first increases rapidly to a peak somewhere in the late thirties or early forties, and thereafter slowly declines. However, the specific shape of this age curve depends on the specific domain of creativity. In some domains the peak comes early, while in others the peak comes much later, with a much less drastic post-peak decline. Researchers must distinguish between quantity and quality of output, quantity representing pure productivity and quality representing actual creativity. This distinction is manifested in the location of a creator’s three career landmarks: the first, best, and last major works. It is also important to recognize substantial individual differences in the career trajectory. The most highly creative persons produce their first major work at a younger age than most, maintain a high rate of output throughout their career, and produce their last major work at an older age than most – and thus exhibit much longer careers than “one-hit wonders.”
