Wisdom in time: Advancing dynamic models of wisdom, intellectual humility, open-mindedness, and perspective-taking

Abstract

Dynamic theories of wisdom emphasise that metacognitive attributes—intellectual humility, open-mindedness, and perspective-taking—evolve through life’s challenges and are crucial for individual and societal well-being. These attributes help mitigate issues like misinformation, polarization, and societal acrimony. Reviewing prominent wisdom models, we highlight context-dependent variations in these attributes, with implications for measurement practices. We posit that the temporal dimension—central to wisdom theories—is neglected or misinterpreted in empirical studies. A systematic literature review demonstrates many conclusions about developing wisdom or its downstream effects are based on cross-sectional, atemporal data. In response, we advocate for greater focus on the temporal bounds of empirical data in social psychology and offer tutorial-style recommendations for formalising narrative theories to explicitly specify one’s level of analysis. Beyond wisdom, we illustrate similar temporal oversights across clinical, social, and cultural domains. Our recommendations offer a generalizable framework to advance dynamic research practices critical for understanding psychological change.

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