Can Seven Questions Determine Your Wisdom?

Wisdom is strongly and positively associated with resilience, happiness, and mental well-being. The three negatively correlate with loneliness, depression, and anxiety.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that a concise. The seven-item scale can help determine with greater certainty a person’s level of wisdom. A potentially modifiable personality trait strongly connects with overall well-being.

The researchers had previously developed the 28-item San Diego Wisdom Scale (SD-WISE28). Which major national and international studies, biological research, and clinical trials use to assess wisdom.

But in a study published in International Psychogeriatrics. They found that an abridged version of seven-item (SD-WISE-7 or Jeste-Thomas Wisdom Index), was comparable and reliable.

Previous studies identify seven wisdom components: self-reflection, prosocial behaviors, emotional regulation, diverse perspectives, decisiveness, social advising, and spirituality. Moreover, these components contribute significantly to our understanding of how wisdom influences well-being.

Exploring Wisdom and Well-Being: Future Research Directions from SD-WISE-7

A recent study surveyed 2,093 participants aged 20 to 82 through the online crowdsourcing platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. Additionally, this diverse sample provided valuable insights into the relationship between various aspects of well-being.

The seven statements from SD-WISE-28 relate to the seven components and use a 1 to 5 scale, ranging from strong disagreement to strong consensus.

Additionally, the SD-WISE-7 strongly and positively correlates with happiness, resilience, and mental well-being. It strongly and negatively correlates with anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

Next steps involve conducting genetic, biological, psychosocial, and cultural studies across large, diverse populations. These studies will explore how these factors interact with mental and physical health throughout the lifespan. By examining these dimensions, researchers aim to understand how these aspects influence overall well-being and resilience, and how they may be shaped by genetic and environmental factors. The goal is to uncover insights into their relationship with health, which could inform strategies for enhancing mental well-being and resilience across different stages of life. This comprehensive approach will provide a deeper understanding of how these aspects contribute to health and how they can be cultivated and measured effectively.