Skip to main content
Log in

The relationships between age, mobility and scientific productivity. Part II

Effect of age on productivity

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper we show that it is theoretically impossible to draw empirically founded conclusions about the relation between age and productivity. Only the relation between age and productivityincrease can be verified empirically. With this limitation in mind, a subsequent analysis of productivity data of Dutch physicists, chemists en economists, indicates that thegrowth rate of productivity is higher at ages under 35 than at ages over 35.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. W. DENNIS, Age and productivity among scientists,Science, 123 (1956) 724.

    Google Scholar 

  2. W. DENNIS, Age and achievement: A critique,Journal of Gerontology, 11 (1956) 331.

    Google Scholar 

  3. W. DENNIS, Productivity among American psychologists,American Psychologist, 9 (1964) 191.

    Google Scholar 

  4. W. DENNIS, Creative productivity between the ages of 20 and 80 years,Journal of Gerontology, 21 (1966) 1.

    Google Scholar 

  5. S. COLE, Age and scientific performance,American Journal of Sociology, 84 (1979) 958.

    Google Scholar 

  6. H. C. LEHMAN,Age and achievement, Princeton University Press, 1953.

  7. H. C. LEHMAN, The chemist's most creative years,Science, 127 (1958), 1213.

    Google Scholar 

  8. H. C. LEHMAN, The age decrement in scientific creativity,American Psychologist, 15 (1960) 128.

    Google Scholar 

  9. H. C. LEHMAN, The Psychologist's most creative years,American Psychologist, 21 (1966) 363.

    Google Scholar 

  10. D. C. PELZ, F. M. AANDREWS,Scientists in Organizations; Productive Climate for R&D, New York, Wiley, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  11. A. E. BAYER, K. W. DUTTON, Career age and research professional activities of academic scientists. Test of alternative nonlinear models and some implications for higher education faculty policies,Journal of Higher Education, No. 3 (May/June 1977), 259.

    Google Scholar 

  12. S. E. FIENBERG, W. M. MASON, Indentification and estimation of age-period-cohort models in the analysis of discrete archival data,Sociological Methodology 1979, pp. 1–67. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

    Google Scholar 

  13. L. MELTZER, Scientific productivity in organizational settings,Journal of Social Issues, 12 (1956) 32.

    Google Scholar 

  14. F. M. ANDREWS, Scientific performance related to time spent on technical work, teaching or administration,Administrative Science Quarterly, 10, (1965), 182.

    Google Scholar 

  15. L. R. HARMON, Profiles of the Ph. D's in the sciences: summary report on the follow up of doctorate cohorts 1935–60, National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council, Publ. 1293, Washington, 1965.

  16. R. PRICE, P. H. THOMSON, G. W. DDALTON, A longitudinal study of technological obsolescence,Research Management 18 (6) (1975) 22.

    Google Scholar 

  17. W. J. BROAD, The publishing game: getting more for less,Science, 211 (13 March 1981) 1137.

    Google Scholar 

  18. H. ZUCKERMAN, R. K. MERTON, Age, aging and age structure in science, In:The sociology of science: theoretical and empirical investigations; R. K. MERTON (Ed.), Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Van Heeringen, A., Dijkwel, P.A. The relationships between age, mobility and scientific productivity. Part II. Scientometrics 11, 281–293 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02279350

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02279350

Keywords

Navigation