Why is learning easier(or seems easier) when we’re young and futile, but as we get older learning gets harder, but understanding more abstract and complex subjects also gets easier?

Question

Like for example the older you get the wiser and more abstract minded you become, but the learning process on the other hand seems to wear down real badly with age, if you want to learn a language learn while you’re still young because language comprehension can only be so decent, right?

Is such mindfuckery, compare to the vocabulary and linguistics of a 25 year old compared to that of say a 10 year old and see the world of difference, of course some learn fasters than others and who knows sometimes kids can be smarter than adults, but is the brain just more or less plasticy when we’re younger? But then why does brain processing speed peak around ages 16-19 according to so many infographics that I’ve seen.

In: 1

Answer 1

I guess it depends on what you’re trying to learn

A motor skill is definitely way easier for an adult to learn than a kid

But communication skills are way easier for a kid than an adult, that’s why it is way easier for kids to have their social cues engrained faster than say some undersocialized adults who dealt with heavy social isolation before.