Final answer:
Research criticizing the 'peak and decline model' in aging creativity highlights the failure to account for individual differences, potential improvements in crystallized intelligence with age, the role of sociocultural factors, and the negative impact of reinforcing ageist stereotypes.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Levy and Langer, there are problems with aging creativity research studies that use a 'peak and decline model'. These studies do not take into account the various ways in which people experience aging and often imply a universal pattern that does not represent the individual variations.
Furthermore, such models tend to focus on the decline of abilities without recognizing the persistence or even improvement of certain cognitive functions like crystallized intelligence.
Such a generalized model also fails to consider the impact of broader sociocultural factors and may inadvertently reinforce ageist stereotypes, not acknowledging the wider range of goals and activities in which older adults may engage. The model overlooks factors such as the role of mental and physical activity in sustaining cognitive functions, as well as the potential for initiatives like cognitive rehabilitation to mitigate impairments.