scholarly journals Cognitive and non-cognitive variables influencing age-related effect of mind wandering across the adult life span

Author(s):  
Erika Borella ◽  
Michela Zavagnin ◽  
Lucia Ronconi ◽  
Rossana De Beni

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the effects of aging on mind wandering (MW) using a sustained attention to response task (SART) with a low cognitive demand. All task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) and the subcategory of stimulus-independent thoughts (SITUTs) were examined across the adult life span. The relationship between MW, cognitive variables (attention, inhibition, working memory), and non-cognitive variables (mindfulness, psychological well-being, and anxiety) was investigated. The sample included 210 healthy participants from 20 to 89 years old. The overall results showed few or no age-related changes in both TUTs and SITUTs. Path analyses revealed that the effect of age on both TUTs and SITUTs was only indirect and mediated by attentional resources, as well as by some aspects of psychological well-being (i.e., emotional competence), which had a direct effect, however. These findings raise doubts about any age-related differences between young and older adults’ MW. Changes in MW across the adult life span are thus discussed along with the method and tasks used to assess it and different variables affecting it.

2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 2396-2404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas T. Hills ◽  
Rui Mata ◽  
Andreas Wilke ◽  
Gregory R. Samanez-Larkin

2009 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Pardini ◽  
Paolo F. Nichelli

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Wang ◽  
Xing-Ting Zhu ◽  
Han-Hui Liu ◽  
Yi-Wen Zhang ◽  
Yang Hu ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Félix Neto

This research examined the relationship between loneliness and psychosocial variables among people from Portugal across the adult life span. The study examined, besides socio-demographic predictors, subjective well-being predictors of social and emotional loneliness. The sample was constituted by 1,209 participants with a mean age of 38.12 (SD = 17.49) and a range between 18 and 90 years. Social, family and romantic loneliness were measured (DiTommaso, Brannen, & Best, 2004). Overall, social, family and romantic loneliness were significantly associated with the indicators of subjective well-being. Subjective well-being factors accounted also for a larger proportion of the explained variance in social, family and romantic loneliness scores than socio-demographic factors. Limitations of the research are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 422-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongtao Wei ◽  
Kangcheng Wang ◽  
Jie Meng ◽  
Kaixiang Zhuang ◽  
Qunlin Chen ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundImaging studies have shown that the subcallosal region (SCR) volume was decreased in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, whether the volumetric reductions in the SCR are due to thinning of the cortex or a loss of surface area (SA) remains unclear. In addition, the relationship between cortical measurements of the SCR and age through the adult life span in MDD remains unclear.MethodsWe used a cross-sectional design from 114 individuals with MDD and 112 matched healthy control (HC) individuals across the adult life span (range: 18–74 years). The mean cortical volume (CV), SA and cortical thickness (CT) of the SCR were computed using cortical parcellation based on FreeSurfer software. Multivariate analyses of covariance models were performed to compare differences between the MDD and HC groups on cortical measurements of the SCR. Multiple linear regression models were used to test age-by-group interaction effects on these cortical measurements of the SCR.ResultsThe MDD had significant reductions in the CV and SA of the left SCR compared with HC individuals after controlling of other variables. The left SCR CV and SA reductions compared with matched controls were observed only in early adulthood patients. We also found a significant age-related CT reduction in the SCR both in the MDD and HC participants.ConclusionsThe SCR volume reduction was mainly driven by SA in MDD. The different trajectories between the CT and SA of the SCR with age may provide valuable information to distinguish pathological processes and normal ageing in MDD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S310-S310
Author(s):  
Sydney Krueger ◽  
Kevin Ochsner

Abstract Over the adult life-span there is a self-reported shift in daily life emotions towards feeling less negative and more positive. We hypothesized that variations in emotion regulation behavior over the life-span could explain why aging is associated with this “rosy glow”. We collected survey data from 400 adults on Prolific (18-90, M = 47, SD = 16) at three time points: once before and two times following the 2018 Midterm Elections. We collected political engagement ratings, baseline emotion ratings, emotion ratings following the election, and self-reported emotion regulation behavior (e.g., situation modification, situation selection, reappraisal, seeking social-support). In our analyses we treated age as a continuous variable predicting differences in emotion ratings and emotion regulation reports. Consistent with past research, age predicted a decrease in negative and an increase in positive emotions at baseline (before the election). Controlling for political affiliation and we found that age predicted a lower likelihood of using social support regulation and situation modification. We also found that age was inversely predictive of the use of multiple strategies, such that younger adults are more likely to rely on a larger array of regulatory strategies than older adults. These results suggest that age-related differences in self-reported emotions in daily life may be attributed to a reduction in regulation-strategy usage over the life-span, and perhaps a reduced need to regulate negative emotion.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 352-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. K. Tyler ◽  
M. A. Shafto ◽  
B. Randall ◽  
P. Wright ◽  
W. D. Marslen-Wilson ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 606-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Félix Neto ◽  
Daniela C. Wilks

Compassionate love has received research attention over the last decade, but it is as yet unclear how it is experienced over a lifetime. The purpose of this study was to investigate compassionate love for a romantic partner throughout the adult life span, exploring individual differences in the propensity to experience compassionate love in regard to age, gender, religion, love status, love styles, and subjective well-being. The results showed that religion and love status display significant effects on compassionate love. Believers experienced greater compassionate love than nonbelievers, and individuals in love presented greater compassionate love than those who were not in love. Love styles and subjective well-being were found to be related to compassionate love. These findings corroborate studies that indicate that individuals who experience higher compassionate love for a romantic partner are more likely to report Eros, Agape, and subjective well-being.


2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 394-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott D Moffat ◽  
Yang An ◽  
Susan M Resnick ◽  
Michael P Diamond ◽  
Luigi Ferrucci

Abstract Background Cortisol is a key stress hormone implicated in the pathogenesis of many age-related diseases. Longitudinal information on cortisol exposure has been restricted to animal models and a small number of human studies. The purpose of the present study was to quantify longitudinal change in cortisol across the adult life span. Methods We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of 24-hour urinary free cortisol excretion from ages 20 to 90 years and older. Participants were 1,814 men and women from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging who provided a total of 5,527 urine specimens for analysis. The average duration of longitudinal follow-up was 6.6 years. The primary outcome measure was 24-hour urinary free cortisol to creatinine ratio (UFC/Cr) as determined by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results UFC/Cr follows a U-shaped pattern across the life span with decreases in UFC/Cr in the 20s and 30s, relative stability in the 40s and 50s, and increases thereafter. This pattern of change was robust with respect to adjustment for several potential confounding factors. Conclusions Age-related changes in cortisol exposure raise important questions about the potential protective or exacerbating role of cortisol exposure in predicting medical, physiological, and behavioral outcomes.


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