scholarly journals Event Centrality of Positive and Negative Autobiographical Memories in Older Adulthood

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 712-712
Author(s):  
Justina Pociunaite ◽  
Tabea Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Openness To Experience ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
Positive Memories

Abstract Centrality of an event (CE) is a characteristic denoting how important a life experience is to one’s identity. Usually, positive memories are more central than negative ones in the community samples. Nevertheless, there is emerging evidence showing substantial individual differences in how one perceives CE. Especially regarding age, one could expect pronounced differences due to age-related changes in personal goals. In this study, we investigated how older adults differ from young and middle-aged adults. Apart from age, we tested whether personality traits such as neuroticism and openness to experience influence the CE ratings among age groups. The sample comprised of 363 German participants, age ranging from 18 to 89 (M=49.57, SD=17.087), 67.2 % of the sample were women. Using multilevel analysis, we found the CE of positive memories to be higher in all age groups. The CE of positive events significantly differed for older adults compared to younger adults but not to the middle-aged group. With respect to personality, neuroticism had an impact only on the CE of negative memories in younger and middle-aged adults. For older adults, neither neuroticism, nor openness to experience had an impact on CE ratings. This shows that while older adults significantly differ from younger adults in the CE of positive memories, other individual differences characteristics do not have an impact on the way older adults perceive memories as central to their identity.

scholarly journals THE UNCANNY VALLEY REVISITED: AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCE AND THE EFFECT OF FUNCTION TYPE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S330-S330
Author(s):  
Yun-Chen Tu ◽  
Sung-En Chien ◽  
Yueh-Yi Lai ◽  
Jen-Chi Liu ◽  
Su-Ling Yeh
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Uncanny Valley ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Function Type ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
The Uncanny ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Due to declined birthrate and the increased aging population, solving the problem of labor shortage has become important. Introducing robotic labors could effectively help older adults’ daily lives. However, older adults’ acceptance of robots was lower than younger adults. Robot’s appearance might be one of the reasons. The Uncanny Valley (UV) refers to the phenomenon that people rate more positively as robots become more humanlike, but only up to a certain point; as it approaches near-perfect similarity of human appearance, likeability drops and forms an uncanny valley. Nonetheless, previous results supporting the UV were mainly from younger adults. We examined whether the UV is also applicable for older and middle-aged adults. We also examined whether the acceptance of function (companion vs. service) would change based on robot appearance, and whether robot-induced traits have any relation with the acceptance of robot function. We asked younger (N= 80, age 18-39), middle-aged (N= 87, age 40-59), and older (N= 88, age 60-87) adults to view each picture of 84 robots and evaluate their impression of each robot and intention of use regarding robot function. Contrary to the UV found for younger and middle-aged adults, older adults did not show UV–they preferred humanlike over non-humanlike robots, regardless of the robot function. Scores on each trait–except for authoritativeness–showed positive correlations with the acceptance of functions. These findings imply that the design of assistive robots should take UV into consideration by customizing robots’ appearances and functions to different age groups.

Age Differences in the Malleability of Attitudes toward Automated Shared Mobility

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-128
Author(s):  
Kathryn Baringer ◽  
Dustin J. Souders ◽  
Jeremy Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Educational Video ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Automated Vehicles ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Difference Scores ◽  
Video Condition ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Introduction: The use of shared automated vehicles (SAVs) should lead to several societal and individual benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced traffic, and improved mobility for persons who cannot safely drive themselves. We define SAVs as on-demand, fully automated vehicles in which passengers are paired with other riders traveling along a similar route. Previous research has shown that younger adults are more likely to report using conventional ridesharing services and are more accepting of new technologies including automated vehicles (AVs). However, older adults, particularly those who may be close to retiring from driving, stand to greatly benefit from SAV services. In order for SAVs to deliver on their aforementioned benefits, they must be viewed favorably and utilized. We sought to investigate how short educational and/or experiential videos might impact younger, middle-aged, and older adult respondents’ anticipated acceptance and attitudes toward SAVs. Knowing what types of introductory experiences improve different age groups’ perceptions of SAVs will be beneficial for tailoring campaigns aiming to promote SAV usage. Methods: We deployed an online survey using the platform Prolific for middle-aged and older respondents, and our departmental participant pool for younger adults, collecting 585 total responses that resulted in 448 valid responses. Respondents answered questions regarding their demographic attributes, their ridesharing history, preconceptions of technology, as well as their anticipated acceptance attitudes towards SAVs as measured by the dimensions of the Automated Vehicle User Perception Survey (AVUPS). After this, respondents were randomly assigned to an intervention condition where they either watched 1) an educational video about how SAVs work and their potential benefits, 2) an experiential video showing a AV navigating traffic, 3) both the experiential and educational videos, or 4) a control video explaining how ridesharing works. Anticipated acceptance attitudes towards SAVs were measured again after this intervention and difference scores calculated to investigate the effect of the intervention conditions. Prolific respondents were paid at a rate of $9.50/hour and younger adults received course credit. Results: Controlling for preconceptions of technology and ridesharing experience, a MANOVA was run on the difference scores of the dimensions of the AVUPS (intention to use, trust/reliability, perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), safety, control/driving-efficacy, cost, authority, media, and social influence). Both older and middle-aged adults expressed significantly greater increases in PEOU and PU of SAVs than younger adults. We also observed an interaction between age and condition for both PU and PEOU. For PU, older adults’ difference scores were found to be significantly greater than younger adults’ for the control video condition. With PEOU, older adults’ difference scores were significantly greater than both younger adults’ for the control video condition, and middle-aged adults had greater difference scores for the educational-only video condition than younger or older adults. Discussion: The increases in PU observed for older adults in the control condition suggests that educating them on how to use currently available ridesharing services might transfer to and/or highlight the benefits that automated ridesharing might provide. The PEOU interactions also suggest that middle-aged adults might respond more positively than younger or older adults to an educational introduction to SAVs. Conclusion: The positive findings pertaining to PU and PEOU show that exposure to information related to SAVs has a positive impact on these attitudes. PU’s and PEOU’s positive relationship to behavioral intentions (BI) in the Technology Acceptance Model, coupled with the findings from this study, bode well for higher fidelity interventions seeking to inform and/or give individuals experience with SAVs. Providing information on how currently available ridesharing services work helped our older adult respondents recognize the potential usefulness of SAVs. Knowing that different age groups may respond better to educational versus experiential interventions, for example middle-aged adults in this study responding more positively to the educational video condition than younger or older adults, may be useful for targeted promotional campaigns.

The quality of self, social, and directive memories

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 395-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Alea ◽  
Mary Jane Arneaud ◽  
Sideeka Ali
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Social Function ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Directive Function ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

The quality of functional autobiographical memories was examined in young, middle-aged, and older adult Trinidadians ( N = 245). Participants wrote about an event that served a self, social, and directive function, and reported on the memory’s quality (e.g., significance, vividness, valence, etc.). Across age groups, directive memories were the most negative, and social function memories were the most positive. Social function memories were also talked about most. Compared to younger adults, older adults’ functional memories, regardless of the type of function, were positive and talked about often, and middle-aged adults’ memories were significant and vivid. The discussion encourages researchers to continue to simultaneously consider both why humans remember so much of their life, and what they remember when doing so.

Age norms for older adults among Koreans: perceptions and influencing factors

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1335-1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
SOONDOOL CHUNG ◽  
YUNKYUNG JUNG
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Adult Group ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Age Norms ◽  
The Social ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

ABSTRACTDespite rapid social change that has influenced the social status of older adults, expectations about their behaviour and whether such expectations differ across generations remain unexplored in Korea. Based on ageing theories of activity, disengagement and modernisation, this study investigated age norms among Koreans conceptualised as shared expectations of appropriate behaviours of older adults. Competing perspectives in intergenerational relations and prejudice toward older adults were examined to test if they influenced age norms and if such associations varied across different age groups. Data were analysed from a survey of 1,445 individuals aged 20 and above who resided in 16 administrative districts of Korea. Comparisons of age norms across age groups indicated that the older adult group (age 65+) held more restrictive attitudes about social participation and engagement in various behaviours in old age than the middle-aged adults (ages 45–64) and younger adults (ages 20–44). Respondents with more prejudice towards older adults tended to place more restrictions on the behaviour of older adults. A significant interaction indicated that respondents whose views were in line with a generational conflictive perspective, assessed as reporting more competitive perspectives between young and old people and being less supportive of intergenerational programmes, had a more restrictive view about older adults' behaviours among the middle-aged group but less restrictive attitudes in determining acceptable behaviour in later life among the older adult group.

scholarly journals Linking individual differences in cognitive control and perception: Meta-perception in older and younger adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Klever ◽  
Pascal Mamassian ◽  
Jutta Billino
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Age Effects ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Perceptual Performance ◽  
Metacognitive Ability ◽  
Specific Challenge

Visual perception is not only shaped by sensitivity, but also by confidence, i.e. the ability to estimate the accuracy of a visual decision. There is robust evidence that younger observers have access to a reliable measure of their own uncertainty when making visual decisions. This metacognitive ability might be challenged during aging due to increasing sensory noise and decreasing cognitive control resources. We investigated age effects on visual confidence using a confidence forced-choice paradigm. We determined discrimination thresholds for trials in which perceptual judgements were indicated as confident and for those in which they were declined as confident. Younger adults (19-38 years) showed significantly lower discrimination thresholds than older adults (60-78 years). In both age groups, perceptual performance was linked to confidence judgements, but overall results suggest reduced confidence efficiency in older adults. However, we observed substantial variability of confidence effects across all particpants. This variability was closely linked to individual differences in cognitive control capacities, i.e. executive function. Our findings provide evidence for age-related differences in meta-perceptual efficiency that present a specific challenge to perceptual performance in old age. We propose that these age effects are primarily mediated by cognitive control resources, supporting their crucial role for metacognitive efficiency.

scholarly journals Age-Related Differences of Rumination on the Loneliness-Depression Relationship: Evidence from a Population-Representative Cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Horace Tong ◽  
Wai Kai Hou ◽  
Li Liang ◽  
Tsz Wai Li ◽  
Huinan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Affective Symptoms ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Background and Objective This study examined the association of loneliness with depressive symptoms across various age groups. Loneliness is a significant risk factor for precipitating depressive symptoms. Rumination, a mechanism that underpins depression, can become intense when a person feels lonely. In addition, age is a major factor associated with changes in mental and physical health. Thus, the importance of rumination and age in moderating the loneliness–depression link were investigated. Research Design and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong (February 27 to March 17, 2020). A population-representative sample of 2,018 people (1,126 females; 15–92 years of age) was recruited and interviewed via telephone through random digit dialling. This sample included 394 younger adults (18–30 years), 1,106 middle-aged adults (31–64 years), and 472 older adults (65 years or above). Respondents reported depressive symptoms, subjective loneliness, state rumination, and sociodemographic factors. Results Loneliness and rumination were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and they significantly interacted in predicting cognitive-affective symptoms. Further analysis of age showed that the interaction was only significant only in middle-aged adults and older adults. Both rumination and age interacted with loneliness respectively in predicting cognitive-affective symptoms. Discussion and Implications These findings indicate that the strength of the association between loneliness and the cognitive-affective symptoms of depression depends on rumination levels and age. An intervention to regulate rumination offers a feasible direction for health care and social care aimed at improving older adults’ mental health.

scholarly journals The Role of Delay of Care in Depression among US Middle-Aged and Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic:: A Secondary Data Analysis (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Luo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Delay Of Care ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
Univariate Analyses

BACKGROUND The depression level among US adults significantly increased during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and age disparity in depression during the pandemic were reported in recent studies. Delay or avoidance of medical care is one of the collateral damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and it can lead to increased morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE The present study aims to assess the prevalence of depression and delay of care among US middle-aged adults and older adults during the pandemic, as well as investigate the role of delay of care in depression among those two age groups. METHODS This cross-sectional study used the 2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) COVID-19 Project (Early, Version 1.0) data. Univariate analyses, bivariate analyses, and binary logistic regression were applied. US adults older than 46 years old were included. Depression was measured by Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form (CIDI-SF). Delay of care were measured by four items: delay of surgery, delay of seeing a doctor, delay of dental care, and delay of other care. Univariate analyses, bivariate analyses, and binary logistic regression were conducted. RESULTS More than half of participants were older than 65 years old (58.23%) and 274 participants (8.75%) had depression during the pandemic. Delay of dental care was positively associated with depression among both middle-aged adults (OR=2.05, 95%CI=1.04-4.03, P<0.05) and older adults (OR=3.08, 95%CI=1.07-8.87, P<0.05). Delay of surgery was positively associated with depression among older adults (OR=3.69, 95%CI=1.06-12.90, P<0.05). Self-reported pain was positively related to depression among both age groups. Middle-aged adults who reported higher education level (some college of above) or worse self-reported health had higher likelihood to have depression. While perceived more loneliness was positively associated with depression among older adults, financial difficulty was positively associated with depression among middle-aged adults. CONCLUSIONS This study found that depression among middle-aged and older adults during the pandemic was also prevalent. The study highlighted the collateral damage of the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying the effect of delay of surgery and dental care on depression during the pandemic. Although surgery and dental care cannot be delivered by telehealth, telehealth services can still be provided to address patients’ concern on delay of surgery and dental care. Moreover, the implementation of tele-mental health services is also needed to address mental health symptoms among US middle-aged and older adults during the pandemic. Future research that uses more comprehensive CLINICALTRIAL N/A

scholarly journals Barriers and Motivators of Physical Activity Participation in Middle-Aged and Older Adults—A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 929-944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Spiteri ◽  
David Broom ◽  
Amira Hassan Bekhet ◽  
John Xerri de Caro ◽  
Bob Laventure ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Influences ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
Health Promotion Interventions ◽  
Barriers And Motivators

Identifying the difference in the barriers and motivators between middle-aged and older adults could contribute toward the development of age-specific health promotion interventions. The aim of this review was to synthesize the literature on the barriers and motivators for physical activity in middle-aged (50–64 years) and older (65–70 years) adults. This review examined qualitative and quantitative studies using the theoretical domain framework as the guiding theory. The search generated 9,400 results from seven databases, and 55 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were included. The results indicate that the barriers are comparable across the two age groups, with environmental factors and resources being the most commonly identified barriers. In older adults, social influences, reinforcement, and assistance in managing change were the most identified motivators. In middle-aged adults, goal-setting, the belief that an activity will be beneficial, and social influences were identified as the most important motivators. These findings can be used by professionals to encourage engagement with and adherence to physical activity.

scholarly journals ANGER, LOVE, SADNESS: DO EMOTION WORDS HAVE THE SAME SEMANTIC MEANING ACROSS AGE-GROUPS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S841-S842
Author(s):  
Madeline J Nichols ◽  
Jennifer A Bellingtier ◽  
Frances Buttelmann
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Semantic Meaning ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Emotion Words ◽  
Emotion Word ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Every day we use emotion words to describe our experiences, but past research finds that the meanings of these words can vary. Furthermore, historical shifts in language use and experiential knowledge of the emotions may contribute to age-differences in what these emotion words convey. We examined age-related differences in the valence, arousal, and expression connoted by the words anger, love, and sadness. We predicted age-related differences in the semantic meanings of the words would emerge such that older adults would more clearly differentiate the positivity/negativity of the words, whereas younger adults would report higher endorsement for the conveyed arousal and expression. Participants included American and German older adults (N=61; mean age=68.98) and younger adults (N=77; mean age=20.77). Using the GRID instrument (Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, 2013), they rated each emotion word for its valence, arousal, and expression when used by a speaker of the participant’s native language. Across emotions and dimensions, older adults were generally more moderate in their understanding of emotion words. For example, German older adults rated anger and sadness as suggesting the speaker felt less bad and more good than the younger adults. American older adults rated love as connoting the speaker felt more bad and less good than younger adults. Arousal ratings were higher for German younger, as opposed to older, adults. Cultural differences were most pronounced for sadness such that German participants gave more moderate answers than American participants. Overall, our research suggests that there are age-related differences in the understanding of emotion words.

Comprehension of Explicit and Implicit Warning Information in Younger and Older Adults

2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (20) ◽  
pp. 1474-1478
Author(s):  
Holly E. Hancock ◽  
Arthur D. Fisk ◽  
Wendy A. Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Text Comprehension ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Comprehensive Investigation ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Product Usage ◽  
Implicit Information ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Safe Product

Successful comprehension of warning text necessitates an ability to understand both explicitly stated safety information, as well as information about hazards and safe product usage that may be implied. Comprehension level for this type of text may vary across age groups as a function of normal age-related changes that may be experienced in memory and text comprehension in general. To date, there has been no comprehensive investigation of how well younger and older adults understand explicit and implicit information associated with actual product warnings. In the current study, 43 older and 42 younger adults read text from consumer product warnings and then rated the truth/falsity of statements containing information that was either explicitly stated or implied by the warnings. The results suggest both older and younger adults are able to recognize information that is explicitly associated with an actual product warning. However, they are less able to recognize information that can be inferred from warnings. These data also suggest that older adults perceive themselves to understand consumer warnings fairly well.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document