Influence of Experience on Age Differences in Cognitive Functioning

1990 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 551-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy A. Salthouse
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Additional Research ◽  
Cognitive Differences ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Adult Age Differences ◽  
Potential Moderator

To the extent that adult age differences in measures of cognitive performance have implications for functioning outside the psychological laboratory, the question of the role of experience as a potential moderator of these differences becomes extremely important. Three categories of research relevant to this issue are reviewed, and methodological limitations of each type of research are discussed. Although it is frequently asserted that experience minimizes cognitive differences associated with aging, the evidence currently available does not appear consistent with a strong experiential moderation of age-related effects in cognitive performance. However, the paucity of relevant studies and the methodological weaknesses of those that do exist preclude a definitive conclusion at the present time. Additional research with improved methodology is necessary before strong conclusions can be reached concerning effects of experience on age differences in cognition.

scholarly journals Adult age differences in subjective responses to dynamic socioemotional incentives

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sade J Abiodun ◽  
Galen McAllister ◽  
Gregory Russell Samanez-Larkin ◽  
Kendra Leigh Seaman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Incentive Motivation ◽  
Social Signals ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Positivity Effect ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Adult Age Differences

Facial expressions are powerful communicative social signals that motivate feelings and action in the observer. However, research on incentive motivation has overwhelmingly focused on money and points and the limited research on social incentives has been mostly focused on responses in young adulthood. Previous research on the age-related positivity effect and adult age differences in social motivation suggest that older adults might experience higher levels of positive arousal to socioemotional stimuli than younger adults. Affect ratings following dynamic emotional expressions (anger, happiness, sadness) varying in magnitude of expression showed that higher magnitude expressions elicited higher arousal and valence ratings. Older adults did not differ significantly in levels of arousal when compared to younger adults, however their ratings of emotional valence were significantly higher as the magnitude of expressions increased. The findings provide novel evidence that socioemotional incentives may be relatively more reinforcing as adults age. More generally, these dynamic socioemotional stimuli that vary in magnitude are ideal for future studies of more naturalistic affect elicitation, studies of social incentive processing, and use in incentive-driven choice tasks.

An Examination of the Adult age Differences on the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices

1992 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-155
Author(s):  
Renee L. Babcock
Keyword(s):  
Age Differences ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Spatial Transformation ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Rule Application ◽  
Adult Age Differences ◽  
Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices ◽  
Application Component

The purpose of the current project was to examine the nature of the age-related differences on the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM). Three components were hypothesized to be involved in correctly solving the APM problems. These included a rule-identification component, a rule-application component (involving a one-rule spatial transformation), and a rule-coordination component. The project was designed to examine the influence of each of the hypothesized components on the age-related variance on the APM. Two tests presumed to measure each hypothesized component were presented to 183 adults between the ages of 21 and 83. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that although all of the hypothesized components accounted for a significant amount of the variance on the APM (approximately 50% each), only performance on the tasks measuring rule application accounted for a unique proportion of the age-related variance on the APM. Implications of the results in regards to following symbolic instructions in assembly of objects and in driving are discussed.

scholarly journals Investigating Adult Age Differences in real-life Empathy, Prosociality, and Well-being using Experience Sampling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Pollerhoff ◽  
Julia Stietz ◽  
Gregory John Depow ◽  
Michael Inzlicht ◽  
Philipp Kanske ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Experience Sampling ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Age Effects ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Adult Lifespan ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Adult Age Differences

While the importance of social affect and cognition is indisputable throughout the adult lifespan, findings of how empathy and prosociality develop and interact across adulthood are mixed, and real-life data are scarce. Research using ecological momentary assessment recently demonstrated that adults commonly experience empathy in daily life. Furthermore, predictors of empathy were linked to higher prosocial behavior and subjective well-being. However, to date, it is not clear whether there are adult age differences in daily empathy and daily prosociality and whether age moderates the relationship between empathy and prosociality across adulthood. Here we analyzed experience-sampling data collected from participants across the adult lifespan to study age effects on empathy, prosocial behavior, and well-being under real-life circumstances. Linear and quadratic age effects were found for the experience of empathy, with increased empathy across the three younger age groups (18 to 45 years) and a slight decrease in the oldest group (55 years and older). Neither prosocial behavior nor well-being showed significant age-related differences. We discuss these findings with respect to (partially discrepant) results derived from lab-based or traditional survey studies. We conclude that studies linking in-lab experiments with real-life experience-sampling might be a promising venue for future lifespan studies.

scholarly journals Adult Age Differences in Errand Planning: The Role of Task Familiarity and Cognitive Resources

2007 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Kliegel ◽  
Mike Martin ◽  
Mark A McDaniel ◽  
Louise H Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Age Differences ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Adult Age Differences

scholarly journals Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Cognitive Aging

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 575-576
Author(s):  
Gizem Hueluer ◽  
Elizabeth A L Stine-Morrow
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Adult Development ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Cognitive aging research is gaining societal and practical importance because of population aging. Current research is focused on describing age differences and age-related changes in cognitive performance, understanding potential causes underlying these differences and changes, and identifying factors that promote maintenance of cognitive functioning in old age. The goal of this research group is to showcase new developments in research studying age differences in cognitive performance and longitudinal cognitive change in the second half of life. Hülür et al. examine associations between midlife occupational factors and trajectories of cognitive change using data from the German Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development and Aging (ILSE). Luo et al. use 12-year longitudinal data from 499 older participants in ILSE to study bidirectional associations between social relationships and cognitive performance. Small et al. examine the correspondence between objective and subjective cognitive performance, and measures of fatigue and depressed mood in experience sampling data from breast cancer survivors. Haas et al. compare laboratory and at-home online assessments of cognitive status and prospective memory over the adult lifespan and evaluate the quality of self-administered tests. The discussion by Elizabeth Stine-Morrow will focus on how these approaches contribute to our understanding of processes of cognitive aging and how they can be utilized to promote maintenance of cognitive functioning in old age.

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