Developmental changes in episodic memory across early- to mid-childhood: Insights from a latent longitudinal approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey Canada ◽  
Gregory R. Hancock ◽  
Tracy Riggins
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Similar Rate ◽  
Developmental Changes ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Memory Ability ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Longitudinal Approach

Episodic memory is a cornerstone ability that allows one to recall past events and the spatiotemporal context in which they occur. In an effort to characterize the development of this critical ability, many different tasks have been used independently to assess age-related variations in episodic memory. However, performance on memory tasks is multiply determined, and the extent to which multiple tasks with varying features relate to each other and represent episodic memory as a latent cognitive construct across childhood is unclear. The present study sought to address this question by exploring the feasibility of using four different laboratory-based tasks to characterize changes in episodic memory ability during early- to mid-childhood in 200 typically developing children (4 to 8 years). Using longitudinal data and a structural equation modeling framework, results suggest that multiple tests of episodic memory can be utilized to indicate a comparable latent construct of episodic memory ability over this period of development, and that this ability improves consistently between 4 to 8 years. Overall, results highlight that episodic memory measured as a construct increases at a similar rate over early- to mid-childhood and demonstrate the benefits of using multiple laboratory tasks to characterize developmental changes in episodic memory.

Age-Related Effects on Interoceptive Accuracy, General Interoceptive Sensibility, and Specific Interoceptive Sensibility

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 154-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Nusser ◽  
O. Pollatos ◽  
D. Zimprich
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Adult Lifespan ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Physical Diseases ◽  
Interoceptive Accuracy ◽  
Subjective Belief

Abstract. Background: The current research into interoception distinguishes between interoceptive accuracy (IAcc), the accurate detection of internal sensations (e.g., heartbeats) as measured by performance on objective IAcc tasks, and interoceptive sensibility (IS), the subjective belief concerning one’s own experience of internal sensations as measured either through self-report questionnaires or through one’s confidence in the accuracy during an IAcc task. Aims: As the two measures of IS, however, are usually uncorrelated and show differential relationships to IAcc, we suggest different types of IS, a general IS and a specific IS. Further, based on a growing body of research linking IAcc and IS to physical and mental diseases, the development of interoception across the adult lifespan is of importance. Methods: Using Structural Equation Modeling the present paper investigates the relationships among IAcc assessed by a heartbeat counting task, and the two proposed dimensions of IS in 138 participants ( Mage = 42.67, SDage = 18.77). Furthermore, we examine age-related differences in IAcc, as well as in general and specific IS. Results: In terms of the relationship between the three dimensions, general and specific IS were weakly correlated and exhibited different relationships to IAcc. Further, we found different age effects on the three interoceptive dimensions. Whereas IAcc decreased with age, specific IS tend to increase with age, and general IS remained unaffected by age. Conclusion: The findings provide further empirical support for a dissociation between general and specific IS and raised important questions concerning the relation between interoceptive accuracy and the emergence of physical diseases in older age.

scholarly journals Age differentiation within grey matter, white matter and between memory and white matter in an adult lifespan cohort

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne M. M. de Mooij ◽  
Richard N. A. Henson ◽  
Lourens J. Waldorp ◽  
Cam-CAN ◽  
Rogier A. Kievit
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Adult Lifespan ◽  
Age Related

AbstractIt is well-established that brain structures and cognitive functions change across the lifespan. A longstanding hypothesis called age differentiation additionally posits that the relations between cognitive functions also change with age. To date however, evidence for age-related differentiation is mixed, and no study has examined differentiation of the relationship between brain and cognition. Here we use multi-group Structural Equation Modeling and SEM Trees to study differences within and between brain and cognition across the adult lifespan (18-88 years) in a large (N>646, closely matched across sexes), population-derived sample of healthy human adults from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (www.cam-can.org). After factor analyses of grey-matter volume (from T1- and T2-weighted MRI) and white-matter organisation (fractional anisotropy from Diffusion-weighted MRI), we found evidence for differentiation of grey and white matter, such that the covariance between brain factors decreased with age. However, we found no evidence for age differentiation between fluid intelligence, language and memory, suggesting a relatively stable covariance pattern between cognitive factors. Finally, we observed a specific pattern of age differentiation between brain and cognitive factors, such that a white matter factor, which loaded most strongly on the hippocampal cingulum, became less correlated with memory performance in later life. These patterns are compatible with reorganization of cognitive functions in the face of neural decline, and/or with the emergence of specific subpopulations in old age.Significance statementThe theory of age differentiation posits age-related changes in the relationships between cognitive domains, either weakening (differentiation) or strengthening (de-differentiation), but evidence for this hypothesis is mixed. Using age-varying covariance models in a large cross-sectional adult lifespan sample, we found age-related reductions in the covariance among both brain measures (neural differentiation), but no covariance change between cognitive factors of fluid intelligence, language and memory. We also observed evidence of uncoupling (differentiation) between a white matter factor and cognitive factors in older age, most strongly for memory. Together, our findings support age-related differentiation as a complex, multifaceted pattern that differs for brain and cognition, and discuss several mechanisms that might explain the changing relationship between brain and cognition.

scholarly journals Person perception across group boundaries: a dynamic model of perception across race and gender lines

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Yan-Jun Xie
Keyword(s):  
Face Perception ◽  
Impression Formation ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Person Perception ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Race And Gender ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Trait Impressions

People form impressions of others from their faces, inferring character traits (e.g., friendly) along two broad, influential dimensions: Warmth and Competence. Although these two dimensions are presumed to be independent, research has yet to examine the generalizability of this model to cross-group impressions, despite extant evidence that Warmth and Competence are not independent for outgroup targets. This thesis explores this possibility by testing models of person perception for own-group and other-group perceptions, implementing confirmatory factor analysis in a structural equation modeling framework, and analyzing the underlying trait space using representational similarity analysis. I fit 402,473 ratings of 873 unique faces from 5,040 participants on 14 trait impressions to own-group and other-group models, exploring whether perceptions across race and gender are more unidimensional. Results indicate that current models of face perception fit poorly and are not universal as presumed: the space of trait impressions varies depending on targets’ race and gender. Keywords: person perception, impression formation, face perception, intergroup processes, social cognition

The influence of age on the job resources-engagement relationship

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 1218-1238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Ning ◽  
Albi Alikaj
Keyword(s):  
Work Engagement ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Older Employees ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Employee Work Engagement ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of employee age in the relationship between work engagement and several job resources.Design/methodology/approachThe study used questionnaire-based surveys completed by 804 employees from firms located in West China. The data were then analyzed by conducting latent moderated structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results of the study show that certain job resources (autonomy, recognition, colleague support, participation, job security and flexible work arrangements) are more effective for older employees in promoting work engagement, while other resources (job feedback, opportunities for development, skill variety and internal promotion) are more tailored toward younger employees.Research limitations/implicationsThe results suggest that job resources are not equally effective in affecting employee work engagement. Therefore, future studies should adopt a dynamic lifespan perspective when studying the relationship between job resources and work engagement.Practical implicationsThe current study indicates that to increase younger employees’ work engagement, organizations need to rely more on development-oriented job resources, and to increase older employees’ work engagement, they need to focus more on maintenance-oriented resources.Originality/valueThe literature on work engagement has assumed that the strength of the relationship between job resources and work engagement is uniform among employees at all ages. This study refers to two life-span theories from the development psychology literature to explain that there are age-related differences in the effect of job resources on employee work engagement.

Tabloid news, anti-immigration attitudes, and support for right-wing populist parties

2019 ◽  
pp. 205704731988412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Diehl ◽  
Ramona Vonbun-Feldbauer ◽  
Matthew Barnidge
Keyword(s):  
Political Communication ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
News Media ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Immigration Attitudes

This study examines the role of individuals’ media diets in contributing to the growing support for right-wing populist parties. Drawing on social identity theory and the notion of populism as political communication, this study argues that socio-economic status and tabloid news use explain support for right-wing candidates through heightened out-group hostility. Using survey data from the Austrian National Election Study ( N = 1161), we present a process model in the structural equation modeling framework, and we compare the direct and indirect effects of attention to tabloid versus broadsheet news on the probability to vote for the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs. Results show that the link between social status and support for right-wing populism is mediated by attention to tabloid news and anti-immigration attitudes. Implications for democratic norms are discussed in light of the overlap between news media and politicians in their use of populist narratives.

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