scholarly journals Age Group Differences in Household Accident Risk Perceptions and Intentions to Reduce Hazards

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 2237 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Morgan ◽  
John Reidy ◽  
Tahira Probst
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Personal Control ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Risk Attitudes ◽  
Accident Risk ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Response Efficacy

Very little is known about the extent to which seemingly vulnerable younger and older adults appraise household risks and relatedly whether safety information focused on raising risk awareness influences intentions to reduce hazards in the home. The present study assessed age differences in accident experience, risk attitudes, household accident risk perceptions, comparative optimism, personal control, efficacy judgements, and intentions to remove household hazards. It also examined the predictors of these intentions. Thirty-eight younger adults (aged 18 to 25) and forty older adults (aged 65 to 87) completed study booklets containing all measures. There were significant age group differences for all accident experience and risk-related variables. Younger adults experienced more accidents, had riskier attitudes, and had significantly lower cognitive risk perceptions (i.e., they were less likely to be injured due to a household accident). They also had lower affective risk perceptions (i.e., they were less worried) about their accident risk and perceived more personal control over the risk compared with older adults. Young adults were comparatively optimistic about their risk while older adults were pessimistic. Older adults had higher response efficacy and intentions to reduce hazards in the home. Only worry, response efficacy, and risk attitudes predicted intention, however, these relationships were not moderated by age or efficacy appraisal. Although tentative theoretical and practical implications are presented, further research is required in order to better understand the objective and subjective risk associated with household accidents, and to determine the factors that may improve safety, particularly for those most vulnerable.

scholarly journals Age Group Differences in Response to Repeated Exposure to Laboratory Stress Tasks

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 772-772
Author(s):  
James Miller ◽  
Gloria Luong
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Repeated Exposure ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Affective Experiences ◽  
Affect Reactivity ◽  
And Task

Abstract Research examining age differences in affect reactivity (i.e. how much affective experiences change in response to stressors) has produced mixed results, suggesting that there are areas of relative strength and weakness in regulatory processes across age-groups. The present study’s goals were to examine potential age-group differences in affect reactivity and subjective task-appraisals across repeated exposures to a psychosocial laboratory stressor. In the Health and Daily Experiences (HEADE) study, younger (18-35 years old; n=107) and older adults (60-90 years old; n=90) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test on three occasions in a laboratory setting over a five-day period. Current affective experiences and task-appraisals were assessed at each session using validated self-report scales, with current affective experiences measured at baseline and task periods to determine affect reactivity. Repeated measures ANOVA analyses were conducted to examine age-group differences in affect reactivity and task-appraisals across sessions. In support of our hypotheses, younger adults showed greater reductions in their negative affect reactivity over time compared to older adults [F(2, 390)= 8.18, p<.001]. Additionally, younger adults’ appraisals of task-difficulty decreased [F(2, 384)= 14.79, p<.001] and appraisals of task-performance increased [F(2,384)= 13.39, p<.001] across sessions, while older adults’ task-appraisals remained stable. Age-group differences in negative affect reactivity and task-difficulty appraisals were not evident for the first session and only emerged after repeated exposure to the stressors. These results highlight the importance of identifying age-related vulnerabilities in adapting to repeated stressors, with implications for designing effective interventions aimed at improving health and well-being for older adults.

Associative learning-related activity within and between the hippocampus, basal ganglia, and prefrontal cortex: Effects of age and learning stage

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Merenstein ◽  
Jessica R. Petok ◽  
Ilana J. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Associative Learning ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Related Activity ◽  
Younger Adults

Healthy aging is accompanied by declines in our ability to learn associations between events without awareness, termed implicit associative learning (IAL). Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have attributed these learning deficits in older adults to differential engagement of the hippocampus, basal ganglia, and prefrontal cortex relative to younger adults. But it remains unclear whether there are also age group differences in how these brain regions coordinate learning of associations over time. Here, we acquired fMRI data while 28 younger (20.8 ± 2.3 years) and 22 older (73.6 ± 6.8 years) healthy adults completed the Triplets Learning Task, in which the location of two cues predicted the location of a target with high (HF) or low (LF) frequency. Results revealed significant age group differences in learning as smaller difference in reaction time to HF versus LF triplets in older relative to younger adults, and in the recruitment of hippocampal and prefrontal regions during early learning. Moreover, learning-related activity was significantly related among hippocampal, basal ganglia, and prefrontal regions for both age groups, although younger adults exhibited stronger hippocampal-basal ganglia interactions during early learning whereas older adults showed stronger prefrontal-hippocampal interactions during late learning. Thus, age-related declines in the ability to learn implicit associations may result from both differential engagement of and coordination between these brain regions, which are traditionally thought to comprise separate learning systems.

scholarly journals Age-Related Differences in Resting-State EEG and Allocentric Spatial Working Memory Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeline Jabès ◽  
Giuliana Klencklen ◽  
Paolo Ruggeri ◽  
Jean-Philippe Antonietti ◽  
Pamela Banta Lavenex ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Eeg Activity ◽  
Recording Conditions

During normal aging resting-state brain activity changes and working memory performance declines as compared to young adulthood. Interestingly, previous studies reported that different electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of resting-state brain activity may correlate with working memory performance at different ages. Here, we recorded resting-state EEG activity and tested allocentric spatial working memory in healthy young (20–30 years) and older (65–75 years) adults. We adapted standard EEG methods to record brain activity in mobile participants in a non-shielded environment, in both eyes closed and eyes open conditions. Our study revealed some age-group differences in resting-state brain activity that were consistent with previous results obtained in different recording conditions. We confirmed that age-group differences in resting-state EEG activity depend on the recording conditions and the specific parameters considered. Nevertheless, lower theta-band and alpha-band frequencies and absolute powers, and higher beta-band and gamma-band relative powers were overall observed in healthy older adults, as compared to healthy young adults. In addition, using principal component and regression analyses, we found that the first extracted EEG component, which represented mainly theta, alpha and beta powers, correlated with spatial working memory performance in older adults, but not in young adults. These findings are consistent with the theory that the neurobiological bases of working memory performance may differ between young and older adults. However, individual measures of resting-state EEG activity could not be used as reliable biomarkers to predict individual allocentric spatial working memory performance in young or older adults.

scholarly journals KNOWLEDGE OF AGING, NEGATIVE AGE BIAS, AND POSITIVE AGE BIAS: AGE GROUP DIFFERENCES

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S80-S81
Author(s):  
Grace Caskie ◽  
Anastasia E Canell ◽  
Hannah M Bashian
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Age Bias ◽  
Negative Beliefs ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Attitudes towards aging include both positive and negative beliefs about older adults (Iverson et al., 2017; Palmore, 1999). Palmore’s (1998) Facts on Aging Quiz, a widely used assessment of knowledge about aging, also identifies common societal misconceptions about aging. Findings regarding age group differences in attitudes toward aging are mixed (Bodner et al., 2012; Cherry & Palmore, 2008; Rupp et al., 2005). The current study compared knowledge of aging, negative age bias, and positive age bias between young adults (18-35 years, n=268) and middle-aged adults (40-55 years; n=277). Middle-aged adults reported significantly greater average knowledge of aging than young adults (p=.019), although both groups had relatively low knowledge (MA: M=13.0, YA: M=12.2). Middle-aged adults also showed significantly less negative age bias (p<.001) and significantly more positive age bias than young adults (p=.026). Although the total sample was significantly more likely to be incorrect than correct on 23 of the 25 facts (p<.001), young adults were significantly more likely than middle-aged adults (p<.001) to respond incorrectly for only 2 of 25 facts. Both facts reflected greater negative age bias among young adults than middle-aged adults. These facts concerned older adults’ ability to work as effectively as young adults (fact 9) and frequency of depression in older adults (fact 13). Results demonstrate that age bias is not limited to young adults and may continue through midlife, though negative age bias in particular may be lower for individuals approaching older adulthood, which could have implications for their psychological and physical well-being.

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.

scholarly journals Susceptibility to COVID-19 Scams: The Roles of Age, Individual Difference Measures, and Scam-Related Perceptions

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Nolte ◽  
Yaniv Hanoch ◽  
Stacey Wood ◽  
David Hengerer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Individual Difference ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Financial Risks ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Psychological Measures ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

As the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding, a surge in scams was registered across the globe. While COVID-19 poses higher health risks for older adults, it is unknown whether older adults are also facing higher financial risks as a result of COVID-19 scams. Here, we examined age differences in vulnerability to COVID-19 scams and individual difference measures (such as impulsivity, ad skepticism, and past experiences with fraud) that might help explain them. A lifespan sample (M = 48.03, SD = 18.56) of sixty-eight younger (18–40 years, M = 25.67, SD = 5.93), 79 middle-aged (41–64 years, M = 49.86, SD = 7.20), and 63 older adults (65–84 years, M = 69.87, SD = 4.50) recruited through Prolific completed questions and questionnaires online. In a within-subjects design, each participant responded to five COVID-19 solicitations, psychological measures, and demographic questions. Age group comparisons revealed that older adults were marginally less likely to perceive COVID-19 solicitations as genuine than middle-aged adults were. In addition, older adults perceived significantly fewer benefits than both younger and middle-aged adults did and perceived marginally higher risks than younger adults did. Hence, older adults did not exhibit greater vulnerability to COVID-19 scams. Regardless of age, intentions to respond to COVID-19 solicitations were positively predicted by higher levels of educational attainment, being married, past fraud victimization, and higher levels of positive urgency. As expected, stronger genuineness and benefit perceptions positively predicted action intentions, whereas stronger risk perceptions negatively predicted action intentions As such, COVID-19 scam susceptibility appears to be the result of a impulse control issue that is not easily inhibited, not even by past experiences of scam victimization.

scholarly journals Clinical Characteristics of Hospitalized Individuals Dying With COVID-19 by Age Group in Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. 1796-1800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Palmieri ◽  
Nicola Vanacore ◽  
Chiara Donfrancesco ◽  
Cinzia Lo Noce ◽  
Marco Canevelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Renal Failure ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Clinical Phenotype ◽  
Cardiac Injury ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Respiratory Complications ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Respiratory Conditions ◽  
Extract Information

Abstract Background Aim of the present study is to describe characteristics of COVID-19-related deaths and to compare the clinical phenotype and course of COVID-19-related deaths occurring in adults (<65 years) and older adults (≥65 years). Method Medical charts of 3,032 patients dying with COVID-19 in Italy (368 aged < 65 years and 2,664 aged ≥65 years) were revised to extract information on demographics, preexisting comorbidities, and in-hospital complications leading to death. Results Older adults (≥65 years) presented with a higher number of comorbidities compared to those aged <65 years (3.3 ± 1.9 vs 2.5 ± 1.8, p < .001). Prevalence of ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, stroke, hypertension, dementia, COPD, and chronic renal failure was higher in older patients (≥65 years), while obesity, chronic liver disease, and HIV infection were more common in younger adults (<65 years); 10.9% of younger patients (<65 years) had no comorbidities, compared to 3.2% of older patients (≥65 years). The younger adults had a higher rate of non-respiratory complications than older patients, including acute renal failure (30.0% vs 20.6%), acute cardiac injury (13.5% vs 10.3%), and superinfections (30.9% vs 9.8%). Conclusions Individuals dying with COVID-19 present with high levels of comorbidities, irrespective of age group, but a small proportion of deaths occur in healthy adults with no preexisting conditions. Non-respiratory complications are common, suggesting that the treatment of respiratory conditions needs to be combined with strategies to prevent and mitigate the effects of non-respiratory complications.

scholarly journals Functions of Real-Life Conversational Time Travel in the Context of Healthy Aging

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 622-623
Author(s):  
Burcu Demiray ◽  
Minxia Luo ◽  
Mike Martin
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Social Functions ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Audio Recorder

Abstract Using smartphone sensing in real life, we examined conversational time travel (i.e., talking about the personal past versus future), its functions and relation with positive affect (i.e., laughing behavior). We used the Electronically Activated Recorder (audio recorder that periodically records snippets of ambient sounds and speech) and collected a random sample of over 30,000 sound snippets (30 seconds long) from 61 young and 48 healthy older adults across four days. We transcribed and manually coded participants’ speech. Multilevel models conducted in R showed that individuals tended to talk about their past with more social functions (e.g., give advice), whereas talked about their future for more directive purposes (e.g., planning). Age group differences were minimal. We also found that individuals laughed two times more while talking about their past than their future. Results are discussed in relation to the functions of mental/conversational time travel in the context of healthy aging.

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