Psychology and aging
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Psychology and aging · Dec 2005
Cognitive performance inconsistency: intraindividual change and variability.
Although many studies have examined inconsistency of cognitive performance, few have examined how inconsistency changes over time. 91 older adults (age 52 to 79) were tested weekly for 36 consecutive weeks on a series of multitrial memory speed (i.e., letter recognition) tasks. A number of multivariate techniques were used to examine how individuals' level of inconsistency changed across weeks and how this change was related to interindividual differences in age and intelligence. Results indicated that (a) inconsistency of performance is a construct separate from the underlying performance ability (i.e., memory speed); (b) inconsistency reduces exponentially with practice; (c) individuals with higher scores on tests of fluid general intelligence (G-sub(f)) reached lower asymptotic levels of inconsistency compared to lower scorers; and (d) after controlling for the systematic effects of practice, variability in inconsistency from week-to-week was more pronounced for individuals with lower G-sub(f) scores compared to individuals with higher scores.
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Psychology and aging · Jun 2005
Comparative StudyMemory and goal setting: the response of older and younger adults to positive and objective feedback.
Earlier research suggested that goal setting for memory does not have the same advantages for older adults as for younger adults. Using ideal goal-setting conditions with individualized goals, the authors compared goals plus positive feedback, goals plus objective feedback, and control. ⋯ Older adults showed strong performance gains and more motivation and goal commitment than the young. The results showed that older adults can benefit from goal setting under optimal learning and feedback conditions.
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Psychology and aging · Dec 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialPositive aspects of caregiving and adaptation to bereavement.
This study examined how positive aspects of caregiving affect adaptation to bereavement among older adults who cared for a family member with dementia. The sample consisted of 217 caregivers who were part of the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health Study. ⋯ This effect was particularly strong for the relation between benefit and grief. Results demonstrate the importance of studying both positive and negative aspects of caregiving and their relation to bereavement outcomes.
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Psychology and aging · Jun 2001
The heritability of cognitive functioning in very old adults: evidence from Danish twins aged 75 years and older.
Heritable influences on cognitive functioning were investigated in a sample of 403 pairs of like-sex Danish twins aged 75 years and older. Twins completed the Mini-Mental State Examination and 3 other cognitive tests. Genetic factors accounted for 26-54% of the variance on these measures, with the balance being due to environmental factors that create differences rather than similarities among reared-together relatives. ⋯ These results replicate G. E. McClearn et al.'s (1997) study in indicating substantial genetic influences on late-life cognitive functioning.
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This study investigated social behavior in older adults with varying levels of off-target verbosity (OTV). After screening 455 adults in Phase 1, 198 individuals were selected to participate in both a get-acquainted conversation and an experimental cues situation and to complete social and cognitive measures. Higher OTV participants had lower cognitive inhibitory scores, talked more, were less interested in their partners, and focused more on themselves. ⋯ Although high-OTV individuals talked less when exposed to social cues signalling boredom, they spoke more relative to other participants. Self-reported social behavior had little relation with OTV and conversational style, but higher OTV individuals were less accurate in judging videotaped social interactions. Gender differences in conversational behavior are also discussed.