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Hill PL, Pfund GN, Cruitt PJ, Spears I, Norton SA, Bogdan R, Oltmanns TF. Personality traits moderate associations between word recall and subjective memory. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2024; 31:705-722. [PMID: 37665355 PMCID: PMC11139457 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2023.2249195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive gerontology research requires consideration of performance as well as perceptions of performance. While subjective memory is positively associated with memory performance, these correlations typically are modest in magnitude, leading to the need to consider whether certain people may show weaker or stronger linkages between performance and perceptions. The current study leveraged personality (NEO Big Five), memory performance (i.e., word recall), and perceptions of memory ability (i.e., metamemory in adulthood and memory decline) data from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN) study (n = 774, mean age: 71.52 years). Extraversion and conscientiousness held the most consistent associations with the cognitive variables of interest, as both traits were positively associated with metamemory and word recall, but negatively associated with subjective decline. Moreover, extraversion moderated associations between word recall and both memory capacity and complaints, insofar that objective-subjective associations were weaker for those adults higher in extraversion. These findings highlight the need to understand how personality influences the sources of information employed for subjective cognitive beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick L Hill
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gabrielle N Pfund
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Isaiah Spears
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sara A Norton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Thomas F Oltmanns
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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Stolz C, Bulla A, Soch J, Schott BH, Richter A. Openness to Experience is associated with neural and performance measures of memory in older adults. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad041. [PMID: 37632761 PMCID: PMC10533339 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related decline in episodic memory performance is a well-replicated finding across numerous studies. Recent studies focusing on aging and individual differences found that the Big Five personality trait Openness to Experience (hereafter: Openness) is associated with better episodic memory performance in older adults, but the associated neural mechanisms are largely unclear. Here, we investigated the relationship between Openness and memory network function in a sample of 352 participants (143 older adults, 50-80 years; 209 young adults, 18-35 years). Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a visual memory encoding task. Functional memory brain-network integrity was assessed using the similarity of activations during memory encoding (SAME) scores, which reflect the similarity of a participant's memory network activity compared to prototypical fMRI activity patterns of young adults. Openness was assessed using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Older vs young adults showed lower memory performance and higher deviation of fMRI activity patterns (i.e. lower SAME scores). Specifically in older adults, high Openness was associated with better memory performance, and mediation analysis showed that this relationship was partially mediated by higher SAME scores. Our results suggest that trait Openness may constitute a protective factor in cognitive aging by better preservation of the brain's memory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Stolz
- Department of Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Magdeburg 39118, Germany
- Department of Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
| | - Ariane Bulla
- Department of Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Magdeburg 39118, Germany
| | - Joram Soch
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen 37075, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience (BCCN), Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Björn H Schott
- Department of Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Magdeburg 39118, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen 37075, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen 37075, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anni Richter
- Department of Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Magdeburg 39118, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on adaptive and maladaptive brain Circuits underlying mental health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany
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Montoliu T, Zapater-Fajarí M, Hidalgo V, Salvador A. Openness to experience and cognitive functioning and decline in older adults: The mediating role of cognitive reserve. Neuropsychologia 2023; 188:108655. [PMID: 37507065 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Openness to experience has been consistently associated with better cognitive functioning in older people, but its association with cognitive decline is less clear. Cognitive reserve has been proposed as a mechanism underlying this relationship, but previous studies have reported mixed findings, possibly due to the different ways of conceptualizing cognitive reserve. We aimed to analyze the potential mediating role of cognitive reserve in the association between openness and cognitive functioning and decline in healthy older people. METHOD In Wave 1 and at the four-year follow-up (Wave 2), 87 healthy older people (49.4% women; M age = 65.08, SD = 4.54) completed a neuropsychological battery to assess cognitive functioning and a questionnaire to assess cognitive reserve. Openness was measured with the NEO- Five-Factor Inventory. Mediation models were proposed to investigate the relationship between openness and cognitive function or decline through cognitive reserve or its change. RESULTS Cognitive reserve mediated the openness-cognitive functioning association. Thus, individuals with higher openness showed greater cognitive reserve, and this greater cognitive reserve was associated with better cognitive functioning. Moreover, greater cognitive reserve at baseline also mediated the association between higher openness and slower cognitive decline. However, change in cognitive reserve did not mediate the association between openness and change in cognitive functioning. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive reserve is a mechanism underlying the association between openness and cognitive functioning and decline. These findings support the differential preservation hypothesis, suggesting that healthy older adults who engage in more cognitively stimulating activities would show less age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Montoliu
- Department Psychobiology-IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Department Psychobiology-IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain.
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Department Psychobiology-IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain
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Ye S, So JJM, Ng TK, Ma MZ. The day-of-week (DOW) effect on liberalism-conservatism: Evidence from a large-scale online survey in China. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1074334. [PMID: 36865674 PMCID: PMC9971015 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1074334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Past research has shown that psychological states tend to fluctuate across the days of a week, which is referred to as the day-of-week (DOW) effect. This study investigated the DOW effect on liberalism-conservatism among Chinese people by testing two competing hypotheses. According to the cognitive states hypothesis, it was predicted that liberalism would be high on Mondays but gradually decrease to Fridays due to the depletion of cognitive resources over the weekdays. In contrast, the affective states hypothesis predicted the opposite, considering the more positive affect brought by the approaching weekends. Both hypotheses predicted the level of liberalism would peak at weekends. Methods Data (n = 171,830) were collected via an online questionnaire, the Chinese Political Compass (CPC) survey, which includes 50 items to measure people' liberalism-conservatism in three domains (i.e., political, economic, and social). Results The results showed the level of liberalism decreased gradually from Mondays until Wednesdays, rebounded from Wednesdays to Fridays, and peaked at weekends. Discussion The V-shaped pattern suggested that the DOW fluctuation in liberalism-conservatism could derive from the synergy of both cognitive and affective processes, instead of either one alone. The findings have important implications for practice and policy-making, including the recent pilot scheme of 4-day workweek.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengquan Ye
- Department of Social and Behavioural Science, Colleague of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China,*Correspondence: Shengquan Ye, ✉
| | - Justin Juk Man So
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ting Kin Ng
- Department of Psychology, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mac Zewei Ma
- Department of Social and Behavioural Science, Colleague of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Taconnat L, Pinard F, Vanneste S, Bouazzaoui B, Fay S, Martinez L, Alibran E, Geraci L. Personality traits affect older adults' memory differently depending on the environmental support provided at encoding. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Podda J, Tacchino A, Pedullà L, Monti Bragadin M, Battaglia MA, Brichetto G, Ponzio M. Mind wandering in people with Multiple Sclerosis: A psychometric study. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2022; 58:103521. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Cognitive rehabilitation outcomes in patients with Multiple sclerosis: Preliminary data about the potential role of personality traits. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2022; 58:103533. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Kim BR, Lee R, Kim N, Jeong JH, Kim GH. The Moderating Role of Sleep Quality on the Association between Neuroticism and Frontal Executive Function in Older Adults. Behav Sleep Med 2022; 20:50-62. [PMID: 33522299 DOI: 10.1080/15402002.2021.1879809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND Personality traits are regarded as risk factors for cognitive impairment in older adults, while sleep disturbance and physical inactivity are also considered as modifiable risk factors. Therefore, it could be beneficial to investigate the effects of those modifiable risk factors on the relationship between personality traits and cognitive functions, to prepare appropriate strategies for mitigating cognitive impairment. PARTICIPANTS A total of 155 cognitively unimpaired older adults were included. METHODS All participants underwent cognitive function tests using the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery and examinations for personality traits using the Big Five Inventory. Individual physical activity and sleep quality were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. A hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis was performed to demonstrate the direct association between personality traits and cognitive functions, and the multiple moderator analysis was used to analyze the moderating effects of lifestyle factors on this association. RESULTS Among the five personality traits, only neuroticism was negatively associated with the frontal executive and visuospatial functions after controlling age, sex, and years of education. Interestingly, the negative relationship between neuroticism and frontal executive function was alleviated in older adults with higher sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrated that higher sleep quality has significant moderating effects on the negative association between neuroticism and frontal executive functions in older adults, which suggests intervention for improving sleep quality such as cognitive behavioral therapy can be considered in older adults who have personality traits associated with a high risk of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bori R Kim
- Department of Neurology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Ewha Medical Research Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ruda Lee
- Department of Neurology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nayeon Kim
- Department of Neurology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee Hyang Jeong
- Department of Neurology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Neurology, Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Geon Ha Kim
- Department of Neurology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Mercuri G, Holtzer R. Engagement in Cognitively Stimulating Activities Mediates the Relationship between Openness and Attention/Executive Functions, but Not Memory in Older Adults. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2021; 36:485-497. [PMID: 32853359 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acaa066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Openness has a positive association with cognitive functioning and engagement in cognitively stimulating activities (CSA). Older adults who engage in more CSA tend to show greater preservation of their cognitive skills; thus, we examined whether: higher Openness would be associated with higher attention/executive functions (AEF) and verbal memory; and CSA would mediate the relationship between Openness and AEF, as well as verbal memory. METHOD 477 community-dwelling older adults (65+ years) were included in the current cross-sectional study. Composite variables of AEF (TMT-A&B, COWAT, and DSST) and verbal memory (RBANS immediate and delayed verbal memory subtasks) were included. Openness was assessed via the Big-5 Inventory and CSA with the Leisure Activity Questionnaire. METHOD 477 community-dwelling older adults (65+ years) were included in the current cross-sectional study. Composite variables of AEF (TMT-A&B, COWAT, and DSST) and verbal memory (RBANS verbal memory subtasks) were included. Openness was assessed via the Big-5 Inventory and CSA with the Leisure Activity Questionnaire. RESULTS Linear regressions indicated a significant positive association between Openness and AEF (β = .09, p < .01), but not verbal memory (β = .06, p = .06). A significant partial mediation was demonstrated between Openness, CSA, and AEF (c: β = .08, p < .05, 95%CI = .02-.14; c': β = .02, 95%CI = .01-.03). The mediation of Openness, CSA, and verbal memory was not significant (c: β = .06, p > .05, 95%CI = .01-.11; c': β = .00, 95%CI = -.01-.01). CONCLUSIONS The association between Openness and AEF, but not verbal memory, was partially mediated by CSA in healthy older adults. The findings suggest that those who are more open to and highly engaged in CSA may have a later in life advantage in preserving their AEF abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Mercuri
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York, 10461
| | - Roee Holtzer
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, 10461
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Talpain E, Soubelet A. Strategy Use Mediates the Relation between Openness to Experience and Episodic Memory in Younger and Older Adults. Psychol Rep 2020; 125:358-374. [PMID: 33327862 DOI: 10.1177/0033294120981938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that people with higher levels of Openness to Experience show higher levels of cognitive functioning. However, the mechanisms underlying this personality-cognition relation are not well understood. The goal of the current project was to examine whether strategy use mediates the relation between Openness to experience and retrospective memory, and whether the role of strategy use in the Openness-memory relation was the same in younger and older adults. METHOD Two studies were conducted. In each of them, younger and older adults were administered a retrospective memory task (29 younger and 27 older in Study 1, 43 adults of all ages in Study 2). They were asked to report the strategies they used during the task, and to complete an Openness to Experience scale. RESULTS Consistent with previous reports, higher scores of Openness to experience and greater use of efficient memory strategies were associated with higher levels of memory performance. In addition, individual differences in memory strategy use mostly mediated the relation between Openness and memory performance. Results did not support a mediation model moderated by age. That is, the role of memory strategy use in the relation between Openness and memory was the same in younger and older adults. CONCLUSION Higher levels of Openness are associated with better memory performance, mostly because people with higher levels of Openness use more efficient memory strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Soubelet
- Department of Psychology, Cote d'Azur University, Nice, France
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Aschwanden D, Sutin AR, Luchetti M, Allemand M, Stephan Y, Terracciano A. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Association between Personality and Cognitive Failures / Complaints. SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS 2020; 14:e12565. [PMID: 34326894 PMCID: PMC8317966 DOI: 10.1111/spc3.12565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
This systematic review examined the associations of personality traits with cognitive failures and cognitive complaints across the adult lifespan. We first present three conceptual models (cognitive abilities, mental processes, and reporting bias) that could explain why personality is related to such behaviors. We then conducted five separate meta-analyses with 10-17 cross-sectional samples (N = 7,642 - 10,564) that were identified through a systematic literature search following the MOOSE guidelines. Higher neuroticism (r = .39, 95% CI [0.32, 0.45]) and lower conscientiousness (r = -.36, 95% CI [-.42, -.29]) were related to more cognitive failures and complaints. Lower scores on the remaining traits were also associated with more cognitive failures and complaints, yet to a weaker extent (extraversion: r = -.14, 95% CI [-.20, -.08]; openness: r = -.07, 95% CI [-.11, -.03]; agreeableness: r = -.13, 95% CI [-.21, -.05]). With the current empirical evidence, it is not possible to tell which of the three conceptual models explains how much of the associations. For neuroticism, there is more support for the mental processes than the reporting bias model, but more research is needed to fully test mechanistic models. We provide several suggestions for future research to address existing limitations of the literature on personality and cognitive failures and complaints.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mathias Allemand
- University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program Dynamics of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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Maggio MG, Cuzzola MF, Latella D, Impellizzeri F, Todaro A, Rao G, Manuli A, Calabrò RS. How personality traits affect functional outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis: A scoping review on a poorly understood topic. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2020; 46:102560. [PMID: 33049463 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2020.102560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Personality is an important variable when explaining individual differences in disease acceptance, coping styles and psychological well-being. Personality changes, such as social inadequacy, disinhibition, apathy, emotional lability, and impulsivity, have been reported in many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This review sought to assess the role of personality traits in people with MS, focusing on how this may affect the patient's outcome. Studies were identified by searching on PubMed, Web Of Science and Cochrane databases. Our review shows that the personality traits commonly found in MS are often dysfunctional. In particular, it has been suggested that people with MS present with lower levels of conscientiousness, extraversion and agreeableness, as well as higher levels of neuroticism than healthy controls. These personality traits negatively affect cognitive domains, mood, and psychological well-being. As personality may affect the clinical manifestations and disabilities of patients with MS, personality assessment should be an integral part of the management of the disease, in order to achieve better functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Giuseppe Rao
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy
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Jackson JJ, Hill PL, Payne BR, Parisi JM, Stine-Morrow EAL. Linking openness to cognitive ability in older adulthood: The role of activity diversity. Aging Ment Health 2020; 24:1079-1087. [PMID: 31446768 PMCID: PMC7042045 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2019.1655705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Relatively few studies have examined the reasons older individuals participate in activities that may benefit cognition with aging. Personality traits, particularly, openness to experience, are likely to influence how activities are selected. Openness to experience has also reliably shown to relate to cognitive and intellectual capacities. The current study tested whether diversity in activity helped to explain the overlap between openness to experience and cognitive functioning in an older adult sample (n = 476, mean age: 72.5 years). Results suggest that openness is a better predictor of activity diversity than of time spent engaged in activities or time spent in cognitively challenging activities. Further, activity diversity explained significant variance in the relationship between openness and cognitive ability for most constructs examined. This relationship did not vary with age, but differed as a function of education level, such that participating in a more diverse array of activities was most beneficial for those with less formal education. These results suggest that engagement with a diverse behavioral repertoire in late life may compensate for lack of early life resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J. Jackson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Patrick L. Hill
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; Washington University in St. Louis
| | | | - Jeanine M. Parisi
- Department of Mental Health; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Elizabeth A. L. Stine-Morrow
- Department of Educational Psychology and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Hussenoeder FS, Conrad I, Roehr S, Glaesmer H, Hinz A, Enzenbach C, Engel C, Witte V, Schroeter ML, Loeffler M, Thiery J, Villringer A, Riedel-Heller SG, Rodriguez FS. The association between mental demands at the workplace and cognitive functioning: the role of the big five personality traits. Aging Ment Health 2020; 24:1064-1070. [PMID: 31129995 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2019.1617244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Mental demands at the workplace can be preventive against cognitive decline. However, personality shapes the way information is processed and we therefore assume that Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, would moderate the beneficial effects of workplace stimulation on cognitive outcomes.Methods: We analyzed data from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study (n = 6529). Cognitive outcomes were assessed via the Trail-Making Test (TMTA, TMTB) and the Verbal Fluency Test. Personality was assessed via the Personality Adjective List (16 AM). Mental demands were classified with the indices Verbal and Executive based on the O*NET database.Results: Multivariate regression analyses showed only two significant moderation effects of personality, i.e. in individuals with low scores on Conscientiousness/Openness, index Verbal was connected to better TMTB performance, while this effect disappeared for individuals with high values on the personality trait. However, the additional explained variance remained marginal.Conclusion: The findings suggest that personality does not modify associations between high mental demands at work and better cognitive functioning in old age; however, there is a tendency that high levels of Openness and Conscientiousness may offset effects of mental demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix S Hussenoeder
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ines Conrad
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Roehr
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heide Glaesmer
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Hinz
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cornelia Enzenbach
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Engel
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Veronika Witte
- Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias L Schroeter
- Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Loeffler
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Joachim Thiery
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Steffi G Riedel-Heller
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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15
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Ihle A, Zuber S, Gouveia ÉR, Gouveia BR, Mella N, Desrichard O, Cullati S, Oris M, Maurer J, Kliegel M. Cognitive Reserve Mediates the Relation between Openness to Experience and Smaller Decline in Executive Functioning. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2020; 48:39-44. [PMID: 31509829 DOI: 10.1159/000501822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS We investigated the mediating role of leisure activity engagement in the longitudinal relation between openness to experience and subsequent change in executive functioning over 6 years as measured through performance changes in the Trail Making Test (TMT). METHODS We analyzed longitudinal data from 897 older adults (mean = 74.33 years in the first wave) tested on TMT parts A and B in two waves 6 years apart. Participants reported information on leisure activity engagement and openness to experience. RESULTS Latent change score modeling revealed that 37.2% of the longitudinal relation between higher openness to experience in the first wave of data collection and a smaller subsequent increase in TMT completion time from the first to the second wave (i.e., a smaller decline in executive functioning) was mediated via a higher frequency of leisure activities in the first wave. CONCLUSION Individuals with higher openness to experience show greater activity engagement in old age. By enhancing their cognitive reserve, this activity engagement may finally result in smaller subsequent decline in executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Ihle
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, .,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, .,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland,
| | - Sascha Zuber
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Élvio R Gouveia
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal.,LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, Funchal, Portugal
| | - Bruna R Gouveia
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, Funchal, Portugal.,Health Administration Institute, Secretary of Health of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal.,Saint Joseph of Cluny Higher School of Nursing, Funchal, Portugal
| | - Nathalie Mella
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Groupe de Recherche en Psychologie de la Santé, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Desrichard
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland.,Groupe de Recherche en Psychologie de la Santé, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Cullati
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Sociological Research, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michel Oris
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Maurer
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Economics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Kliegel
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland
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Segerstrom SC. Personality and Incident Alzheimer's Disease: Theory, Evidence, and Future Directions. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2020; 75:513-521. [PMID: 29846724 PMCID: PMC7768711 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gby063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Personality, especially the dimensions of neuroticism and conscientiousness, has prospectively predicted the risk of incident Alzheimer's disease (AD). Such a relationship could be explained by personality and AD risk having a common cause such as a gene; by personality creating a predisposition for AD through health behavior or inflammation; by personality exerting a pathoplastic effect on the cognitive consequences of neuropathology; or by AD and personality change existing on a disease spectrum that begins up to decades before diagnosis. Using the 5-dimensional taxonomy of personality, the present review describes how these models might arise, the evidence for each, and how they might be distinguished from one another empirically. At present, the evidence is sparse but tends to suggest predisposition and/or pathoplastic relationships. Future studies using noninvasive assessment of neuropathology are needed to distinguish these 2 possibilities.
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Carbone E, Meneghetti C, Borella E. The influence of personality traits and facets on visuo-spatial task performance and self-assessed visuo-spatial inclinations in young and older adults. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220525. [PMID: 31381616 PMCID: PMC6681964 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims Personality traits are suggested to influence adults’ cognitive performance, but little is known about their association with visuo-spatial competence, in terms of those visuo-spatial abilities and inclinations crucial to remaining autonomous, especially with aging. This study newly investigated whether, and to what extent, major traits and narrower facets of personality influence young and older adults’ performance in the so-called objective visuo-spatial abilities (mental rotation and visuo-spatial working memory [VSWM]), and self-assessed visuo-spatial inclinations (pleasure and anxiety in exploring places). Method Seventy young adults (18–35 years old) and 70 older adults (65–75 years old) completed the Big-Five questionnaire, objective rotation and VSWM tasks, and spatial self-assessments on pleasure and anxiety in exploring places. Results Hierarchical regression models confirmed that age negatively predicted the variance in objective visuo-spatial tasks, but not in self-assessed visuo-spatial inclinations, while only the latter were slightly influenced by gender (in favor of men). Further, both objective visuo-spatial abilities (albeit modestly) and self-assessed visuo-spatial inclinations were predicted by higher Conscientiousness. The latter were also predicted by higher Emotional Stability. Finally, a better objective visuo-spatial performance was explained (again modestly) by lower Dynamism and Politeness, and higher Emotion Control, while higher Perseverance, Emotion Control and Cooperativeness explained a moderate part of the variance in the positive self-assessed visuo-spatial inclinations. Conclusions Our findings indicate that, beyond age and gender, some personality traits and facets predict self-assessed visuo-spatial inclinations to a larger extent than objective visuo-spatial performance. These results are discussed within the spatial cognition and aging framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Carbone
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Chiara Meneghetti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Positive Effects of Openness on Cognitive Aging in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A 13-Year Longitudinal Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16122072. [PMID: 31212798 PMCID: PMC6617284 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16122072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between openness (a psychological trait of curiosity) and a cognitive change was examined in middle-aged and older adults. Participants were 2214 men and women (baseline age range: 40 to 81 years). They were tested up to seven times over approximately 13 years. Openness at the baseline was assessed by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Cognitive abilities were assessed at each examination using the Wechsler adult intelligence scale-revised short form, which includes information, similarities, picture completion, and digit symbol subscales. General linear mixed models comprised fixed effects of openness, age at the baseline, follow-up time, their interactions, and the covariates. The results indicated that the main effects of openness were significant for all scores. Moreover, the interaction term openness × age × time was significant for the information and similarities test scores, indicating that changes in the information and similarities scores differed depending on the level of openness and baseline age. The estimated trajectory indicated that the differences in slopes between participants with high and low openness were significant after 60 years of age for the information, and after 65 years of age for the similarities scores. It is concluded that openness has a protective effect on the decline in general knowledge and logical abstract thinking in old age.
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19
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Festini SB, Hertzog C, McDonough IM, Park DC. What makes us busy? Predictors of perceived busyness across the adult lifespan. The Journal of General Psychology 2019; 146:111-133. [PMID: 30686122 DOI: 10.1080/00221309.2018.1540396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Busier people tend to perform better on cognitive tasks than less busy individuals. Nevertheless, the characteristics that are associated with greater perceived busyness are unknown. To address this question participants (N = 463) from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study (ages 20-89) completed a self-report busyness assessment and demographic, health, personality, and lifestyle measures. Results revealed that perceived busyness peaked in 30-year-olds, showed age-related decreases until age 60, and then remained stable. Moreover, women generally reported being busier than men. Analysis of age by gender interactions revealed that men exhibited a significant cubic age effect for busyness, whereas women did not. Overall, younger age, female gender, agreeableness, neuroticism, frequent participation in novel activities, and enjoyment of cognitive processing were independently associated with being busier, and the characteristics related to busyness were generally stable across age. Notably, participation in novel activities and need for cognition were the most predictive lifestyle characteristics, supporting the framing of busyness as an indicator of mental engagement. We also propose personality-based sources of self-generated and other-generated busyness.
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20
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Aschwanden D, Luchetti M, Allemand M. Are open and neurotic behaviors related to cognitive behaviors in daily life of older adults? J Pers 2018; 87:472-484. [PMID: 30047126 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous research has shown a positive relationship between Openness and cognitive engagement as well as Neuroticism and cognitive complaints at the between-person level. However, less is known about these associations at the within-person level in daily life. Using daily assessments, the present study examined these associations both at the between-person and within-person level. Knowing the within-person associations is important to provide valuable information for simple preventive and interceptive intervention strategies. METHOD This study sampled 136 healthy older participants (M = 70.45 years; 41.2% male). Open and neurotic behaviors as well as cognitive engagement and complaints were measured every evening over 11 days. RESULTS The results of multilevel models showed a positive association between open behaviors and cognitive engagement at the between-person and within-person level. For neurotic behaviors and cognitive complaints, no association was found at either level of analysis. CONCLUSIONS These findings extend previous research by providing the investigation of the associations between specific naturally occurring behaviors related to personality and cognition in the daily life of older adults at the within-person level. Furthermore, these results may offer some basis for future intervention studies that should test whether a simple intervention aimed at promoting Openness-related behaviors may increase cognitive engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damaris Aschwanden
- Department of Psychology and University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martina Luchetti
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Mathias Allemand
- Department of Psychology and University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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21
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Strobel A, Fleischhauer M, Luong C, Strobel A. Predicting Everyday Life Behavior by Direct and Indirect Measures of Need for Cognition. JOURNAL OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1027/1614-0001/a000255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Need for Cognition (NFC) as the intrinsic motivation to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive endeavors has been a useful predictor of dispositional differences in information processing and task performance in experimental settings. In order to explore the role of NFC in everyday life behavior and to further validate the NFC-IAT, we examined the effects of directly and indirectly assessed NFC on self-reported behavior in a broad variety of situations in daily life where the engagement and joy of thinking could play a role. Accordingly, 95 participants were interviewed with a structured interview about everyday life situations, and direct and indirect measures of NFC were obtained. Both, directly and indirectly assessed NFC independently predicted NFC-related behavior, indicating that the combination of both measures results in a more comprehensive prediction of self-reported behavior. Our results show that NFC can be a helpful predictor of behavior not only concerning academic performance or in experimental paradigms, but also in everyday life.
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22
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von Stumm S. Better Open Than Intellectual: The Benefits of Investment Personality Traits for Learning. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2017; 44:562-573. [PMID: 29227758 DOI: 10.1177/0146167217744526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The investment theory of adult intelligence posits that individual differences in knowledge attainment result from people's differences in cognitive ability and their propensity to apply and invest that ability, which is referred to as investment personality traits. Here, we differentiated intellectual (i.e., intellectual curiosity) and nonintellectual investment (i.e., openness to experience), and we tested their respective predictive validity for knowledge attainment in four independent lab-based studies (overall N = 649). Openness to experience was positively associated with knowledge attainment across all four studies, and this effect was by and large independent of cognitive ability. By contrast, intellectual curiosity was not related to knowledge attainment. The findings suggest that openness to experience, rather than intellectual curiosity, is the investment personality trait that broadly benefits learning and adult intelligence.
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Abstract
Determining whether Need for Cognition (NC) has the same meaning across age may help understand why there are dramatically different age trends for cognitive abilities and for NC in adulthood. Data from 5,004 participants aged between 18 and 99 years were used to examine both internal relations and external relations of NC. Internal relations were investigated with measures of reliability, examination of factor invariance, and test-retest coefficients across three age groups. External relations were investigated by examining relations of NC with cognitive abilities, engagement, personality, self-rated cognition, and affect. Results suggest that NC may be a broad construct that could reflect motivation to seek out intellectual challenge. In addition, examination of both internal and external relations of NC indicated that the meaning of the construct may be the same across the life span. Finally, the current article showed that the strongest predictor of NC was Openness to Experience, at any age.
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Cognitive abilities and personality traits in old age across four years: More stability than change. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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25
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Leavitt VM, Buyukturkoglu K, Inglese M, Sumowski JF. Protective personality traits: High openness and low neuroticism linked to better memory in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2017; 23:1786-1790. [PMID: 28067603 DOI: 10.1177/1352458516685417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Memory impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) is common, although few risk/protective factors are known. OBJECTIVE To examine relationships of personality to memory/non-memory cognition in MS. METHOD 80 patients completed a cognitive battery and a personality scale measuring the "Big 5" traits: openness, neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness. RESULTS Memory was most related to openness, with higher openness linked to better memory and lower risk for memory impairment, controlling for age, atrophy, education, and intelligence quotient (IQ). Lower neuroticism was also related to better memory, and lower conscientiousness to memory impairment. Non-memory cognition was unrelated to personality. CONCLUSION Personality may inform predictive models of memory impairment in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Leavitt
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Korhan Buyukturkoglu
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matilde Inglese
- Departments of Neurology, Radiology and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA/Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - James F Sumowski
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Festini SB, McDonough IM, Park DC. The Busier the Better: Greater Busyness Is Associated with Better Cognition. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:98. [PMID: 27242510 PMCID: PMC4870334 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sustained engagement in mentally challenging activities has been shown to improve memory in older adults. We hypothesized that a busy schedule would be a proxy for an engaged lifestyle and would facilitate cognition. Here, we examined the relationship between busyness and cognition in adults aged 50-89. Participants (N = 330) from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study (DLBS) completed a cognitive battery and the Martin and Park Environmental Demands Questionnaire (MPED), an assessment of busyness. Results revealed that greater busyness was associated with better processing speed, working memory, episodic memory, reasoning, and crystallized knowledge. Hierarchical regressions also showed that, after controlling for age and education, busyness accounted for significant additional variance in all cognitive constructs-especially episodic memory. Finally, an interaction between age and busyness was not present while predicting cognitive performance, suggesting that busyness was similarly beneficial in adults aged 50-89. Although correlational, these data demonstrate that living a busy lifestyle is associated with better cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara B. Festini
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at DallasDallas, TX, USA
| | - Ian M. McDonough
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at DallasDallas, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology, The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Denise C. Park
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at DallasDallas, TX, USA
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The association of educational attainment, cognitive level of job, and leisure activities during the course of adulthood with cognitive performance in old age: the role of openness to experience. Int Psychogeriatr 2016; 28:733-40. [PMID: 26608394 DOI: 10.1017/s1041610215001933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relevance of mental health for everyday life functioning and well-being is crucial. In this context, higher educational attainment, higher cognitive level of one's occupation, and more engaging in stimulating leisure activities have been found to be associated with better cognitive functioning in old age. Yet, the detailed pattern of the potential interplay of such a cognitively engaged lifestyle with personality dimensions, such as openness to experience, in their relations to cognitive functioning remains unclear. METHODS Two thousand eight hundred and twelve older adults served as sample for the present study. Psychometric tests on verbal abilities and processing speed were administered. In addition, individuals were retrospectively interviewed on their educational attainment, occupation, and regarding 18 leisure activities that had been carried out in mid-life. Moreover, openness to experience was assessed. RESULTS We found that the effect of openness to experience on cognitive functioning was mediated by educational attainment, cognitive level of job, and engaging in different leisure activities. Data were not better described by alternative moderation models testing for interactive (i.e. dependent) effects of openness to experience and cognitively stimulating engagement. CONCLUSIONS To explain interindividual differences in cognitive functioning in old age, present data are in line with a mechanism in which individuals with high openness to experience may have been more engaged in stimulating activities in early and mid-life. Possibly by increasing their cognitive reserve throughout adulthood, this may finally enhance their cognitive performance level later in old age.
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Castanho TC, Portugal-Nunes C, Moreira PS, Amorim L, Palha JA, Sousa N, Correia Santos N. Applicability of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (Modified) in a community sample with low education level: association with an extensive neuropsychological battery. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2016; 31:128-36. [PMID: 25963399 DOI: 10.1002/gps.4301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Revised: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the applicability of a Portuguese (PT) version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), with a delayed recall item [modified (M)], here termed TICSM-PT, against an extensive (in-person) battery of neuropsychological instruments, in a sample of older individuals with low educational level and without clinically manifest/diagnosed cognitive impairment. METHODS Following translation/back-translation and pilot testing in 33 community dwellers, 142 community dwellers aged 52 to 84 years (mean = 67.45, SD = 7.91) were selected from local health care centres for the study (convenience sampling; stratified age and gender). Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal consistency, and convergent validity was evaluated through the correlation between TICSM-PT and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), as well as with a comprehensive battery of cognitive instruments. Divergent/discriminant validity was assessed through a battery of psychological instruments. The receiver operating curve was determined for TICSM-PT to classify participants with and without possible indication of cognitive impairment. RESULTS TICSM-PT showed a satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.705), convergent validity and discriminant validity. TICSM-PT presented a positive association with the global cognitive measures Mini Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and also with most neuropsychological parameters. Receiver operating curve curves presented a sensitivity of 90.6% and specificity of 73.7%. The area under the curve statistic yielded a threshold score equal or below 13.5 for cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION TICSM-PT is a practical tool for rapid cognitive assessment among older individuals with low educational background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Costa Castanho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Clinical Academic Center - Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Carlos Portugal-Nunes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Clinical Academic Center - Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Pedro Silva Moreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Clinical Academic Center - Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Liliana Amorim
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Clinical Academic Center - Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Almeida Palha
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Clinical Academic Center - Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Clinical Academic Center - Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Nadine Correia Santos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Clinical Academic Center - Braga, Braga, Portugal
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The Need for Cognition: Key Concepts, Assessment, and Role in Educational Outcomes. THE SPRINGER SERIES ON HUMAN EXCEPTIONALITY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-28606-8_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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30
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Shi M, Liu L, Yang YL, Wang L. The mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between big five personality traits and depressive symptoms among Chinese undergraduate medical students. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2015.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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31
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The mediating role of resilience in the relationship between big five personality and anxiety among Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0119916. [PMID: 25794003 PMCID: PMC4368674 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS The psychological distress of medical students is a major concern of public health worldwide. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate anxiety symptoms of medical students in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students, to examine the relationships between big five personality traits and anxiety symptoms among medical students, and to explore the mediating role of resilience in these relationships. METHODS This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2014. Self-reported questionnaires consisting of the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Big Five Inventory (BFI), Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale (RS-14) and demographic section were distributed to the subjects. A stratified random cluster sampling method was used to select 2925 medical students (effective response rate: 83.57%) at four medical colleges and universities in Liaoning province, China. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to explore the mediating role of resilience. RESULTS The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 47.3% (SAS index score≥50) among Chinese medical students. After adjusting for the demographic factors, the traits of agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness were all negatively associated with anxiety whereas neuroticism was positively associated with it. Resilience functioned as a mediator in the relationships between agreeableness/conscientiousness/openness and anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Among Chinese medical students, the prevalence of anxiety symptoms was high and resilience mediated the relationships between big five personality traits and anxiety symptoms. Identifying at-risk individuals and undertaking appropriate intervention strategies that focus on both personality traits and resilience might be more effective to prevent and reduce anxiety symptoms.
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Stine-Morrow EAL, Payne BR, Roberts BW, Kramer AF, Morrow DG, Payne L, Hill PL, Jackson JJ, Gao X, Noh SR, Janke MC, Parisi JM. Training versus engagement as paths to cognitive enrichment with aging. Psychol Aging 2014; 29:891-906. [PMID: 25402337 DOI: 10.1037/a0038244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
While a training model of cognitive intervention targets the improvement of particular skills through instruction and practice, an engagement model is based on the idea that being embedded in an intellectually and socially complex environment can impact cognition, perhaps even broadly, without explicit instruction. We contrasted these 2 models of cognitive enrichment by randomly assigning healthy older adults to a home-based inductive reasoning training program, a team-based competitive program in creative problem solving, or a wait-list control. As predicted, those in the training condition showed selective improvement in inductive reasoning. Those in the engagement condition, on the other hand, showed selective improvement in divergent thinking, a key ability exercised in creative problem solving. On average, then, both groups appeared to show ability-specific effects. However, moderators of change differed somewhat for those in the engagement and training interventions. Generally, those who started either intervention with a more positive cognitive profile showed more cognitive growth, suggesting that cognitive resources enabled individuals to take advantage of environmental enrichment. Only in the engagement condition did initial levels of openness and social network size moderate intervention effects on cognition, suggesting that comfort with novelty and an ability to manage social resources may be additional factors contributing to the capacity to take advantage of the environmental complexity associated with engagement. Collectively, these findings suggest that training and engagement models may offer alternative routes to cognitive resilience in late life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brennan R Payne
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois
| | - Brent W Roberts
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois
| | - Arthur F Kramer
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois
| | - Daniel G Morrow
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois
| | - Laura Payne
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois
| | | | | | - Xuefei Gao
- Psychology of Language Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
| | - Soo Rim Noh
- Creative Design Institute, Sungkyunkwan University
| | - Megan C Janke
- Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, East Carolina University
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Bakker AB, Sanz Vergel AI, Kuntze J. Student engagement and performance: A weekly diary study on the role of openness. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s11031-014-9422-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Canada B, Stephan Y, Caudroit J, Jaconelli A. Personality and subjective age among older adults: the mediating role of age-group identification. Aging Ment Health 2014; 17:1037-43. [PMID: 23767835 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2013.807420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A small body of research has highlighted the role of the five-factor model personality traits in subjective age. However, no study has yet focused on the mechanisms through which personality could be related to subjective age among older adults. The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating role of age-group identification in relation between personality traits and subjective age. It was hypothesized that both extraversion and openness to experience are positively related to a younger subjective age through the mediation of their negative relationship with age-group identification. METHOD A cross-sectional study was conducted with 501 older individuals aged from 60 to 95 years who completed measures of sociodemographic variables, self-rated health, personality, subjective age, and age-group identification. RESULTS Multiple regression analysis revealed that openness to experience was positively related to subjective age through the complete mediation of age-group identification, whereas no support was found for the relationship between extraversion and subjective age. CONCLUSION This study fills a gap in the existing literature and reveals that openness to experience is related to a youthful subjective age, because older open individuals tend to distance themselves from their age group. Therefore, this study confirms that personality deserves attention as a predictor of subjective age, independently of sociodemographic and health-related variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice Canada
- a Department of Sport Sciences , University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble , France
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Hess TM. Selective Engagement of Cognitive Resources: Motivational Influences on Older Adults' Cognitive Functioning. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2014; 9:388-407. [PMID: 26173272 PMCID: PMC5911399 DOI: 10.1177/1745691614527465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In this article, I present a framework for understanding the impact of aging-related declines in cognitive resources on functioning. I make the assumption that aging is associated with an increase in the costs of cognitive engagement, as reflected in both the effort required to achieve a specific level of task performance and the associated depletion or fatigue effects. I further argue that these costs result in older adults being increasingly selective in the engagement of cognitive resources in response to these declines. This selectivity is reflected in (a) a reduction in the intrinsic motivation to engage in cognitively demanding activities, which, in part, accounts for general reductions in engagement in such activities, and (b) greater sensitivity to the self-related implications of a given task. Both processes are adaptive if viewed in terms of resource conservation, but the former may also be maladaptive to the extent that it results in older adults restricting participation in cognitively demanding activities that could ultimately benefit cognitive health. I review supportive research and make the general case for the importance of considering motivational factors in understanding aging effects on cognitive functioning.
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Abstract
Although there has been considerable interest in identifying potential correlates of cognitive change, results of past studies have been inconsistent. The present study incorporated a number of methodological features intended to maximize sensitivity to detect characteristics of individuals with different amounts of cognitive change. Cognitive change in 5 cognitive abilities was analyzed with 2nd-order latent growth curve models applied to data from a moderately large sample of healthy adults ranging from 18 to 99 years of age (Ns of 4,802 with 1 occasion, 2,265 with 2 occasions, and 1,128 with 3 occasions). There was significant individual difference variance in the longitudinal changes in several cognitive abilities, even in separate analyses of individuals between 18 years of age and 39, between 40 and 64, and 65 and over. Potential correlates of change included measures of self-rated health, vision, mood, personality, and lifestyle. Most of the potential correlates of change had high reliability, and several analyses were based on even more reliable factors determined by the variance common to multiple measures. Despite favorable conditions for detecting correlates of change, there was little evidence that cognitive change was moderated by any of the variables examined. Possible reasons for the inconsistent results regarding correlates of cognitive change are discussed.
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Curtis RG, Windsor TD, Soubelet A. The relationship between Big-5 personality traits and cognitive ability in older adults – a review. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2014; 22:42-71. [DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2014.888392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel G. Curtis
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - Tim D. Windsor
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - Andrea Soubelet
- Campus Saint Jean d’Angely, Institut des SHS de Nice – LAPCOS, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06357 Nice Cedex 4, France
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Stephan Y, Boiché J, Canada B, Terracciano A. Association of personality with physical, social, and mental activities across the lifespan: Findings from US and French samples. Br J Psychol 2013; 105:564-80. [PMID: 24182200 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Despite evidence for its health-related benefits, little is known on the psychological predictors of the participation in leisure activities across the lifespan. Therefore, this study aimed to identify whether personality is associated with a variety of different types of activities, involving physical, cognitive, and social components. The samples included individuals from the second wave of the National Study of Midlife in the United States (N = 3,396) and community-dwelling French individuals (N = 2,917) aged between 30 and 84. Both samples completed measures of the five-factor model of personality. To create an activity index, we combined the physical, social, and cognitive (games and developmental) activities performed at least once a month. In both samples, individuals who scored higher on extraversion and openness were more likely to engage in a variety of activity types. The findings were consistent across two samples from different western societies and suggest that extraversion and openness contribute to social, cognitive, and physical functioning across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Stephan
- EA 4556 Epsylon, Department of Sport Sciences, Psychology and Medicine, University of Montpellier and St-Etienne, Montpellier, France
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Abstract
Intelligence-as-knowledge in adulthood is influenced by individual differences in intelligence-as-process (i.e., fluid intelligence) and in personality traits that determine when, where, and how people invest their intelligence over time. Here, the relationship between two investment traits (i.e., Openness to Experience and Need for Cognition), intelligence-as-process and intelligence-as-knowledge, as assessed by a battery of crystallized intelligence tests and a new knowledge measure, was examined. The results showed that (1) both investment traits were positively associated with intelligence-as-knowledge; (2) this effect was stronger for Openness to Experience than for Need for Cognition; and (3) associations between investment and intelligence-as-knowledge reduced when adjusting for intelligence-as-process but remained mostly significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie von Stumm
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, UK
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von Stumm S. Investment trait, activity engagement, and age: independent effects on cognitive ability. J Aging Res 2012; 2012:949837. [PMID: 22792464 PMCID: PMC3389693 DOI: 10.1155/2012/949837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2012] [Revised: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In cognitive aging research, the "engagement hypothesis" suggests that the participation in cognitively demanding activities helps maintain better cognitive performance in later life. In differential psychology, the "investment" theory proclaims that age differences in cognition are influenced by personality traits that determine when, where, and how people invest their ability. Although both models follow similar theoretical rationales, they differ in their emphasis of behavior (i.e., activity engagement) versus predisposition (i.e., investment trait). The current study compared a cognitive activity engagement scale (i.e., frequency of participation) with an investment trait scale (i.e., need for cognition) and tested their relationship with age differences in cognition in 200 British adults. Age was negatively associated with fluid and positively with crystallized ability but had no relationship with need for cognition and activity engagement. Need for cognition was positively related to activity engagement and cognitive performance; activity engagement, however, was not associated with cognitive ability. Thus, age differences in cognitive ability were largely independent of engagement and investment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie von Stumm
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, EH8 9JZ Edinburgh, UK
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Ziegler M, Danay E, Heene M, Asendorpf J, Bühner M. Openness, fluid intelligence, and crystallized intelligence: Toward an integrative model. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2012.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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