Email a Friend
Printer Friendly
Slashdot It!
Submit to Reddit
Add to Facebook

Research: How you think about your age may affect how you age

March 03, 2010

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The saying "You're only as old as you feel" really seems to resonate with older adults, according to research from Purdue University.

"How old you are matters, but beyond that it's your interpretation that has far-reaching implications for the process of aging," said Markus H. Schafer, a doctoral student in sociology and gerontology who led the study. "So, if you feel old beyond your own chronological years you are probably going to experience a lot of the downsides that we associate with aging.

"But if you are older and maintain a sense of being younger, then that gives you an edge in maintaining a lot of the abilities you prize."

Schafer and co-author Tetyana P. Shippee, a Purdue graduate who is a research associate at Purdue's Center on Aging and the Life Course, compared people's chronological age and their subjective age to determine which one has a greater influence on cognitive abilities during older adulthood. Nearly 500 people ages 55-74 were surveyed about aging in 1995 and 2005 as part of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States.

In 1995, when people were asked what age do you feel most of the time, the majority identified with being 12 years younger than they actually were.

"We found that these people who felt young for their age were more likely to have greater confidence about their cognitive abilities a decade later," Schafer said. "Yes, chronological age was important, but the subjective age had a stronger effect.

"What we are not sure about is what comes first. Does a person's wellness and happiness affect their cognitive abilities or does a person's cognitive ability contribute to their sense of wellness. We are planning to address this in a future study."

Schafer also said that the current study's findings have both positive and negative implications.

"There is a tremendous emphasis on being youthful in our society and that can have a negative effect for people," Schafer said. "People want to feel younger, and so when they do inevitably age they can lose a lot of confidence in their cognitive abilities.

"But on the other hand, because there is such a desire in America to stay young, there may be benefits of trying to maintain a sense of youthfulness by keeping up with new trends and activities that feel invigorating. Learning new technologies is one way people can continue to improve their cognitive abilities. It will be interesting to see how, or if, these cultural norms shift as the Baby Boomer generation ages."

Other studies have shown that women are prone to aging stereotypes, so Schafer expected to see that women who felt older about themselves would have less confidence in their cognitive abilities.

"There is a slight difference between men and women, but it's not as pronounced as we expected," Schafer said. "This was surprising because of the emphasis on physical attractiveness and youth that is often disproportionately placed on women."

Schafer also is studying how stressful events, such as family members' health issues, affect aging, as well as how happiness and aging relate.

These finding were published in January's Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, and the study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Purdue University

Related Cognitive Abilities Current Events and Cognitive Abilities News Articles

Cognitive Abilities Current Events and Cognitive Abilities News RSS

Brain scans may help guide career choice
General aptitude tests and specific mental ability tests are important tools for vocational guidance. Researchers are now asking whether performance on such tests is based on differences in brain structure, and if so, can brain scans be helpful in choosing a career?

Diabetes shouldn't deter young athletes: York U study
A new study led by York University researchers finds that young athletes with Type 1 diabetes may experience a marked decrease in performance as a result of their blood sugar levels.

Musical Skill Reflects Working Memory Capacity in Addition to Practice Time
Practice will help you play piano better - but it's not going to turn you into Liberace. A new study looks at the role that working memory capacity plays in piano players' ability to sight read a new piece of music, an important and complex skill for musicians.

Piglets open doors to study infant brain development
Events occurring during the development of an infant's brain can leave behind fingerprints. And researchers at the University of Illinois are interested in learning how these fingerprints can predict future behavioral problems such as cognitive deficits, anxiety disorders, depression, and even autism. New U of I research shows that the baby pig may provide some answers.

Friendships, family relationships get better with age thanks to forgiveness, stereotypes
Part of what makes those relationships so golden during the golden years is that people of all ages are more likely to forgive and respect one's elders, according to research from Purdue University.

Key nutrient in maternal diet promises 'dramatic' improvements for people with Down syndrome
A nutrient found in egg yolks, liver and cauliflower taken by mothers during pregnancy and nursing may offer lifelong "dramatic" health benefits to people with Down syndrome.

New automated tool 'debugs' nuclear weapon simulations
Purdue University researchers, working with high-performance computing experts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, have created an automated program to "debug" simulations used to more efficiently certify the nation's nuclear weapons.

Cognitive ability, not age, predicts risky decisions
Just because your mother has turned 85, you shouldn't assume you'll have to take over her financial matters. She may be just as good or better than you at making quick, sound, money-making decisions, according to researchers at Duke University.

Extending lifespan has mixed effects on learning and memory
Decreasing the intake of calories and tweaking the activity of the hormone insulin are two methods long known to increase lifespan in a wide range of organisms.

New study suggests sickle cell disease may affect brain function in adults
Sickle cell disease may affect brain function in adults who have few or mild complications of the inherited blood disease, according to results of the first study to examine cognitive functioning in adults with sickle cell disease.

More Cognitive Abilities Current Events and Cognitive Abilities News Articles

	Human Cognitive Abilities: A Survey of Factor-Analytic Studies by John B. Carroll (Author) This long awaited work surveys and summarizes the results of more than seventy years of investigation, by factor analysis, of a variety of cognitive abilities, with particular attention to language, thinking, memory, visual and auditory perception, creativity and the production of ideas, and the speed and accuracy of mental processing. The author describes his detailed findings resulting from reanalysis of more than 460 data sets from the factor-analytic literature, followed by a presentation of a hierarchical, three-stratum theory of cognitive ability and its implications for further research. A set of three computer disks (IBM 3-1/2" 1.4 megabytes, ASCII format) containing the numerical data sets and Dr. Carroll's statistical results is also available. Representing over 4 megabytes of...
	Essentials of WJ III Cognitive Abilities Assessment by Wiley Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to confidently administer, score, and interpret the WJ III™ COG The most widely used comprehensive assessment systemthe Woodcock-Johnson®has been newly separated into two distinct test batteries: Cognitive Abilities and Achievement. The WJ III™ COG includes tests of knowledge, reasoning, memory and retrieval, speed, auditory processing, and visual-spatial thinking. To use these tests properly, professionals need an authoritative source of advice and guidance on how to administer, score, and interpret them. Cowritten by the senior author of the Woodcock-Johnson®, Essentials of WJ III™ Cognitive Abilities Assessment is that source. Like all the volumes in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, this book is...
	Scales of Cognitive Ability for Traumatic Brain Injury (SCATBI) Record forms (25) - Model 920415 by Sammons Preston Reliable,valid test of cognitive functionis highly useful in documentingseverity of braininjury in adolescents andadults and in charting theirprogress. Its five subtests canbe administered in 30 minutesto 2 hours. Administeronly those subtests that apply andsave time while getting just the information youneed. Scores on subtests can be compared to determine areas ofstrength and weakness.Complete SCATBI Kit includes: Examiner's Manual, Stimulus Manual,25 Record Forms, Stimulus audio cassette, Stimulus Card Set, SturdyCarrying Case. ©1992.
	BMV Quantum Subliminal CD Frontal Lobe Activation: Peak Cognitive Ability (Ultrasonic Subliminal Series) Program your subconscious mind to activate your frontal lobe for peak cognitive ability and heightened mental functioning. Create amazing results using state-of-the-art subliminal and brainwave entrainment technologies. Tune your brainwaves to specific frequencies by listening to this CD! Program your subconscious mind for positive lasting results, created by a Certified Hypnotherapist and NLP Practitioner (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). Silent affirmations, inaudible hypnotic suggestions and thousands of powerful subliminal messages program your subconscious mind for positive results. The first 3 tracks have an ocean background. The Silent Ultrasonic Track 4 is completely silent with no sound at all! BMV exclusive Quantum Subliminal Matrix Technology sets a new standard for the...
	Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn't Fit All by Gayle H. Gregory (Editor), Carolyn M. Chapman (Editor) This expanded second edition presents planners, templates, rubrics, graphic organizers, and a step-by-step guide to lesson planning and adjustable assignments to help all students succeed.
	Maximizing Cognitive & Functional Abilities: Creating Successful Dementia Care Settings [VHS]
	Family, Friends & Lovers Also With: PBS (Producer)
	12 each: Living Essentials 5-Hour Energy Drink (318120) by Living Essentials Sold as one unit. (1 unit = 12 each.) 2 oz. Provides hours of energy, alertness and focus with no crash and no jitters. Zero sugar zero net carbs and only 4 calories and contains the caffeine of 1 cup of coffee. Made with a new ingredient Citicoline which is shown to support healthy cognitive function, memory and thinking ability . Manufacturer number: 318120. SKU #: 9127291. Country of origin: (TBA). Distributed by Living Essentials.
	SpecialLUK Primary Set by Beyond123 SpecialLUK Primary Set workbooks are designed to help children build fundamental learning skills starting from the very basic level. There are total of 216 exercises in this 3-workbook set. Using the bambinoLUK 6-tile controller along with specially designed exercises in this series of workbooks, children start to master essential skills which will prepare them for more complicated tasks at a later time. Through the unique controller design with a self-checking mechanism, this series of workbooks provides enjoyable play and learning exercises that focus on these critical elements for children's early learning: eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, visual perception, memory, concentration and logical thinking. The following developmental processes are promoted during play: visual...