Global and domain-specific changes in cognition throughout adulthood

Datos Bibliográficos

ID9792425
AutoresElliot M Tucker-Drob (0000-0001-5599-6237, The University of Texas at Austin, autor de correspondencia)
Año2011
Volumen47
Número2
Páginas331-343
Fecha de publicación2011-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaDevelopmental Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0012-1649 • E-ISSN: 1939-0599
EditorialAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/a0021361
PMID21244145
OpenAlexW2100557027
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas16
Referencias citadas15

Normative adult age-related decrements are well documented for many diverse forms of effortful cognitive processing. However, it is currently unclear whether each of these decrements reflects a distinct and independent developmental phenomenon, or, in part, a more global phenomenon. A number of studies have recently been published that show moderate to large magnitudes of positive relations among individual differences in rates of changes in different cognitive variables during adulthood. This suggests that a small number of common dimensions or even a single common dimension may underlie substantial proportions of individual differences in aging-related cognitive declines. This possibility was directly examined using data from 1,281 adults 18-95 years of age who were followed longitudinally over up to 7 years on 12 different measures of effortful processing. Multivariate growth curve models were applied to examine the dimensionality of individual differences in longitudinal changes. Results supported a hierarchical structure of aging-related changes, with an average of 39% of individual differences in change in a given variable attributable to global (domain-general) developmental processes, 33% attributable to domain-specific developmental processes (abstract reasoning, spatial visualization, episodic memory, and processing speed), and 28% attributable to test-specific developmental processes. Although it is often assumed that systematic and pervasive sources of cognitive decline only emerge in later adulthood, domain-general influences on change were apparent for younger (18-49 years), middle aged (50-69 years), and older (70-95 years) adults

Association (psychology · Cognition · Cognitive development · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Normative · Aging and Gerontology Research · Cognitive Abilities and Testing · Identity, Memory, and Therapy · Neuroscience · Psychology