Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
Social inappropriateness, executive control, and aging.
Julie D Henry1, William von Hippel, Kate Baynes
1School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. julie.henry@unsw.edu.au
Older adults exhibit more socially inappropriate behavior due to executive control deficits. This age-related social inappropriateness is linked to cognitive decline and executive functioning, but not always to provocative events.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Age-related cognitive decline, particularly in executive control, may impact social behavior.
- Executive control is crucial for inhibiting inappropriate responses and maintaining social appropriateness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between age, executive control, general cognitive ability, and social appropriateness.
- To examine how older adults respond to provocative social situations in a laboratory setting.
Main Methods:
- Peer ratings were used to assess social appropriateness in older and younger adults.
- Executive control and general cognitive ability were measured.
- Participants responded to a provocative laboratory event.
Main Results:
- Older adults were rated as more socially inappropriate by peers than younger adults.
- Social inappropriateness in older adults was mediated by deficits in executive control and general cognitive ability.
- Responses to a provocative laboratory event did not correlate with executive functioning or cognitive ability in older adults.
Conclusions:
- Age-related deficits in executive control and general cognitive ability contribute to social inappropriateness.
- Changes in cognitive and social factors are key to understanding age-related social behavior shifts.
- The impact of provocative events on social behavior may differ from everyday social interactions.
More Related Videos
10:13Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
09:01A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
Published on: May 7, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Horney's Sociocultural Approach