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Perceptions of the cognitive compensation and interpersonal enjoyment functions of collaboration among middle-aged
Cynthia A Berg1, Ines Schindler, Timothy W Smith
1Department of Psychology, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. Cynthia.berg@psych.utah.edu
Abstract:
Perceptions of cognitive compensation and interpersonal enjoyment of collaboration were examined in three hundred middle-aged and older couples who completed measures of perceptions of collaboration, cognitive ability, marital satisfaction, an errand task and judged their spouse's affiliation. Older adults (especially men) endorsed cognitive compensation and interpersonal enjoyment and reported using collaboration more frequently than middle-aged adults. Greater need for cognitive compensation was related to lower cognitive ability only for older wives. Greater marital satisfaction was associated with greater interpersonal enjoyment. These two functions related to reports of more frequent use of collaboration and perceptions of spousal affiliation in a collaborative task.
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