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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Using Cholesky Decomposition to Explore Individual Differences in Longitudinal Relations between Reading Skills

Using Cholesky Decomposition to Explore Individual Differences in Longitudinal Relations between Reading Skills

Published on: September 17, 2019

Longitudinal relationships between resources, motivation, and functioning.

Thomas M Hess¹, Lisa Emery, Shevaun D Neupert

¹Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7801, USA. thomas_hess@ncsu.edu

The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences

|September 20, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Motivation is key for cognitive engagement. Declining health impacts motivation, especially in older adults, influencing cognitive abilities and daily activities.

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A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

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Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Using Cholesky Decomposition to Explore Individual Differences in Longitudinal Relations between Reading Skills

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A 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

Area of Science:

Psychology
Cognitive Science
Adult Development

Background:

Cognitive resources and health influence engagement in complex cognitive activities.
Motivation is a crucial factor in maintaining cognitive function and activity participation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how changes in health and cognitive resources affect motivation for complex cognitive tasks.
To examine the mediating role of motivation in the relationship between resource changes and cognitive activity engagement.

Main Methods:

Longitudinal study of 332 adults (aged 20-85).
Assessed motivation (Need for Cognition, Personal Need for Structure), health, sensory functioning, cognitive ability, and activity engagement.
Utilized multilevel modeling to analyze data.

Main Results:

Age-typical changes in health, sensory functions, and cognitive ability were linked to motivation changes.
Declining health significantly impacted motivation, particularly in older adults.
Motivation changes predicted engagement in cognitive/social activities and cognitive ability.
Motivation partially mediated the link between resource changes and demanding cognitive activities.

Conclusions:

Motivation plays a significant role in adult cognitive development and engagement in demanding daily activities.
Interventions aimed at maintaining motivation may support cognitive health throughout adulthood.