Continuity of cognitive change across adulthood
1Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4400, USA. salthouse@virginia.edu.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|August 5, 2015
Summary
Cognitive decline in adults doesn't always appear in early life. This study shows cognitive change is similar across adulthood, not just starting later in life.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Lifespan developmental psychology
Background:
- Cross-sectional studies show cognitive decline starting in early adulthood.
- Longitudinal studies often show significant cognitive decline only after age 60.
- Previous findings suggest cognitive change may not begin until late middle age.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine stability, variability, and reliability of cognitive change across adulthood.
- To investigate correlations between memory and speed changes with age.
- To determine if cognitive change is qualitatively similar across the adult lifespan.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cognitive change properties in 2,330 adults aged 18–80.
- Examination of measures including stability, variability, and reliability of change.
- Assessment of correlations between memory and speed changes.
Main Results:
- No significant age differences were found in the properties of cognitive change.
- The study possessed substantial power to detect even small effects.
- Absence of age-related differences in change properties was observed.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive change appears to be a qualitatively similar phenomenon throughout adulthood.
- Age-related differences in cognitive change properties were not statistically significant.
- Findings challenge the notion that significant cognitive change begins only in late middle age.
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