Longitudinal associations of effort and reward at work with changes in cognitive function: evidence from a national study of U.S. workers
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Workplace high reward is linked to better cognitive function in US workers. High reward, alone or with high effort, improved composite cognition, memory, and executive function over nine years.
Area Of Science
- Occupational Health
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background
- Workplace psychosocial factors significantly impact employee well-being and cognitive health.
- Understanding the long-term effects of workplace dynamics on cognitive function is crucial for public health.
- The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study provides a valuable dataset for examining these associations over time.
Purpose Of The Study
- To investigate the longitudinal relationship between workplace effort-reward balance and cognitive function changes in a US worker population.
- To determine if specific combinations of workplace effort and reward influence cognitive trajectories.
- To identify potential targets for workplace interventions aimed at preserving cognitive health.
Main Methods
- Utilized data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study with a 9-year follow-up period.
- Measured workplace effort and reward using validated scales at baseline.
- Assessed cognitive function (composite cognition, episodic memory, executive functioning) using the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) at baseline and follow-up.
- Employed multivariable linear regression analyses with generalized estimating equations (GEE) to analyze longitudinal associations, controlling for covariates.
Main Results
- High workplace reward at baseline was significantly associated with improvements in composite cognition, episodic memory, and executive functioning over the 9-year follow-up.
- The combination of high effort and high reward also predicted enhanced cognitive function across all measured domains.
- Experiencing low effort and high reward was linked to better composite cognition and executive functioning.
Conclusions
- Findings indicate a positive association between high workplace reward and improved cognitive function among US workers.
- Further research with larger cohorts and longer follow-up periods is warranted to explore causal links and potential disease outcomes like dementia.
- Workplace reward strategies may be a viable avenue for promoting cognitive health in the working population.
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
Related Concept Videos
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...