Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
10:13
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Daily variability in mood and subjective cognitive function: An experience sampling study in young adults.
Melanie A Butt1, Todd C Handy1
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Plos One
|July 10, 2026
Summary
Greater daily fluctuations in subjective cognition predict lower perceived cognitive function in young adults. This daily cognitive variability also links to mood, but resilience varies among individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
Background:
- Older adults with greater day-to-day cognitive fluctuations show increased cognitive decline.
- Understanding cognitive variability in younger adults is crucial for assessing cognitive wellness during neurocognitive prime.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if daily variability in subjective cognition predicts cognitive wellness in young, healthy adults.
- To examine the relationship between daily cognitive variability, mood, and cognitive function in young adults.
Main Methods:
- Employed an experience sampling method over 14 days, assessing subjective cognition and mood thrice daily in 215 young adults.
- Controlled for baseline measures of subjective cognition and mood, including metacognitive awareness, executive function, depression, and anxiety.
Main Results:
- Subjective cognitive function exhibited significant day-to-day variability in young adults.
- Higher person-level cognitive variability predicted lower mean perceived cognitive function over the study period.
- Daily cognitive variability correlated with mood, with varying individual resilience to mood's impact on cognition.
Conclusions:
- Daily variability in subjective cognition and mood are significant predictors of cognitive wellness in younger adult populations.
- Cognitive variability, not just average performance, offers insights into cognitive health in young adults.
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