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Updated: Jul 23, 2026
10:13
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Cautiousness in adulthood as a function of age and instructions
Journal of Gerontology
|September 1, 1976
Summary
Older adults exhibit greater cautiousness in achievement tasks compared to younger adults. They prefer easier tasks and are less likely to increase aspirations after success, suggesting a strategy to protect self-evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Achievement motivation and risk-taking behavior can change across the adult lifespan.
- Understanding age-related differences in decision-making under varying conditions is crucial for developmental psychology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age differences in achievement motivation and risk-taking behavior.
- To examine how instructions (neutral, supportive, challenging) influence cautiousness in younger and older adults.
- To explore the relationship between task selection, aspiration adjustment, and age.
Main Methods:
- Forty-eight males, divided into younger (mean age 21.71) and older (mean age 69.31) groups, participated.
- Participants completed a vocabulary task with varying degrees of risk under different instructional conditions.
- Data collected included task selection, aspiration levels post-success, and cautiousness ratings.
Main Results:
- Older adults demonstrated significantly higher cautiousness than younger adults.
- Older adults selected tasks with higher probabilities of success.
- Following success, older adults were less likely than younger adults to raise their level of aspiration.
- Instructional conditions did not significantly affect cautiousness in either age group.
Conclusions:
- Significant age differences exist in achievement motivational dispositions.
- Older adults' cautiousness and task selection strategies may serve to protect self-evaluation of ability dimensions.
- Findings suggest a potential age-related shift in how individuals approach achievement contexts and manage self-perception.
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