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The Effects of Adult Aging and Culture on Theory of Mind
- Source :
- The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. 77(2)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Objectives Older adults tend to have poorer Theory of Mind (ToM) than their younger counterparts, and this has been shown in both Western and Asian cultures. We examined the role of working memory (WM) in age differences in ToM, and whether this was moderated by education and culture (the United Kingdom vs. Malaysia). Methods We used 2 ToM tests with differing demands on updating multiple mental states (false belief) and applying social rules to mental state processing (faux pas). We also looked at the role of education, socioeconomic status, and WM. A total of 298 participants from the United Kingdom and Malaysia completed faux pas, false belief, and WM tasks. Results Age effects on some aspects of ToM were greater in the Malaysian compared to the UK sample. Malaysian older adults were poorer at faux pas detection, aspects of false belief, and WM compared to young adults. In subsequent moderated mediation analyses, we found that, specifically in the Malaysian sample, the mediating effects of WM on the age and ToM relationship occurred at the lowest levels of education. Discussion This pattern of results may reflect changes in the familiarity and cognitive load of explicit mental state attribution, along with cultural differences in the pace and nature of cognitive aging. Cultural differences in education and WM should be considered when researching age differences in ToM.
- Subjects :
- Male
Social Psychology
Culture
Theory of Mind
050105 experimental psychology
Developmental psychology
Executive Function
Moderated mediation
Cognition
Cultural diversity
Theory of mind
Humans
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Young adult
Socioeconomic status
Aged
Working memory
05 social sciences
Malaysia
Anticipation, Psychological
United Kingdom
Clinical Psychology
Memory, Short-Term
Ethnopsychology
Social Class
Cognitive Aging
Faux pas
Educational Status
Female
Geriatrics and Gerontology
Psychology
Gerontology
Cognitive load
050104 developmental & child psychology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17585368
- Volume :
- 77
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....53ed31287177745e91e2e3f897e83498